Think Tank: Finns work shortest hours in EU

Finnish working weeks are two hours shorter than that European average, according to a new report by the think tank EVA. 

Full-time workers in Finland work the shortest weeks in the European Union, at just 38.5 hours.

That is two hours less than the EU average and three hours less than in Germany.

That’s according to research from the business think tank EVA. The comparison used working hours data from Eurostat. It also found that part-time workers in Finland also work shorter weeks than their counterparts elsewhere in Europe.

Holidays, bank holidays and other absences shorten working hours more in Finland than elsewhere, according to the report.

"Shorter working hours hurt our country’s competitiveness," said researcher Antti Kauhanen, who wrote the report. "In full-time work this creates competitiveness problems for industry. Shorter hours in part-time working is a problem for the service sector."

Yle Finland