Are US Americans really working less hours than those in emerging nations S. Korea, Singapore, India? The hours indicated by The Conference Board as shown in Niall Ferguson’s book Civilization, indicate the US is falling far below the typical 40-hr week or 2000 hrs a year. Some segment however are working closer to 3600 hrs a year. According to this HBR article:
“What does bother EMPs [executives, managers, professionals] is when companies use 24-7 connectedness to compensate for organizational inefficiencies and when it significantly undermines their personal lives, productivity, creativity, and ability to think strategically. The complaints we heard most often (from at least three-quarters and as high as 96% of respondents) centered on useless meetings and emails, inadequate technology, disorganized or incompetent C-suites, and unclear decision-making authority.”
“The message is clear: EMPs don’t necessarily mind being connected to work for more than eight hours a day. But they are upset when it happens because leaders don’t respect their time or their official work day is wasted, so they have to make up the time working from their laptops or smartphones at home.”