Czech employees work an average of 37.8 hours weekly, nearly four hours more than their German or Austrian counterparts. This translates to roughly 200 additional hours annually—equivalent to five extra work weeks. Yet, this greater labor investment isn’t reflected in their wages.
According to Eurostat data highlighted by the Czech Statistical Office, a Czech employee works several years more over a lifetime than a German worker. When calculated, this difference amounts to approximately four years, with unions estimating an even longer period.
The wage disparity is stark—the average private sector salary in the Czech Republic reached 46,557 Czech crowns this year, while Germany’s converted figure was 116,682 crowns and Austria’s 126,125 crowns. As Jiří Vaňásek from the Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions noted, “We work longer hours for smaller earnings”.
Petr Dufek, chief economist at Creditas Bank, explains that Czechs maintain the traditional eight-hour workday rhythm, with few companies innovating to achieve productivity with fewer hours. Part-time positions remain rare, with employers reluctant to accommodate flexible arrangements even for parents who might benefit from reduced hours.
While Greece recorded the longest work week in Europe at 39.8 hours in 2024, followed by Bulgaria and Poland, the Netherlands enjoys the shortest at just 32.1 hours. Denmark, Germany, and Austria follow with 33.9 hours each. The Czech Republic has seen a gradual reduction from 41.5 weekly hours in 2008 to the current 37.8.