Full-time US employees are working about 1.2 fewer hours a week than in 2019 — the equivalent of roughly one extra week off for older workers and up to two weeks for younger staff, Gallup says. The average fell from 44.1 hours in 2019 to 42.9 hours in 2024, with the decline concentrated among workers under 35 and in sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality. Gallup links the shift to post-pandemic changes including more gig work, greater schedule flexibility and employers trimming hours rather than headcount.

How big is the shift? - Gallup tracked full-time employees and reported the average workweek fell from 44.1 hours in 2019 to 42.9 hours in 2024. - Gallup estimates the change is just under one hour a week for older employees and nearly two hours for younger employees — roughly an extra week off annually for older workers and two weeks for younger workers. Who is cutting hours? Gallup’s survey shows the decline is uneven across the labour force. The drop is more pronounced among workers younger than 35, while hours for older employees have fallen by a smaller amount. The largest falls in hours per person are in sectors that hire younger staff, such as retail, leisure and hospitality. Why hours are falling Gallup points to several causes: the pandemic reshaped how and when people work; gig-economy roles and flexible schedules have become more durable options; in some sectors post-pandemic pay gains have given workers scope to choose fewer hours without reducing income; and some employers have trimmed hours as an alternative to cutting headcount. A shift in the industry mix toward lower-hours sectors also pulls the average down. Burnout, engagement and retention Gallup links the shrinking workweek to employee well-being and to corporate performance measures. The analysis shows burnout spikes for people working more than about 45 hours a week and finds clear ties between frequent burnout and weaker workplace outcomes. Employees who report feeling burned out very often or always are less likely to say they take strong responsibility for the quality of their organisation’s work and are more likely to be looking for another job. Gallup finds engagement can buffer these effects; engaged employees report much lower rates of frequent burnout, particularly when their hours stay under the 45-hour threshold.

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Gallup’s data — a drop from 44.1 to 42.9 hours — is concentrated among younger workers and in retail, leisure and hospitality. The report also flags that burnout spikes for people working more than about 45 hours a week, a concrete measure of the wellbeing risks tied to longer schedules.

This article was created with AI assistance.