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Hardest Working Countries in 2025 List: Work culture looks very different depending on where you are in the world. Social norms, economic pressures, and even lifestyle preferences influence how long people stay on the job. While some countries are slowly shifting towards better work-life balance, many others continue to follow long, demanding work routines. In several developing nations, long work hours often reflect economic needs, lack of automation, and the constant pressure to keep households and industries running.
Bhutan takes the top spot as the hardest-working country in 2025, with people putting in an average of 54.5 hours every week. The country is known for its strong work ethic, especially in agriculture and tourism. Men generally work around 55 hours weekly, while women average 53.7 hours.
Sudan follows next, where the average workweek stretches to about 50.8 hours. The workplace in Sudan is shaped by traditional values and hierarchy. Men in the country work nearly 51.9 hours a week, while women put in around 45.7 hours.
Coming next on the list are Lesotho, the Republic of the Congo, and the UAE, all of which maintain high work-hour averages for different reasons. Lesotho’s workforce, driven heavily by agriculture and migrant labour, records about 50.2 hours a week. In the Republic of the Congo, long hours are closely tied to natural resource–based jobs, with the weekly average at 48.7 hours.
Meanwhile, the UAE shows a modern and fast-paced work culture, with men and women working almost the same hours – around 48.4 per week – reflecting its rapid development and polished labour systems.
Pakistan appears further down the list at ninth place, averaging 47.5 working hours every week. The standout detail here is the sharp gender gap: men work about 51.1 hours a week, but women work only around 35 hours.
India is not part of the top 10 hardest-working nations this year. It ranks 15th, with an average of 45.8 working hours a week. Men work significantly more at 49.8 hours, while women average only 35.9 hours. Although India’s overall position isn’t far behind, the country continues to deal with issues like unemployment, gender imbalance in the workforce, and low work-life balance – factors that influence how the nation stacks up globally.
| Rank | Country | Avg Weekly Hours Worked (ILO 2025) | Avg Weekly Hours Worked (Men) | Avg Weekly Hours Worked (Women) |
| 1. | Bhutan | 54.5 | 55 | 53.7 |
| 2. | Sudan | 50.8 | 51.9 | 45.7 |
| 3. | Lesotho | 50.2 | 51.5 | 48.4 |
| 4. | Republic of the Congo | 48.7 | 49.2 | 48.3 |
| 5. | United Arab Emirates | 48.4 | 48.3 | 48.5 |
| 6. | Sao Tome and Principe | 48.2 | 47.5 | 48.9 |
| 7. | Jordan | 47.8 | 48.5 | 43.6 |
| 8. | Liberia | 47.5 | 49 | 45.9 |
| 9. | Pakistan | 47.5 | 51.1 | 35 |
| 10. | Qatar | 46.8 | 46.6 | 47.6 |
Source: International Labour Organisation (ILO) 2025 data
