Across the EU, working hours increased by 3.0 % from Q1 to Q2.

According to data released by Eurostat, the largest increase, 18%, was recorded in Greece, followed by Slovakia 12.4%, Ireland 10.8%, and Portugal 10.2%.

The largest decrease in working hours was observed in Belgium with -3.6%, the Netherlands -2.8%, France -2.2%, Estonia -1.7% and Luxembourg -0.2%.

The working hours in Q1 were affected by the coronavirus pandemic and restrictive measures introduced to stem the vırus.

In Q2, the easing of restrictive measures also brought an increase in working hours in many countries.

In Cyprus, a whopping increase of 122.7% was recorded in the catering and hospitality sector.

Workers in the entertainment sector worked 37% more in Q2 than in Q1, while working hours in the wholesale and retail trade sector increased by 6.7%.

The real working hours in the construction sector dipped 1.7% in Q2, compared to Q1, in the communication sector, working hours were reduced by 8.5%.

In the transport and storage sector, the reduction was 10.5%, and in the real estate sector, it increased by 4.3%.

Health professionals put in 8% more hours in Q2 than in Q1.

In the EU, real working hours for women increased slightly (3.3%) than for men (2.7%).

In some countries, the gap was particularly large.

In Greece, working hours for women in their main job increased by 23.9%, while working hours for men increased by 14.5%.

In Cyprus, working hours for women increased by 4.9% and for men by 6.4%.

Cypriot employees, aged 20 to 64, were amongst the hardest working in the bloc, as they had the third-longest working week in the EU in 2020.

Along with their fellow workers in Poland and Croatia, Cypriots work an average of 39.5 hours a week, behind Romania with 40.4 hours and Bulgaria 40.2.

Other central-eastern European countries like Czechia, Hungary and Slovakia also had a relatively long working week of 39.3 hours.

In contrast, Germany (34.3 hours), Denmark (32.7 hours), and the Netherlands (29.5 hours) had the shortest average working weeks for employees in the EU.

Source: Financial Mirror