Americans are getting lazy...

[Little Raven]

If we want to compete in a global market, we're going to have to work much, much harder.

We Americans pride ourselves on being a hard-working bunch, so here's a thought to spoil your Labor Day rest: By global standards, we're lazy. We've been getting lazier. And the days of the American dolce vita may be numbered.

The surprising report of our relative sloth arrives in new research from the UN's International Labor Organization, which looks at working hours around the world. When it comes to what we might call hard work, meaning the proportion of workers who put in more than 48 hours a week, America is near the bottom of the heap. About 18% of our employed people work that much.

That's a higher proportion than in a few other developed countries like Norway, the Netherlands, and even Japan. But it's actually lower than in Switzerland and Britain, and way lower than in developing countries like Mexico and Thailand. It's drastically lower than in what may be the world's two hardest-working countries, South Korea and Peru, where the proportions are about 50%.

...

General Electric chief Jeff Immelt put it bluntly while recalling a trip to Beijing last year, when he got a big order from the Transport Ministry: "The whole ministry was working all day on a Sunday. I believe in quality of life, work-life balance, all that stuff. But that's the competition. So unless we're willing to compete ..."

He has identified the issue. Competing in a global labor market may require us to put in more hours just to stay in the game. As Immelt asks, "Are we willing to compete for the future?"

Lovely. And just wait till the Boomers retire.

 

[bhsup]

I actually agree to a point, but Sunday should never be forced. Give us our day of rest.

 

[Pasi Nurminen]

Thailand? Thailand is still mostly rural, and in the rural areas people work in the rice fields maybe 2 or 3 months during the rainy season, and sit around scratching their balls the rest of the year. Trust me, people in America work way harder than people in Thailand.

 

[IglooDame]

Ummm... Isn't there something about worker productivity-per-hour rankings in there?

 

[Pasi Nurminen]

Ummm... Isn't there something about worker productivity-per-hour rankings in there?

What I was saying is that I find it difficult to believe that fewer people per capita work 48 hour weeks in America than in Thailand.

 

[emzie]

AMERICANS ARE LAZY??!??!!

 

[Little Raven]

Ummm... Isn't there something about worker productivity-per-hour rankings in there?

There certainly should be. But a bigger problem is the Boomers. If averages are that important (and I don't know how important they are) then we're screwed when they start to retire en masse.

 

[IglooDame]

What I was saying is that I find it difficult to believe that fewer people per capita work 48 hour weeks in America than in Thailand.

We crossposted, I was actually addressing the OP. But in any case, your point and mine dovetail - a full workweek in Iowa produces more agricultural result than a full workweek in Thailand (nevermind how long those workweeks are) due to mechanization and other details, so it strikes me as a bit simplistic to say that America will have a problem competing globally due to workers' workweeks.

Which doesn't stop me from thinking that some of the European mandates of shorter-than-40hr workweeks is a bit wimpy, but please excuse that little bit of mental inconsistency on my part.

 

[dh_epic]

I wouldn't call someone forced to work long hours "hard working". I'd just say they had no other choice.

Let's see the stats on productivity / hour.

 

[nivi]

Is the world's objective in life to work harder? Are you mad?


It's all about life quality.

 

[El_Machinae]

I'd post something about working smarter, not harder, being the key to productivity and how education and innovation are tightly coupled concepts.

But I'm going to play Wii instead. Maybe get drunk tonight.

 

[ValentinianIII]

So if you don't work more than 48 hours a week, you're lazy?

 

[El_Machinae]

So if you don't work more than 48 hours a week, you're lazy?

No! You're just part of the reason why your country is going to be outcompeted by other countries.

(Though I'd put "education" into the "work" category: i.e., a 40 hour workweek coupled with over 8 hours of education is awfully similar (though probably more useful than) to 48 hour work weeks)

 

[Kozmos]

Amjericans? Lazy? NOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

[Masquerouge]

Hehehe it's pretty funny that the exact same arguments (higher productivity, working smarter) that are used in this thread are used by French people defending their supposedly "lazy" workforce

 

[Phlegmak]

Americans are getting lazy? What do you mean "getting"?

Regarding the opening post, working more than 48 hours per week is a bad thing.

Amjericans? Lazy? NOOOOOOOOOOO!

I know there's a joke there, but I'm not sure what it is.

 

[Erik Mesoy]

I'd post something about working smarter, not harder, being the key to productivity and how education and innovation are tightly coupled concepts.

But I'm going to play Wii instead. Maybe get drunk tonight.

Nice to see you keeping a sense of humor.

Personally, I'm in agreement with Arthur C Clarke. I don't remember the exact quote, but he opined that we should strive for a zero-hour workweek. This requires the destruction of the current economic system.

 

[Masquerouge]

Nice to see you keeping a sense of humor.

Personally, I'm in agreement with Arthur C Clarke. I don't remember the exact quote, but he opined that we should strive for a zero-hour workweek. This requires the destruction of the current economic system.

... along with robots. Oooooooh robots. Yay!

 

[The Yankee]

After knowing how it is to keep a 70-75 hour/week schedule (not including transit time), I think I'd look forward to the next full time job only putting in 45-48 hours.

 

[Quiet Sound]

Is the world's objective in life to work harder? Are you mad?


It's all about life quality.

Some people are just determined to live for work rather than working to live.