Swedesโค Work Among the Longest Hours inโ Europe: Hear’s Why
Stockholm, โSweden – September 7, 2025 – Across the European Union, โcitizens are working longerโ than ever before. New data released this summer by Eurostatโ reveals the averageโ EUโ citizen can now expect to spend 37.2 years in the workforce – a โsignificantโ increase fromโ 34.9 years in 2015. But within this trend, stark national differences โขemerge, wiht Sweden standing out as one โคof theโข nations where peopel work โthe most.
Sweden ranks second โฃin the โEU for expected working life, at 43 years, closely trailing the Netherlands (43.8 years). When factoring in EFTA countries, Sweden falls to third place, behind iceland’s leading 46.3 years.โ This places Sweden considerably aboveโ the EU average and a world away from countries โlike Romania (32.7 years) โand โฃItaly โฃ(32.8 years), โฃwhere working lives are considerably shorter. Turkey currently holds โขthe record for the shortest working life expectancy at just 30.2 years.
[Image of people working in a modern office surroundings. Caption: Europeans are working longer than they did a decade ago. Photo: Hasse Holmberg / Photographers Holmberg TT news Agency]
Why the โDisparity?
Expertsโค point toโค a complex interplay of factors driving these differences. โคAccording toโค analysis by Euronews, national pension systems and โfamily policies โplay a crucial โคrole. Countries with more robust social safetyโค nets and generous parental leave policies may see earlier retirement ages.
However, the picture isโค more nuanced.Senior lecturerโข Timo Anttilaโฃ at Jyvรคskylรค University highlights the impact ofโค these systems, while Professor โคMoritz hess โat Niederhein University of Applied Sciences emphasizes the influenceโค of ageism and labor market demand.
“If employers need labor, it increases โlabor forceโค participation and extends the length ofโข working life,” Professor Hess explained to Euronews.[Image of a graph showing working life expectancy across different European countries. Caption: an EU citizen is expected to work on average 37.2 years. Photo: Henrik Montgomery / TT / TT News Agency]
theโค Bigger Picture:โฃ Laborโค Force Participation
ultimately, โlabor forceโฃ participation – the percentageโ of the population actively โemployed or seeking employment – appears to be the most โsignificant driver behindโ these numbers. A strong demand forโ workers encourages individuals โฃto โremain in the โขworkforceโค for longer periods, contributing โto the rising trend in working life expectancy.
As demographicsโข shift and populations age,understanding these trends is crucial for policymakers and individuals alike. The data underscores the need for adaptable โpension systems, supportive โฃfamily โฃpolicies, and strategies โฃto combat ageism in the workplace to ensure a enduring and equitable future for workers โacross Europe.
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