Diligence is the mother of good luck. Yet, it is not that simple: in case hard work is done in a nation with weak economy, the country will not benefit from it. We have prepared the list of the hardest working nations, with the longest working hours, to be precise. Interestingly, the U.S. did not get into the top ten. However, we cannot rank it among the world’s laziest countries with 1,798 average annual working hours per person. So, let us look at the most diligent states.
10. Slovakia: 1,786 working hours a year
Having spent 50 years in the USSR, Slovakians seem to be still building the radiant future. Unfortunately, unemployment here is higher than in Soviet time: 13.9%, not too far from the all-time high of 19% in 1999. In addition, many businesses hire people and fire them when it suits them. Perhaps, it is absence of guarantees for workers that makes people in Slovakia work hard until it is possible.
9. Mexico: 1,866 working hours a year
Sometimes Mexicans are called a lazy nation. However, facts disapprove this statement. The problem is lack of education which makes people of this country take on back-breaking and exhausting jobs. What’s more, Mexicans are less efficient than people from developed countries, such as the U.S.
8. Turkey: 1,877 working hours a year
Up to 2013, there was a student oath in Turkey which starts with the words, “I’m Turkish, I’m righteous, I’m hard-working”. Despite the fact that young employees are paid about $10 an hour, the most hard-working ones have a promising future. Istanbul, Turkey’s financial capital, numbers almost 30 millionaires. The problem is that the eastern part of the country is poorer than the western part and has higher jobless rate. So as we can see, reward for labor is not equal there.
7. Estonia: 1,879 working hours a year
A website inviting to Estonia reads: “A typical Estonian would like to portray himself as hard-working, reliable, smart, innovative and friendly”. Before graduating from a university, Estonian students are advised to make up their minds about their career. After the Soviet Union collapse, Estonia’s residents continued to work like a Trojan.
6. Poland: 1,939 working hours a year
It is interesting to know that other European nations consider Polish people hard-working, while the Poles themselves claim they do not like working. They allegedly lost motivation for hard work during Soviet time and became lazy. Meanwhile, the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands believe the Poles, of all people, are hard-workers. These countries found out the Polish workforce after Poland joined the EU in 2004.
5. The Czech Republic: 1,947 working hours a year
The Czech Republic is one of the hardest working and prosperous countries in Eastern Europe. This country’s GDP per capita is estimated at $18,000, while overall GDP exceeds $190 billion. However, the Czechs are the world’s second most pessimistic nations. It seems that hard work played a key role in it.
4. Hungary: 1,961 working hours a year
Hungary’s economic situation is much worse. As of 2012, only 55 percent of working population had jobs and paid taxes. At the same time, wages remain low and interest rates on loans, in particular, mortgage loans, go on rising. Nevertheless, there are powerful trade unions willing to protect the rights of workers.
3. Russia: 1,976 working hours a year
Here are the eager beavers. Whatever the stereotypes about vodka and balalaika, Russia is in the top three hardest working nations. After the Soviet Union fell, the Russians have kept a habit to work for a long time. Yet, Russia’s labor productivity lags behind other leading economies. Diligence of Russian people provides the country's GDP with more than $2 trillion.
2 Chile: 2,068 working hours a year
Chilean workers are allowed to work 45 hours a week provided that they have at least 24 hours of weekly rest. $20,000 GDP per capita is strong evidence that even out-of-date economies can perform well in case all workers do their best.
1. South Korea: 2,193 working hours per year
No wonder that an Asian country is placed first. Note that people work no less in countries such as China or Japan. But here we outline officially fixed workweeks, so South Korea is ranked first with its GDP of $ 25 thousand per capita.
