Across Asia and Europe, governments and employers are experimenting with shorter working weeks and more time off. But in Hong Kong, millions of workers remain locked into long hours, limited leave and a system that has barely changed for decades.
“Rest is not a luxury; it is preparation for the journey ahead.”
Across the world, governments and employers are rethinking one of the most fundamental assumptions of modern work: that longer hours mean greater productivity.
From four-day working week trials in Europe to sweeping holiday reforms in Taiwan and proposals for a shorter working week in South Korea, countries are increasingly recognising that a healthier balance between work and life is not simply a benefit for employees, it is essential for a sustainable economy.
Hong Kong, however, is moving in the opposite direction.
While economies elsewhere are debating how to give workers more time to rest, care for families and recover from burnout, Hong Kong’s working hours and leave protections have remained largely frozen. The result is a workforce facing some of the longest hours in the developed world, while the city continues to slide down international rankings on work-life balance.
South Korea: A government-backed push towards a 4.5-day week
South Korea has long struggled with a culture of excessive working hours. But the country is now moving towards a different model.
President Lee Jae-myung, who took office in June, campaigned on introducing a mandatory 4.5-day working week, arguing that reducing working hours was essential rather than optional.
Although national legislation has yet to be introduced, momentum is growing. Gyeonggi Province, the country’s most populous province, has launched a pilot scheme involving 68 organisations, allowing workers to adopt either a fortnightly four-day week or a weekly 4.5-day schedule. Participating employers receive government subsidies of around 260,000 won (£128; HK$1,400) per employee each month.
Businesses are also experimenting. E-commerce company Cafe24 recently turned its “every other Friday off” arrangement into a permanent four-day working week.
The issue has also become a key labour movement demand. In September 2025, around 8,000 bank workers joined a nationwide strike calling for better pay and the introduction of a 4.5-day week, increasing pressure on the government to act.
Japan: Local governments challenge the traditional working week
Japan, another country historically associated with long working hours, is also beginning to rethink the relationship between time and productivity.
Rather than waiting for national reform, several local governments have taken the lead.
Miyagi Prefecture announced plans to expand its four-day flexible working scheme to all prefectural government employees by 2026, after previously limiting it to workers with childcare or elderly care responsibilities.
Meanwhile, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government introduced a policy in April 2025 allowing employees to take three days off each week. Although the arrangement does not reduce total contracted hours, it gives workers greater flexibility in managing their schedules, which is a significant shift in Japan’s traditionally rigid workplace culture.
The Netherlands: Where shorter hours are already normal
Across Europe, shorter working hours are no longer a distant experiment.
According to Eurostat figures, workers in the Netherlands aged 20 to 64 averaged just 32.1 hours per week in 2024 — the lowest among European countries. In practice, many workers enjoy a working pattern close to a three-day weekend.
The Dutch model has been built around widespread part-time employment, flexible arrangements and stronger workplace protections that allow employees to balance work and family life.
Some companies are going further. Dutch software firm Afas introduced a four-day working week in 2025 without cutting salaries or benefits.
Meanwhile, countries including Belgium, Iceland, Spain and the UK have all conducted trials of shorter working weeks. Research from these experiments has repeatedly found that reducing working days does not necessarily reduce output. Instead, many employers report improved productivity, lower burnout and better staff retention.
Taiwan: Returning holidays to workers
The debate over work-life balance has also gained momentum across the Taiwan Strait.
Although Taiwan’s government has not committed to introducing a nationwide four-day working week, it has responded to public demands for more rest through expanded statutory holidays.
In May 2025, Taiwan’s legislature approved five additional national holidays, including Lunar New Year’s Eve, Teachers’ Day, Retrocession Day, Constitution Day, and making Labour Day a universal holiday for all workers.
Supporters described the reform as “returning holidays to the people” after years of reductions in statutory rest days.
Hong Kong: Hundreds of thousands trapped in long working weeks
While other economies are experimenting with new models of work, Hong Kong’s labour protections remain largely unchanged.
For years, unions and labour advocates have called for legislation on standard working hours. Yet the government has repeatedly delayed meaningful reform.
Official figures show that Hong Kong workers continue to work some of the longest hours among developed economies. Median weekly working hours rose to 43.4 hours last year, according to the Census and Statistics Department. More than 220,000 employees work at least 60 hours every week.
For many workers, long hours are not a choice but a condition of employment in a highly competitive labour market where bargaining power remains limited.
Holiday reform has also moved slowly. In 2021, the government passed legislation to increase statutory holidays from 12 to 17 days, bringing them closer to public holidays. However, the change is being phased in over eight years, meaning workers will wait until 2030 before receiving the full entitlement.
A widening gap in worker protections
The consequences are reflected in international comparisons.
The global HR platform Remote.com ranked Hong Kong 44th out of 60 major economies in its latest work-life balance index, behind regional neighbours including Singapore, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and Thailand.
On paper, Hong Kong appears to offer reasonable leave entitlement, with 17 statutory holidays and a minimum of seven days’ paid annual leave. But these figures mask deeper problems: relatively low minimum wages, long working hours and weaker family protections.
As of April 2025, Hong Kong’s statutory minimum wage stood at HK$40 an hour (£3.81), while statutory maternity leave remains only 14 weeks, with pay capped at 80% of wages.
Rest is a workers’ right, not a reward
The global debate over shorter working hours is not simply about giving employees more leisure time. It reflects a wider shift in how societies view work, health and economic success.
Evidence from around the world suggests that excessive working hours can fuel burnout, damage family life and undermine productivity in the long term.