How Many Work Hours Are in a Year?

Despite surface-level simplicity, figuring out how many hours someone works in a year might be more complicated than you’d think. Let’s start with the basics.

How Many Work Hours Are in a Year?

Figuring out how many hours someone works in a year might be more complicated than you’d think. Let’s start with the basics:

There are 52 weeks in a year. Assuming you work a 40-hour week, it’s fair to generalize average work hours per year at 2,080 hours.

However, that figure is a slight oversimplification considering the calendar year does not always start on Monday or end on Sunday, nor does it account for years with 366 days. If we include leap years and years with higher numbers of weekdays, full-time employees are working up to 2,087 work hours per year over a 28-year average.

How Many Work Days Are in a Year?

Let’s apply this same formula to determine how many work days are in a year:

If you work five days a week, 52 weeks a year, there are 260 work days in a standard year, but some years go as high as 262 days.

There is No Universal Work Week

To analyze how many days or work hours are in a year, you’ll first have to factor in the variables that differentiate a particular work week from our established baseline.

For example, you’re probably not working exactly 8 hours daily. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average full-time worker spends 7.8 hours a day on the job. Over an entire year, those 12 minutes could add up to 52 fewer work hours per year.

Now imagine all the major and minor permutations that could increase or decrease yearly hours. Some of the most obvious are:

Employment Schedule:

Not everyone is working five days or forty hours a week. Employees working part-time, irregular shifts, or multiple jobs must pay special attention to their schedule to delineate work hours.

Time Off:

Holidays and vacation time drastically alter how many hours you end up working. The United States has eleven federal holidays, but employers outside the federal government aren’t required to close their doors or pay workers to take the day off. And remember that life happens sometimes. Sick days, appointments, and emergencies further shape your time at work over a year.

Location:

The average workweek varies depending on where you live. Cambodians regularly work 47 hours a week, whereas Danish citizens usually only work 26. Likewise, states and employers have individual rules regarding meal and break periods, which may shorten or lengthen the work day and affect paid hours.

Industry:

Certain industries have work expectations that deviate from the norm, and expectations can often change seasonally. Loggers work more hours than tour guides; waiters get less time off than government bureaucrats.



The bottom line: not everyone works the same hours. With everything accounted for, many “full-time” employees are working 1,920 to 2,000 hours per year, as opposed to 2,087.

When calculating work hours per year, don’t forget to consider how your particular situation may alter the equation. If you have an unorthodox schedule, put in overtime, work abroad, or plan on taking an extended sabbatical, you’ll get a unique outcome. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer!

Contextualizing the Work Week

In addition to clocking in and out, business owners and personnel alike are responsible for knowing how many hours they or their employees work in a year and the relevant consequences.

Employees:

Employees should review their working hours to:

Determine Eligibility for Benefits and Overtime:

While there is technically no federal distinction between full and part-time employment, employees working over 30 hours a week at applicable large employers—companies with at least 50 full-time employees—are required to receive health benefits per the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Employees can be asked to work over the 40-hour per week limit set by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) but must be granted overtime pay should they choose to do so.

Plan for Vacation and Retirement:

Once you know your work hours, review company policy to see when you’ll accrue enough vacation time to book your next getaway, or estimate how long it will take for your 401k to sustain you into your golden years.

Prevent Unpaid Work:

The average worker in North America is putting in an additional 8.9 hours per week off the clock. Keep track of work hours to ensure you’re getting paid for all your efforts!

Employers:

Meanwhile, employers can utilize a deep understanding of work hours to:

Calculate Costs:

When efficiency is key, employers want to achieve the best results with the fewest workers/work hours possible. Calculating total personnel costs by work hours is an excellent place to start to maximize your budget, manage a contract, or evaluate productivity.

Manage Flexibility & Work-Life Balance:

Even if you’re willing to pay for overtime, assess how work hour requirements will affect your employees’ quality of life before demanding everyone sign up for a 50-hour work week. Pushing your team to put in just 48 hours or more per week may diminish productivity returns and poorly affect mental health.

Avoid Fines and Penalties:

Failing to manage specifics like overtime pay, break periods, and employee health benefits may induce significant fines or lawsuits. After adjusting for regulations, it can take more resources to get the job done than you think.

Upgrade Your Payroll Management with Nexus HR

At Nexus HR, we offer superior human resources and payroll solutions for businesses looking to cut costs while maintaining the standard of excellence employees expect.

With advanced payment, taxation, and workers comp capabilities, our payroll services take care of work hour administration and empower clients to focus on the tasks that matter most. Schedule a conversation with our team to discover why you should choose Nexus HR today.