France's annual working hours are relatively low

The French Economic Analysis Council pointed out that France's annual working hours are relatively low, not because employees on the job work less, but because the employment rate is lower.

When it comes to the French, there is always a sense of laziness and relaxation, they like to strike, complain about work, and spend a long time drinking coffee. But are these really stereotypes? Are the French really working fewer hours than other countries? This old topic has once again sparked heated discussions due to the recent remarks by Prime Minister François Fillon when announcing the public financial adjustment plan. Fillon emphasized that in order to improve the current situation in France, everyone must contribute, so everyone must work harder.

Amélie de Montchalin, the French minister of public accounts, further stated: "The French work 100 hours less per person per year compared to the Germans." To increase the total working hours nationwide, the government listed various possible reforms, including canceling two statutory holidays, and even proposed a solution of "compensating income for a week of paid vacation." However, some people question that this calculation method itself is full of bias.

So, do the French actually work more than others?

According to the latest data from the OECD, the average working hours per person in France are 666 hours, which is indeed lower than Germany's 724 hours, and far below the statistical average of 776 hours.

In a report released this spring, the French Economic Analysis Council pointed out that according to employment surveys in various countries, the average annual working hours of the French are about 100 hours less than those in Germany and the UK, and about 300 hours less than those in the United States. This "gap" started in the late 1980s.

However, 100 or even 300 hours is not a small number. Why is there such a big gap? In fact, this statistics includes the entire population of the country, including children, students, retirees, etc., and since the proportion of the working population in France is lower, it leads to the appearance of shorter average working hours in France.

The French Economic Analysis Council also pointed out that the relatively low annual working hours of the French are not because employees on the job work less, but because the employment rate is lower.

What is the employment rate in France specifically? According to the National Institute of Statistics, the employment rate of people aged 15 to 64 in France in 2024 was 69%, significantly lower than Germany's 77%, and also lower than the EU average of 71%.

Two groups stand out particularly: one is the elderly aged 55-64, and the other is the youth aged 15-24.

In 2024, the employment rate of the elderly in France was 60.3%, while in Germany it was 75.2%. The situation for the youth is even more severe: the employment rate of people aged 15-24 in France was only 34.4%, which is more than 15 percentage points lower than Germany's 51%.

Researchers say that it is not easy for French youth, especially those with low education levels, to find jobs in the labor market. For example, among those who leave school at 18 years old, their employment rate two years after graduation is 15 percentage points lower than that of Germany, and 30 percentage points lower than that of the UK.

So, how are the working hours of the French? If we only calculate the actual working hours of employees on the job, the French actually work longer than some EU countries: an average of 1,491 hours per person per year, higher than Germany's 1,331 hours. The actual working hours of employees on the job in Germany are the lowest, because Germany has a large number of part-time jobs. However, France is still higher than Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and other countries, ranking 8th among OECD countries.

Despite this, France is still lower than the average of OECD countries, which is 1,736 hours.

Therefore, the overall working hours of the French are still one of the lowest in Europe. The OECD report states that in 2023, full-time employees in France worked about three weeks less per year than their German counterparts.

So, in summary, the reason for the relatively low working hours of the French is not due to "laziness" or "love for vacations," but rather because the employment rate is low, especially among the youth and elderly. In fact, as for employees on the job, the French do not work shorter hours than their neighbors. However, looking around the world, the French are still very lucky, as their working hours are indeed not high.

Nevertheless, Fillon's financial plan has been criticized by many people, who generally believe that the policy focus should be more on how to increase the labor participation rate, rather than simply extending the legal working hours or reducing the number of holidays, which can better play an incentive role.

Source: rfi

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1839538763125760/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.