Spaniards worked fewer hours than Brits last year… but more than the Germans

Putting in a shift: Spaniards worked more hours than many other Europeans in 2013

Toss aside any notion that the Spanish are lazy – Spaniards worked far more hours than the Germans, Dutch, Swiss and Swedes in 2013, according to recent data published by the Organization for Economic Development (OECD)…

The average Spaniard clocked up 1,665 hours at work last year, just four hours fewer than Brits, who spent 1,669 hours in work. The OECD average was 1,770 hours, which suggests at first glance that the Spanish and British are not working hard enough.

However, the OECD table throws up some interesting quirks. In countries that have suffered the least during the recent economic downturn, citizens actually worked FEWER hours than in most countries.

Among all OECD nations, the people in the Netherlands worked the fewest hours, spending just 1,380 hours toiling. The Dutch were followed closely by their German cousins, who put in a shift totalling 1,388 hours, then came the Norwegians (1,408 hours), the Danes (1,411 hours) and the French (1,489 hours).

At the other end of the scale, Mexicans worked the most hours, spending a massive 2,237 hours at their job in 2013, while South Koreans were the second hardest-working nation, with 2,163 hours under their belt.

Interestingly, the ‘lazy Greeks’ were the third hardest-working people last year, with 2,037 hours worked, while Italians also worked close to the OECD average, clocking up 1,752 hours – which was more than the famously hardworking Japanese.

These statistics should put to bed the notion that the Club Med countries are lazy; the data actually appears to proves the opposite. What it also shows is that organised, high tax countries based largely on the Scandinavian model enable their citizens to power a productive economy while working as few hours as possible.

Another part of the study not looked at by Madrid’s Institute of Economic Studies (IEE) and the OECD is productivity between countries – a decisive metric when measuring output.

The European Commission revealed earlier in the year that Germany has the highest productivity rate in the EU at €42 per hour. Spain, in contrast, delivers just €32 per hour to the economy.

Spain must improve its competitiveness if it is to maintain its economic recovery, warned the OECD last month. While Spaniards work long hours, there has been the suggestion among OECD observers that their time spent at work could be more focused, with less emphasis placed on ‘presentismo’ – the culture of being in the office looking busy.

Many Spaniards will refute this notion, and a number of soaring industries – such as tourism and the real estate sector – can point to staff that do their utmost while in the office. However, the statistics are stark, and may suggest that Spaniards should look at their working culture a little more closely in the future.