Among employed people working their usual hours, nearly half (48.0 percent) worked an eight-hour day in the June 2023 quarter, Stats NZ said today.
"Labour day serves as a good occasion to examine labour market trends, such as the eight-hour day and the 40-hour week," labour market manager Malak Shafik said.
The Household Labour Force Survey (HLFS) asks employed respondents about the hours they usually worked per week, along with which days and hours were actually worked the previous week.
"We are able to calculate average hours per day using HLFS data," Shafik said, "and see how many people are generally working an eight-hour day in their main jobs - excluding unusual leave absences or brief periods of overtime."
| Average Hours Worked Per Day | Percentage of Employed People |
| 3 or fewer | 5.0 |
| 4 to 7 | 23.1 |
| 8 | 48.0 |
| 9 to 10 | 18.5 |
| 11 or more | 5.4 |
| 4.5 | 5.5 |
|---|---|
| 22.1 | 24.1 |
| 46.6 | 49.4 |
| 17.7 | 19.3 |
| 4.9 | 5.8 |
Of the 1,934,000 employed people who reported working their usual hours, 679,400 reported working a 40-hour week spread over five days, which was the most common work arrangement reported in the June 2023 quarter.
The next most common arrangements were:
- 108,600 people working 45-hour weeks over five days (9-hour workdays)
- 74,300 people working 50-hour weeks over five days (10-hour workdays)
- 52,600 people working 30-hour weeks over five days (6-hour workdays).
The 40-hour work week has remained a common work arrangement since the HLFS began collecting actual and usual hours worked in 1986.
| Quarter | 40 Hours | Less than 40 Hours | More than 40 Hours |
| Mar-86 | 36.8 | 30.6 | 32.6 |
| Jun-86 | 36.3 | 31.6 | 32.2 |
| Sep-86 | 35.3 | 32.7 | 32.1 |
| Dec-86 | 35.9 | 32.8 | 31.4 |
| Mar-87 | 36.7 | 31.9 | 31.4 |
| Jun-87 | 36.6 | 33.5 | 29.8 |
| Sep-87 | 37.0 | 32.5 | 30.5 |
| Dec-87 | 36.9 | 32.8 | 30.3 |
| Mar-88 | 37.3 | 32.4 | 30.2 |
| Jun-88 | 37.4 | 32.8 | 29.7 |
| Sep-88 | 37.2 | 32.9 | 30.0 |
| Dec-88 | 37.0 | 33.1 | 30.0 |
| Mar-89 | 37.6 | 32.0 | 30.3 |
| Jun-89 | 37.4 | 32.1 | 30.5 |
| Sep-89 | 37.0 | 32.4 | 30.6 |
| Dec-89 | 37.2 | 31.5 | 31.3 |
| Mar-90 | 37.0 | 31.8 | 31.3 |
| Jun-90 | 34.9 | 34.7 | 30.4 |
| Sep-90 | 35.4 | 33.9 | 30.8 |
| Dec-90 | 35.2 | 33.6 | 31.2 |
| Mar-91 | 35.9 | 34.2 | 29.9 |
| Jun-91 | 35.2 | 35.2 | 29.6 |
| Sep-91 | 35.6 | 34.6 | 29.8 |
| Dec-91 | 34.8 | 35.0 | 30.1 |
| Mar-92 | 35.3 | 34.8 | 29.9 |
| Jun-92 | 35.3 | 35.5 | 29.2 |
| Sep-92 | 34.7 | 35.0 | 30.3 |
| Dec-92 | 34.4 | 34.8 | 30.7 |
| Mar-93 | 35.3 | 33.5 | 31.2 |
| Jun-93 | 35.0 | 34.9 | 30.2 |
| Sep-93 | 34.2 | 34.5 | 31.3 |
| Dec-93 | 33.3 | 34.2 | 32.6 |
| Mar-94 | 33.5 | 33.6 | 32.9 |
| Jun-94 | 32.7 | 34.7 | 32.6 |
| Sep-94 | 32.3 | 33.8 | 33.9 |
| Dec-94 | 32.3 | 33.0 | 34.6 |
| Mar-95 | 33.5 | 32.7 | 33.8 |
| Jun-95 | 32.6 | 33.9 | 33.6 |
| Sep-95 | 32.8 | 34.0 | 33.3 |
| Dec-95 | 32.4 | 33.4 | 34.2 |
| Mar-96 | 32.6 | 33.0 | 34.3 |
| Jun-96 | 31.4 | 34.2 | 34.5 |
| Sep-96 | 29.0 | 35.8 | 35.3 |
| Dec-96 | 31.1 | 33.4 | 35.5 |
| Mar-97 | 32.1 | 33.3 | 34.6 |
| Jun-97 | 29.7 | 35.7 | 34.6 |
| Sep-97 | 30.1 | 35.9 | 34.0 |
| Dec-97 | 31.2 | 34.7 | 34.0 |
| Mar-98 | 30.3 | 35.1 | 34.6 |
| Jun-98 | 28.8 | 36.6 | 34.5 |
| Sep-98 | 29.5 | 35.9 | 34.6 |
| Dec-98 | 30.2 | 35.2 | 34.6 |
| Mar-99 | 29.8 | 35.6 | 34.6 |
| Jun-99 | 29.1 | 37.0 | 33.9 |
| Sep-99 | 30.5 | 35.0 | 34.5 |
| Dec-99 | 28.9 | 35.2 | 35.8 |
| Mar-00 | 30.6 | 34.4 | 35.1 |
| Jun-00 | 29.4 | 36.4 | 34.2 |
| Sep-00 | 30.3 | 35.5 | 34.2 |
| Dec-00 | 31.2 | 34.5 | 34.2 |
| Mar-01 | 32.6 | 33.6 | 33.8 |
| Jun-01 | 30.6 | 35.6 | 33.9 |
| Sep-01 | 30.5 | 36.0 | 33.5 |
| Dec-01 | 30.8 | 35.5 | 33.7 |
| Mar-02 | 30.7 | 35.6 | 33.7 |
| Jun-02 | 30.2 | 36.4 | 33.4 |
| Sep-02 | 30.8 | 36.4 | 32.8 |
| Dec-02 | 31.7 | 35.0 | 33.3 |
| Mar-03 | 32.3 | 34.1 | 33.5 |
| Jun-03 | 31.0 | 36.2 | 32.8 |
| Sep-03 | 32.0 | 35.7 | 32.3 |
| Dec-03 | 31.8 | 34.8 | 33.3 |
| Mar-04 | 33.0 | 33.8 | 33.2 |
| Jun-04 | 32.0 | 35.0 | 33.1 |
| Sep-04 | 33.2 | 34.8 | 32.0 |
| Dec-04 | 31.8 | 35.2 | 32.9 |
| Mar-05 | 34.4 | 33.4 | 32.2 |
| Jun-05 | 31.7 | 35.6 | 32.7 |
| Sep-05 | 33.0 | 34.9 | 32.1 |
| Dec-05 | 33.0 | 34.4 | 32.6 |
| Mar-06 | 33.5 | 33.8 | 32.7 |
| Jun-06 | 32.5 | 35.2 | 32.3 |
| Sep-06 | 32.8 | 34.9 | 32.3 |
| Dec-06 | 31.3 | 35.3 | 33.4 |
| Mar-07 | 31.2 | 35.7 | 33.2 |
| Jun-07 | 29.5 | 37.3 | 33.2 |
| Sep-07 | 31.5 | 36.6 | 31.9 |
| Dec-07 | 32.1 | 36.5 | 31.4 |
| Mar-08 | 31.2 | 35.7 | 33.1 |
| Jun-08 | 30.7 | 37.4 | 31.9 |
| Sep-08 | 32.4 | 36.4 | 31.3 |
| Dec-08 | 32.2 | 36.9 | 30.9 |
| Mar-09 | 32.6 | 36.7 | 30.8 |
| Jun-09 | 31.6 | 39.1 | 29.3 |
| Sep-09 | 32.2 | 38.0 | 29.8 |
| Dec-09 | 31.6 | 38.1 | 30.3 |
| Mar-10 | 33.4 | 36.8 | 29.7 |
| Jun-10 | 32.6 | 37.8 | 29.5 |
| Sep-10 | 32.4 | 37.7 | 29.8 |
| Dec-10 | 33.7 | 36.4 | 29.9 |
| Mar-11 | 34.0 | 36.5 | 29.5 |
| Jun-11 | 32.7 | 37.8 | 29.5 |
| Sep-11 | 33.3 | 37.0 | 29.7 |
| Dec-11 | 34.1 | 37.0 | 29.0 |
| Mar-12 | 34.2 | 36.9 | 28.9 |
| Jun-12 | 32.8 | 38.5 | 28.7 |
| Sep-12 | 32.7 | 38.7 | 28.6 |
| Dec-12 | 32.4 | 37.2 | 30.4 |
| Mar-13 | 33.9 | 36.1 | 30.0 |
| Jun-13 | 32.8 | 37.7 | 29.5 |
| Sep-13 | 32.8 | 36.8 | 30.4 |
| Dec-13 | 31.9 | 37.7 | 30.3 |
| Mar-14 | 32.9 | 36.2 | 30.9 |
| Jun-14 | 34.1 | 36.4 | 29.5 |
| Sep-14 | 34.0 | 36.4 | 29.6 |
| Dec-14 | 35.3 | 36.3 | 28.4 |
| Mar-15 | 35.3 | 35.9 | 28.8 |
| Jun-15 | 33.0 | 37.3 | 29.7 |
| Sep-15 | 34.1 | 36.0 | 29.9 |
| Dec-15 | 34.6 | 35.7 | 29.7 |
| Mar-16 | 33.9 | 36.4 | 29.7 |
| Jun-16 | 34.0 | 36.7 | 29.3 |
| Sep-16 | 34.9 | 36.8 | 28.2 |
| Dec-16 | 35.0 | 36.2 | 28.8 |
| Mar-17 | 35.2 | 36.1 | 28.7 |
| Jun-17 | 35.0 | 36.5 | 28.5 |
| Sep-17 | 34.5 | 36.6 | 28.9 |
| Dec-17 | 34.9 | 36.3 | 28.9 |
| Mar-18 | 35.3 | 36.1 | 28.6 |
| Jun-18 | 35.0 | 36.3 | 28.6 |
| Sep-18 | 35.3 | 36.8 | 27.9 |
| Dec-18 | 34.4 | 36.3 | 29.3 |
| Mar-19 | 36.5 | 35.2 | 28.3 |
| Jun-19 | 35.2 | 36.2 | 28.6 |
| Sep-19 | 36.7 | 35.8 | 27.5 |
| Dec-19 | 37.0 | 34.8 | 28.2 |
| Mar-20 | 37.2 | 35.1 | 27.8 |
| Jun-20 | 36.7 | 37.0 | 26.3 |
| Sep-20 | 36.0 | 36.8 | 27.3 |
| Dec-20 | 35.5 | 36.4 | 28.2 |
| Mar-21 | 36.5 | 36.4 | 27.1 |
| Jun-21 | 35.6 | 37.1 | 27.3 |
| Sep-21 | 36.5 | 36.6 | 26.9 |
| Dec-21 | 36.1 | 36.5 | 27.4 |
| Mar-22 | 37.6 | 35.2 | 27.2 |
| Jun-22 | 37.7 | 35.1 | 27.2 |
| Sep-22 | 37.3 | 36.2 | 26.5 |
| Dec-22 | 37.7 | 35.5 | 26.9 |
| Mar-23 | 37.6 | 35.2 | 27.2 |
| Jun-23 | 37.9 | 36.6 | 25.5 |
"Usual weekly hours are very much shaped by the proportion of men and women employed and changes in how men and women are employed over time," Shafik said.
Rates of people working less than 40 hours per week increased up to the early 2000s. This was partially driven by the increasing labour force participation for women, who are more likely than men to work less than 40 hours a week.
"The proportion of both men and women working exactly 40 hours in a usual week has been increasing in recent decades," Shafik said. "Since the June 2000 quarter, the proportion of men working more than 40 hours per week fell from 48 percent to 35 percent, and the proportion of women working less than 40 hours fell from 56 percent to 52 percent."
Employees usually worked an average of 37 hours per week at their main job in the June 2023 quarter - fewer than employers, who reported working 44 hours per week, but more than self-employed people without employees and unpaid family workers (34 and 19 hours per week respectively).
