Paris: Americans may have normalised hustle culture and working to death but the French have surpassed both the US and Chinese executives in terms of workaholism. Almost four in ten French business leaders work intense and long hours without regular breaks.
According to a survey from health insurer Bupa Global, French work hours are safely above the 25% global average and besting rates in the US, UK, and China. This is in sharp contrast with the leisurely laid-back work culture France is known for. Anthony Cabrelli, managing director of Bupa Global, thinks the combination of external economic pressures and the tendency to take responsibilities upon themselves are contributing to the binge working trend.
These French executives are also the most anxious about their individual work performances. They also worry about their organisations' ability to survive the current economic crisis. Surprisingly, they also do not prefer to work from home or remotely when the rest of the world is embracing the new normal, reported Bloomberg.
France is known for healthy workplace policies. Most service employees work under 35 hours a week. Most of August is taken up by the summer holidays. In 2017, it also became the first European nation to implement the "right to disconnect" law. Eating lunch at work desks has been forbidden under labour code for years.