One in five Europeans works weekends
More than one in five workers across Europe – 21.3% – regularly work on weekends, according to updated Eurostat data analysed by Euronews.
The figures highlight significant regional differences in working patterns across the continent, with the highest rates concentrated in southern and south-eastern Europe.
Highest rates in the Balkans and Mediterranean
Greece records the highest proportion of weekend workers, with 41% of employees and self-employed people regularly working on Saturdays and Sundays.
It is followed by Bosnia and Herzegovina at 33%, while Malta, Cyprus and North Macedonia each report 32%.
The data places Cyprus among the countries with the highest levels of weekend employment in Europe.
Lower rates in northern Europe
By contrast, weekend working is far less common in northern and eastern European countries.
In Lithuania, only 4% of workers report regularly working weekends. The figure rises slightly to 7% in Hungary and 7.5% in Poland.
Structural differences in work patterns
The findings reflect broader differences in labour markets, with tourism, hospitality and self-employment playing a larger role in southern European economies.
These sectors typically require more weekend work compared to industrial or office-based economies more common in northern Europe.
The data underscores how working culture varies significantly across the EU, influenced by economic structure, employment types and seasonal industries.
Also read: Eurostat: Low employment in multinational corporations in Cyprus
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