Workweek

The workweek refers to the recurring block of time that constitutes an employee’s usual hours of work within a seven-day period. In many countries, the traditional pattern has been a five-day workweek with weekends set aside for rest, typically Monday through Friday in full-time jobs.

In modern practice, the standard often cited is about 40 hours per week, commonly distributed as eight hours per day across five days. However, there are many variations. Some workers follow compressed schedules, such as four 10-hour days. Flextime arrangements allow flexible daily start and end times, and shift work can spread hours across evenings or nights. Regional differences exist in which days constitute the weekend; some places observe Saturday and Sunday, others use Friday-Saturday or Sunday-Thursday calendars.

Labor laws regulate weekly hours, rest breaks, and overtime. Many jurisdictions set a standard maximum workweek (often around 40 hours) and require additional pay for overtime, while others rely on collective agreements or opt-out provisions. Paid leave, public holidays, and minimum wage rules interact with weekly scheduling.

The workweek has implications for productivity, health, and work-life balance. Longer or irregular hours can affect performance and well-being, while flexible or compressed schedules may improve satisfaction and efficiency when implemented with safeguards.

Historically, the defined workweek emerged with industrialization and labor reforms in the 20th century. In the United States, the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 established standards related to overtime and a 40-hour week; European practices developed through national laws and, later, EU directives promoting limits on weekly hours and rest periods.