Here is a list of the top 5 countries with the longest working hours

By Favour Osah

With the world of work constantly evolving, each country faces its unique challenges and opportunities.

Here is a list of the top 5 countries with the longest working hours and their various working conditions, per reports from Insider Monkey providing insights into how these environments impact their employees.

1. Bhutan

Bhutan comes in at number one with its average working hours of 54.4 and despite being the country with the longest work hours in the world, labor and employment challenges loom large in Bhutan as youth unemployment has a rate of 29% and economic growth has averaged around 1.7% over the past five years. The dream of better opportunities abroad, particularly in Australia, has led to a skilled migration, with about 15,000 visas issued to Bhutanese in just a year which is nearly 2% of the entire Bhutanese population seeking greener pastures.

2. United Arab Emirates

With an average working hours of 50.9 per week, the UAE comes second as job opportunities in the country have surged, with an 8% increase in new positions since Q4 2023. This growth is driven by a high demand for talent in real estate, digital sectors, data, and AI, with the real estate industry alone seeing a remarkable 11% rise in job openings.

Throughout the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, the appetite for skills in digital and data fields continues to grow as the UAE’s economic outlook remains bright, with projected GDP growth of 4.2% in 2024 and 5.2% in 2025.

3. Lesotho

In Lesotho, the average working hour per week spans at 50.4 with its labor code stipulating a maximum probation period of four months, after which employees secure permanent status.
The standard work week consists of 45 hours, divided into either five or six days. For those on a five-day schedule, the daily hours add up to nine, while a six-day schedule includes eight-hour days for five days and a shorter five-hour day on the sixth.

Overtime is limited to 11 hours per week, with workers receiving a 25% pay increase for any extra hours worked.

4. Congo

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the average workweek stretches to 48.6 hours, the labor code sets strict limits, limiting the maximum workweek to 45 hours and the daily limit to nine hours. These regulations apply uniformly across all sectors, including public and private organizations, as well as those focused on education and charity. Notably, there are no variations in these limits based on gender or job type. While mandatory overtime isn’t explicitly prohibited, the DRC requires increased compensation for extra hours worked, with pay raises ranging from 30% to 60% depending on the hours and days involved. The higher average weekly hours may reflect the reality of longer shifts often seen in informal sectors, where regulations can be more loosely enforced.

5. Qatar

In Qatar, employees typically log an average of 48 hours each week, but at some organisations, the situation has become particularly dire. With recent layoffs, staff are left grappling with overwhelming flying hours, putting both their health and customers at risk. This relentless pressure creates a culture of silence, where workers with the fear of reprisal or losing their jobs hesitate to express their exhaustion.

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