[theList] Shocked by 69-Hour Workweek... Top 5 Countries for Work-Life Balance

Germany Ranks First Globally in Work-Life Balance
566-Hour Average Gap Compared to Korea
Flexible Work and Guaranteed Rest Highlighted

Under the Labor Standards Act, the maximum weekly working hours in South Korea is 52 hours. This consists of the statutory 40 hours plus up to 12 hours of overtime permitted through agreement between labor and management parties.

Previously, the government attempted labor reforms by flexibilizing overtime regulations to allow working up to 69 hours per week in concentrated periods followed by extended vacations. However, this was revised following opposition from groups such as the Saerogochim Labor Council (MZ Nojo).

The MZ Nojo emphasized that "expanding the unit of overtime management is premature when institutional foundations to escape long working hours and overwork are not yet effective." In fact, South Korea's average annual actual working hours in 2021 was 1,915 hours, ranking 5th highest among OECD member countries.

So, which countries have relatively low working hours and high wages, representing advanced 'Work-Life Balance (Work + Life Balance)'? We looked at the top 5 OECD countries with the lowest average annual working hours.

5th Place - Norway

Office in Oslo, the capital of Norway [Image source=Pixabay]

Norway's average annual total working hours is 1,427 hours, about 500 hours less than South Korea, ranking 5th in the OECD for work-life balance. As a representative advanced Nordic country with abundant oil resources and developed high value-added service industries, Norway legally limits total weekly working hours to no more than 40 hours. Most companies also follow autonomous labor-management agreements to maintain 37.5 working hours over 5 working days.

Although working hours are short, flexibility is excellent. Flexible working hours were introduced as early as the 1970s, and a culture of freely setting commuting times is established. Overtime exists, but vacation time is accrued corresponding to the hours worked.

4th Place - Netherlands

Amsterdam Square, the capital of the Netherlands [Image source=Yonhap News]

The Netherlands, a small Western European country, ranks 4th with an average annual working time of 1,417 hours. The Netherlands also scores highly in the OECD's 'Quality of Life Index' labor category, with only 0.15% of workers working long hours. This reflects well-organized labor systems that prevent excessive overtime across all occupations.

Since the 1982 'Wassenaar Agreement,' the Netherlands has sequentially introduced labor laws improving long working hours, such as the 'Anti-Discrimination Law Based on Working Hours' and the 'Working Hours Adjustment Act.' The actual average daily working time for workers is reportedly only 6.1 hours.

3rd Place - Luxembourg

Luxembourg, a small city-state in Central Europe, has an average annual total working time of only 1,382 hours, significantly ahead of Norway and the Netherlands. Luxembourg is also famous as one of the world's wealthiest countries. As of last year, its per capita GDP was $115,045, ranking first globally, reflecting high labor productivity and excellent work-life balance.

The statutory weekly working hours are 40, similar to other European countries, but the average paid vacation days are known to be very long at 32 days.

2nd Place - Denmark

Danish flag [Image source=Yonhap News]

Denmark, with an average annual working time of 1,363 hours, is considered an ideal country for work and leisure balance. In a 2018 European Union (EU) survey on work-life balance among member countries, 47% of Danes responded "very satisfied," ranking first.

Denmark's statutory working hours are 37 hours per week, which translates to an average of 7.5 hours per day over 5 days. Typically, this means starting work at 8 a.m. and finishing by 4 p.m. Flexible working hours are established in most companies, allowing employees to freely set their commuting times, which is considered a major advantage.

1st Place - Germany

Workers at the BMW factory in Germany [Photo by Yonhap News]

Germany, with an average annual total working time of 1,349 hours, is ranked as the world's top work-life balance country. This is 367 hours less than the OECD average total working time (1,716 hours) and 566 hours less than South Korea.

Germany not only has fewer average weekly working hours but also offers many available vacation days. Although the exact number varies depending on company contracts, workers can typically use an average of 30 days of paid vacation annually.

German labor law strictly regulates overtime. Overtime exceeding 10 hours per day is prohibited, and a minimum rest period of 11 hours between the end of one workday and the start of the next is guaranteed. All working hours exceeding the statutory 40 hours per week are either compensated with time off or monetary payment.