Singaporeans clock in second longest working hours

On average, Singaporeans work longer hours than their counterparts in America, France and Germany.

According to a study by the Groningen Growth and Development Centre, engaged Singaporeans worked an annual average of 2,287 hours in 2011, coming in only second to Hong Kong, where workers clocked in an annual average of 2,344 hours.

Globally, those working in East Asian countries reported the longest hours, while those from richer countries clocked in fewer hours..

Within the region, employees from Taiwan and South Korea clocked a yearly average of 2,144 and 2,193 hours respectively. Australia and Japan, on the other hand, stuck a balance in between the two extremes, with 1,698 and 1,706 average hours a year clocked respectively.

Workers from France and Germany worked 1,475 and 1,406 hours respectively, lower than bigger nations such as the UK and US, which reported an annual average of 1,650 and 1,703 hours respectively.

The lowest average of annual hours clocked globally was reported in Netherlands with 1,382 hours.