Riccardo Liguori The Netherlands achieves Europe's shortest work week through cultural choice, not law. High productivity meets happiness, but challenges remain for women's career advancement.
In the Netherlands, the average working week is the shortest in Europe: just over 32 hours. This remarkable achievement wasn’t reached through national legislation, as debated in other countries, but rather through the highest part-time employment rate among advanced economies. This unique social and economic model produces seemingly contradictory results that deserve closer examination.
On one hand, the country boasts exceptionally high productivity and an 82% employment rate, ranking among the world’s leaders in perceived happiness. On the other hand, the analysis reveals challenges such as a low percentage of women in managerial roles and a growing labor shortage in key sectors. The Dutch experience thus offers a crucial case study on the complex trade-offs between individual well-being and collective challenges.
A social pact, not a law
The real key to the Dutch “miracle” doesn’t lie in top-down reform, but in a widespread cultural and economic choice: part-time work. This transition has been made possible by a favorable ecosystem that includes exceptional hourly productivity, great contractual flexibility, and a minimum wage that in 2025 will exceed €2,300 ($2,530) net per month, allowing people to consider reduced hours with greater peace of mind.
It’s not a law that forces people to work less, but an entire system that makes it a viable and desirable option for a large segment of the population. And frankly, when you can maintain a decent standard of living while working fewer hours, why wouldn’t you?
The benefits of life at a different pace
The results of this approach provide the best response to skeptics. The Netherlands is not only one of Europe’s richest and most stable economies, but also boasts an exceptionally high employment rate, well above that of the United States (72%), France (69%), and especially Italy (62.9%). This proves that working fewer hours doesn’t necessarily mean producing less or being less competitive.
In fact, general well-being seems to benefit enormously: according to UNICEF (2025 data), Dutch children are the happiest in the world, and the country consistently ranks in the top 5 of global happiness rankings (World Happiness Report 2025). Another surprising statistic is the effective retirement age of 66.6 years, among the highest in Europe. Working more sustainably evidently allows people to remain active longer, debunking the myth that reduced hours equal poor commitment.
This model has its roots in a social change that began in the 1980s, when women entered the workforce en masse, predominantly with part-time contracts. This gave birth to the “one-and-a-half earner model,” which has evolved today. Men are increasingly turning to reduced hours too, taking the so-called “daddy day” to dedicate themselves to childcare and household duties.
The short week is so ingrained that economist Bert Colijn of ING bank revealed to the Daily Mail: “I work five days, and sometimes I get scrutinized for working five days!” At the core lies an enviable cultural approach: the Dutch have a genuine phobia of being stressed. Working less is the logical and winning consequence.
Challenges to address for an inspirational model
Naturally, such profound change isn’t without its criticisms. For this model to be truly inspirational, it’s essential to be aware of the knots that need untangling. The first is the risk that part-time work, especially for women, becomes a “golden cage” that hinders career advancement: only 27% of managers in the Netherlands are women, one of the lowest percentages among developed countries.
The second challenge is the labor shortage affecting crucial sectors like healthcare and education. These are real problems that other countries considering similar models would need to address proactively, perhaps through targeted policies that ensure part-time doesn’t become a barrier to professional growth, particularly for women who might find themselves pigeonholed into reduced roles.
