Latest data published by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) regarding the average European citizens’ working hours, reversed the unflattering stereotype of the lazy Greeks, which the country’s ongoing economic crisis has left them with. Contrary to what most Europeans might think, Greeks are actually the ones working the longest hours in the European Union.
OECD data showed that employees in Greece put in an average weekly shift of 42 hours, even more than Germans who only manage 35.3 hours. Some experts, though, claim this is due to the nature of the work in Greece, as in many sectors, such as agriculture and commerce, people put in long hours, while this does not necessarily have anything to do with their efficiency.
It should be noted that other countries of the European South, also affected by the financial crisis, such as Portugal and Spain, also ranked high (second and third respectively) on the list, leaving France fourth and the European Union average in fifth position with 37.2 working hours per week.
On the opposite, regarding another stereotype that wants Greeks retiring early, this seems to have a basis, as the average retirement age in the country is 57.8 years. While this is indeed low compared to other European Union member-states, it is not the lowest and margins are relatively thin, as people in the United Kingdom retire at the age of 58.3.
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