Randstad Research and Eurostat data show Greeks are working longer hours compared to their European Union counterparts.
The Randstad analysis, cited by a recent Euronews article and covering the final quarter of 2025, found that 12.4% of the Greek workforce logs at least 49 hours per week — nearly double the EU member state average of 6.5%. Hard-working countries in the Randstad analysis also include Cyprus at 10%, France at 9.7%, and Portugal at 9.1%. Meanwhile, only 5% of German and 6.3% of Spanish workers logged over 49 hours per week.
Weekly working hours compiled from Eurostat for the duration of 2024 also show Greeks working long hours. In this official EU dataset, Greece’s average working time is clocked at 39.8 hours — the highest figure among EU member states, which average 36 hours.
Trailing just behind Greece are Bulgaria (39 hours), Poland (38.9 hours), and Romania (38.8 hours), while only Turkey (43.1 hours) and Serbia (41.3 hours) clock in even more time at the job each week.
