A new study finds that Americans are now working fewer hours than they did before the pandemic: The average work week was 36.9 hours in November 2022 compared to 37.5 hours in January 2020 as people seek more work-life balance.
- A new study shows Americans inexplicably work an hour less each week than they did before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
- Data from a 2022 Department of Labor survey found that the average American works 36.9 hours. In January 2020, that number was 37.5 hours
- Focusing on finding work-life balance is one suggested explanation
A new study reveals that Americans inexplicably work one hour less each week than they did before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Data from a November 2022 Department of Labor survey found that the average American now works 36.9 hours. In January 2020, that number was 37.5 hours.
Research from a new scientific paper titled Where are the missing workers?Examines pre-pandemic work habits and what is causing worker shortages across the country.
While fear of COVID-19 and prolonged COVID was the alleged culprit behind the labor shortage, the reason behind the reduction in working hours is not easily explained.
People working fewer hours cannot be explained by fear of COVID. Study author and former Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner Catherine J.
A new study shows that Americans work an unjustifiably more hour per week than they did before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Data from a November 2022 Department of Labor survey found that the average American now works 36.9 hours. In January 2020, that number was 37.5 hours
According to the research, Americans’ “shifting priorities” may be the best explanation for the change in workload each week.
“A reassessment of the balance between work and other activities may be part of the explanation,” Abraham and co-author Leah Rendell wrote.
However, the reassessment has contributed to a continuing shortage of workers.
The paper indicates that about 2.4 million employees are needed and that the problem, in turn, also affects the rate of inflation.
At a conference last week, Stephanie Aronson, senior associate director of the Federal Reserve’s research and statistics division, said she believes changing working hours directly affects the labor supply.
Aaronson said changing weekly hours is “a very important part of the story of declining labor supply.”
University of Washington professor Yongseok Shin recently said that the change in weekly work hours can be attributed to three groups of people.
Among those who have lagged behind in their workplaces are educated youth, men, high earners and workaholics.
The average working week for high earners fell by 1.5 hours while workaholics dropped a whopping three hours from 55 to 52 from 2019 to 2022.
In addition, Shen said that people who work from home may reduce their hours.
“No one will notice if I call him a little earlier on Friday,” Sheen said.
According to the research, Americans’ “shifting priorities” may be the best explanation for the change in workload each week
Part of the explanation, Kathryn Abraham and co-author Leah Rendell write in their paper.
These graphs from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show the difference between hours worked between 2019 and pre-pandemic and 2022.
Carolyn Hockby, a professor at Stanford University, has stated that she thinks the “compromise” might be for American workers to adopt a more European approach.
While prolonged COVID may be causing reduced hours, Abraham and Rendell also found that no more than 10 percent of the decline could be attributed to COVID.
Another explanation for this decline is that Americans, on average, have been known to work longer hours than other countries, and that this decline is part of the stabilization.
Stanford Professor Caroline Hoxey has advertiser She believes the “compromise” could be American workers adopting a more European approach.
Ibrahim agreed and said she could see these trends continuing.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if this is relatively long-term,” Ibrahim said.
