Countries with long average working hours are economically more successful than those countries which do not work long hours. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
I completely disagree with the claim that nations with longer average working hours achieve greater economic success, as economic prosperity depends far more on productivity, technological advancement, and work-life balance policies rather than raw time spent at work.
Admittedly, extended working hours might generate short-term output gains in labour-intensive industries. For example, during the early industrialisation period, countries with longer factory shifts often saw faster growth in manufacturing output. However, this model is unsustainable and rarely leads to long-term, high-value economic success.
First, long working hours sharply reduce productivity. Research from the OECD consistently shows that after around 40 hours of work per week, employee focus, creativity and efficiency drop dramatically, while error rates rise. For instance, countries like Germany and Norway have some of the shortest average working weeks (around 35 hours) but rank among the top globally in GDP per capita and labour productivity. Their success comes from investment in automation, worker training and efficient workflow design, not extended hours.
Second, overwork causes heavy social and economic costs in the long run. Nations with chronically long working hours, such as some emerging economies with average 50+ hour workweeks, face higher rates of worker burnout, healthcare costs, and low fertility rates. These problems erode future labour supply and public resources, undermining sustained economic growth. For example, Japan’s historical culture of overwork contributed to decades of economic stagnation and a shrinking workforce, while countries with shorter hours have more stable labour participation and innovation-driven growth.
In conclusion, long working hours are not a driver of genuine economic success; high productivity and sustainable social policies are the real foundations of a strong economy.