TORONTO – As Europe’s economic crisis bites hard, Spain – the eurozone’s fourth largest economy – is saddled with its own myriad woes, and low productivity resulting from long work days is one of them. It is groping for ways to reinvent itself after a housing bubble that largely fueled the economy went bust three years ago. Unemployment now stands at 21.5 per cent. Debt is piling up everywhere.
One thing that would help is to scrap the traditional productivity-sucking black hole at midday, say economists and advocates of a more American-style 9-to-5 schedule. Spanish workers traditionally take a lunch break that can last over two hours.
As Spain considers reforming a sacred tradition to boost productivity, Global News compares the average weekly working hours, vacation days, and normal retirement age across the European Union and North America.
AVERAGE WEEKLY
WORKING HOURS (in 2010):
Germany = 35.7
Spain = 38.6
Portugal = 39.0
Greece = 42.3
Italy = 37.8
France = 38.0
Canada = 36.5
United States = 33.8
United Kingdom = 36.4
China = 44.0
VACATION DAYS:
Germany = 30
Spain = 36
Portugal = 35
Greece = 37
Italy = 31
France = 40
Canada = 19
United States = 25
United Kingdom = 36
China = 21
NORMAL RETIREMENT
AGE:
Germany = 65
Spain = 65
Portugal = 65
Greece = 65
Italy (Men/Women) = 65/60
France = 60
Canada = 65
United States = 65
United Kingdom (Men/Women) = 60/55
China (Men/Women) = 60/50
—
With files from The Associated Press and OECD Stats
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