The countries defying the traditional ‘9 –5’

Emma Finamore
20 Sep 2018

The five day working week might soon be a thing of the past.

Placeholder — Germans have the highest amount of annual leave with a whopping 30 days off annually.

The TUC has recently announced that with the advances in technology, the possibility of a four-day work week in the UK is likely to happen by 2100. With this in mind, happiness and engagement.

Research points to the fact that employers reportedly find it easier to attract top talent with flexible working options and a better work life balance. UK employees voted flexible working a favoured benefit, with 35% listing it as their top one.

Data shows that Germany works the shortest hours with weekly average of 26.37 hours. Netherlands and Norway work the second and third shortest hours, working just 1% less than Germany respectively. What’s more, Germans, can request a reduction in their hours if they work for a company with fewer than 15 employees.

In Sweden, the introduction of six-hour work days was established to motivate employees to work smarter at work while having more time to spend at home. Sweden and Germany are not the only countries that believe the eight-hour work day isn’t as effective as some think.

In Germany, flexitime is a popular working arrangement in larger organisations, and is agreed between the company and the employee at their discretion. In France, overtime is not generally part of the working culture – taking work home to do in the evenings or over the weekend is not common practice for regular employees, however senior staff are more likely to put in overtime. Regulations like these ensure that employees are fairly paid for work, and prevent burnout by protecting private time.

Germans have the highest amount of annual leave with a whopping 30 days off annually. In Norway, it’s 21 days each year and in Denmark, the average paid vacation allowance is five weeks. The Danish consider News