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European countries with the longest and shortest work week

Tracking Europe’s weekly work schedules

European countries with the longest and shortest work week
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StarsInsider
16/06/2026 09:00 ‧ 17 hours ago | StarsInsider

LIFESTYLE

Employment

Across Europe, the number of hours people work each week can vary quite a bit, even among neighboring countries. Some of this comes down to which industries dominate a country's economy.

In some nations, powerful labor unions protect employee rights and help keep work hours very short. Other regions rely heavily on factory manufacturing or tourism, where keeping businesses open for long hours is necessary.

This gallery looks at 30 European countries, from the longest average workweek to the shortest, and explains some of the reasons behind each number. Click on to learn more.

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