United Kingdom — Avg annual hours worked per worker

## What this measures

Average annual hours worked per person engaged in production in the United Kingdom. The series divides total hours worked in the economy by the number of people employed, capturing changes in workweek length, part-time shares, vacation days and other factors that determine how much labor time each job represents.

## Why it matters

Work hours per person determine how much output a given headcount can produce, so a rising trend means tighter effective labor supply and upward wage pressure, while a falling trend signals more leisure, more part-time work or fewer overtime hours. The measure also helps distinguish productivity gains driven by technology from those that reflect longer hours. Comparing hours across countries reveals structural differences in labor markets, regulation and culture that affect workforce capacity and cost.

## How to read it

A higher value means more hours worked per person per year; a lower value means fewer. Compare the level to other countries to see where labor input per worker is higher, and track the direction over time to understand whether effective labor supply per job is expanding or contracting.

## What it does not say

It does not say how many people are employed, what share work full-time, or how hours are distributed across industries or occupations. It also does not distinguish voluntary reductions in hours from involuntary underemployment.

## Source

Penn World Table 11.0, an academic cross-country dataset published every two to three years by the Groningen Growth and Development Centre. Palanor loads each release as it becomes available.