Although national workers work 64 hours more per year than the average in European Union countries, they are currently working 4% less hours than before the pandemic, according to data released by the Organization for Cooperation and Development. Economic (OECD).

According to data from the “OECD Employment Outlook 2023” report, hours worked per employee recorded, on average, a decrease of just under 1% between the fourth quarter of 2019 and the first quarter of this year. “In Latvia, New Zealand, Slovenia and Poland, they increased by more than 2%, while they decreased by more than 4% in Ireland, Slovakia, Portugal, Austria and Korea”, reads the report.

Data released by the OECD reveal that, in most countries, hours worked per employee are currently slightly below pre-pandemic levels.

The OECD also underlines that, in the fourth quarter of last year, hours worked per employee that were above or below pre-crisis levels was less than 2% in 22 of the 30 countries with recent data available.

“The persistence of lower hours worked in tight labour markets raises the question of whether the Covid-19 crisis may have led to some structural changes, for example in workers’ preferences for work-life balance", says the OECD.