What are the reasons, why Finnish whole time
working men do more work hours per year than women?

The difference is 351 hours per year. In a year there is about 230 working days so men do every working day 1 hour and 32 minutes more work.

In Finland I have found the following 8 reasons:

1. Structural difference in work place. In communes (80 %women workers) they do about 150 hours less work hours per
year than in private sector. Also in bank and insurance sectors they have shorter working time. In health and social sectors they
have 25 minutes lunch pause, which is included to work time etc.

2. In finnish law there is a possibility to include over time salary to fixed salary so that overtime is not calculated separately.
This is allowed to people who work in foreman position (chiefs, bosses etc). We have more than 100 000 such blue collar
workers in Finland (near 10 % of full time work force). And about 75 % of these are men.

3. 32 % of women change their overtime to free hours, 16 % of men. Four and half hours overtime means a whole day free.

4. Women have 3-4 workdays more sickness (her own or children's) than men.

5. Men do voluntary overtime 24 hours per year, women 14 hours.

6. Men change their job more often than women. So in the first year they don't get their winter holiday week. And
often in summer they have a shorter holiday according to rules.

7. Men do more work trips than women. And time consumed overtime during work trips and when travelling is not salaried in Finland.

8. In factories blue collar workers do 8 hour days and they get 12 days per year extra free. In many factories white
collar workers increase their worktime from 7 1/2 hours to 8 hours, but don't use those extra 12 days, because they
are the best days to make service to the factory machines, robots and systems.

Think yourself, which of these Finnish reasons are valid in your country.

Return