Whoever works longer has less productivity

Do Europeans who work longer reach more? The answer is no, according to a study conducted by the British union convention.

Comparing data from the European Union's consolidated economies in 2018, the study concluded that while full-time employees in Great Britain have the longest work week, they are even less productive.

Denmark, on the other hand, has the shortest week of work, but it is the second most productive place after Ireland. Productivity is measured based on the country's GDP per hour.

In Italy a week of reduced labor corresponds to low productivity. Italians rank second, along with Netherlands and Belgium, for the lowest working hours in Europe, but are also about 30 percent less productive.

But not quickly to conclude. While the productivity of the Italians leaves to be desired compared to the first results in the Netherlands or Belgium, they are at the average level when you look at the wider Europe. Full-time EU workers, who have done an average of 40.2 hours of work a week, have had a 91.4 percent productivity.

Italians work an average of 39 hours a week and are only 0.1 percent less productive than the average in Europe. To British unionists, long working hours culture is not something you can take pride in. That, they say, is to rob workers of a decent family life and time with loved ones.

Other countries have shown that reducing working hours is not only good for employees but can also increase productivity. Based on its results, the British trade union congress says it supports a week's work by less hours, including the addition of official holiday days and the week with four working days.