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For centuries, work has been central to the lives of the vast majority of human beings. 
But today, at least in Western societies , work no longer seems to be the central focus in many people's lives. In which countries do people work the most and in which countries does work appear to be almost secondary ? According to the OECD the five countries with the highest average annual working hours are Mexico: 2,207 hours, Costa-Rica:2,171 hours, Chile:1,953 hours,Greece: 1,897 hours and Israel: 1,880 hours. And countries with the lowest average working hours are Germany: 1,349 hours and Denmark: 1,346 hours . That said, these figures also means that the most prosperous countries are often those with the shortest working week. We must also emphasize that working longer hours does not always lead to higher productivity. And of course, it is more difficult to endure long working days in countries with hot weather than in those with temperate  climates. We must also point out that in many countries the causes of unemployment are not really checked. Too many people, often young, are not motivated enough to look for work and rely on unemployment benefits. The complexity of this issue can be illustrated by reading a report on absenteeism among young people at work, which refers to a study carried out in France by Malakoff Humanis. According to this report more than half of workers under 30 received at least one sick leave in 2024. The observation is difficult to dispute: work-life balance in many developed countries tends more and more to seek satisfaction of personal needs and desires to the detriment of work.

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