The numbers are revealing. OR work in Greece It remains exhaustive, anarchic and often … unpaid. His new research INE GSEE focuses on a critical aspect of the quality of jobs: the arrangement of working time. And the conclusions of the study are loud: overwhelming overdue, weekends and night work, limited teleworking and difficulty in balanceing personal and professional life.
Overgreening as a “rule” – and not the exception
More than half of the employees in Greece (52%) said they were working more hours than their contract. Of these, a 15% work for 1-2 additional hours a week, while 14% work 3-5 hours more. It is also alarming that 9% works over 10 hours extra weekly!
Table 1: Hours of overwork per week
| Hours of overwork/week | Quota |
|---|---|
| Remuneration for overwork | Quota |
| Yes, completely | 34% |
| Yes, partially | 16% |
| No | 49% |
| I do not work additional hours | 48% |
| 1-2 hours | 15% |
| 3-5 hours | 14% |
| 6-8 hours | 8% |
| 8-10 hours | 5% |
| Over 10 hours | 9% |
However, the most caustic point of research concerns the remuneration for this overtime. 49% of employees are not paid at all, while 16% are only partially paid. That is, 2 in 3 work extra and are not paid as required by law.
Table 2: Overgreening Pay
| Remuneration for overwork | Quota |
|---|---|
| Yes, completely | 34% |
| Yes, partially | 16% |
| No | 49% |
Holidays, Nights and Weekends: The new “work normal” in Greece
According to the survey, 41% work more than two weekends a month and 15% work at least one. That is, 56% work on weekends. In addition, one in five employees work at least once a month, while 15% do it regularly.
This “informal” arrangement of working time, in addition to psychological and family impacts, also raises serious issues for safety and health at work.
TELEGE: A word for a few
The teleworking – a practice that has been rapidly enhanced during the pandemic – seems to have been abandoned or not yet an institutional and professional habit in Greece. 84% of respondents do not work with a telework. Of those who do it (16%), only 16% work from home daily, while the rest is occasionally.
The lack of flexibility in time and place of work dramatically limits the ability of workers to manage their personal and family obligations. Only 42% can get a few hours permit on the working day, while 13% have no possibility at all.
The items behind the rates
The study is not limited to general elements but has gender, age and educational analysis. One of the most impressive observations:
Personal life with… permission from work? Not for everyone
One of the most sensitive points of INE GSEE research concerns the ability of employees to get a few hours permission per day – for a doctor’s appointment, for a school event or just to take care of themselves. The reality? Only 42% said they could do it “always or most of the time”. The majority (45%) have access to permission only in cases of need or rarely, while 13% clearly said: “No, never”.
Weekend: For many, more two days of work
The research confirms an “open labor code” that applies outside of hours, outside of logic and, often, off -law. Over 56% of respondents responded that they were working at least one weekend a month – while 41% are working systematically over two. Only 43% said they didn’t work at all on weekends.
Table 5: Working frequency on weekends
| Frequency of Working Weekends | Quota |
|---|---|
| None | 43% |
| Once a month | 15% |
| Over twice a month | 41% |
Working on rest days is not just overwork, but it affects the entire social identity of the employee. It abolishes the distinction between staff and business time, leaving people in a permanent state of “professional readiness”. And when this is done without institutional protection or fair remuneration, then we are not just talking about work – but about modern precaries.
Gender inequalities: 63% of women said they did not overtime, while in men the percentage is only 38%. However, both sexes report that overwork is often unpaid.
- Age divergences: Employees over 55 have a higher frequency of overtime and a lower chance of being paid for it.
- Educational irony: The higher the level of education, the more hours one works extra – and the lower the chance of being paid! Postgraduate or doctorate holders have the highest rates of unpaid overtime.
The “guilty silence” of the market
The number that says it all: 65% of employees in Greece say that they are either not paid at all or only in part for their overtime. It is an institutional abnormality with dimensions of chronic pathogenesis. In addition, working in informal hours, without planning, shows a violation of labor legislation and dissolves family life.
Political proposals and questions
INE GSEE is not limited to statistical imprint. It calls for integration of quality labor indicators in public policies, stricter control over the implementation of legislation, and emphasis on flexibility in favor of the employee. The question remains: Is there a political will for substantial change?
Ultimate conclusions
Work in Greece in 2025 is not just “long” – it is unfair, uncontrolled and often trampled on basic labor rights. The study of INE GSEE forces us to see a work landscape that does not fit into the success story of development. The quality of life of employees is in the nadir. It’s time for a new national strategy that doesn’t just measure jobs, but to measure life itself behind them.