Working Endless Hours Does Not Make You a Hero (Infographic) Comparing hours worked with output across countries shows that putting in more time does not necessarily equate to more revenue.

By Catherine Clifford

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

In the U.S., people tend to brag about working long hours. Clocking countless hours at the office is worn as a badge of honor, brandied about at the water cooler to garner respect.

Turns out, working endless hours may be nothing more than a waste of time.

Germany is among the countries with the shortest workweeks, with employees averaging 35 hours a week at the office, but it also tops out as the most productive nation in the world, according to the infographic embedded below, generated by cloud-based software company PGi.

Related: 5 Secrets to Achieving and Maintaining Work-Life Balance

The marginal benefit of each hour worked on a country's gross domestic product declines pretty steadily as the number of hours increase, according to the infographic.

How many hours are you working a week? Could you be spending your time more wisely? How many hours are your employees working per week? Do they need to be working that many hours?

Check out the infographic below for additional data on global productivity and some tips on how to maximize your efficiency.

Click to Enlarge+
Working Endless Hours Does Not Make You a Hero (Infographic)

Related: The Science Behind Why Small Teams Work More Productively

Catherine Clifford

Senior Entrepreneurship Writer at CNBC

Catherine Clifford is senior entrepreneurship writer at CNBC. She was formerly a senior writer at Entrepreneur.com, the small business reporter at CNNMoney and an assistant in the New York bureau for CNN. Clifford attended Columbia University where she earned a bachelor's degree. She lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. You can follow her on Twitter at @CatClifford.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Business News

Zillow Predicts These 10 Places Will Have the Hottest Housing Markets in 2025

Zillow predicted that the hottest housing market of 2025 will be Buffalo, New York. Here's why.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Science & Technology

5 AI Books Top Entrepreneurs Are Reading in a Rush for 2025

Entrepreneurs must embrace AI or risk falling behind. Discover 2025's top 5 AI books to gain a competitive edge, featuring insights from "The Wolf is at the Door" and a free AI Success Kit.

Marketing

Why 2025 Will Be the Year AI Redefines Content Creation and Search Strategies

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are transforming the SEO landscape, requiring professionals to adapt their keyword strategies, content creation and user engagement techniques in response to revolutionary tools like ChatGPT.

Growing a Business

AI Adoption Doesn't Have to Be Daunting Anymore — Here's How to Choose the Right AI Tools For Your Small Business

As 2025 begins, AI adoption may still feel daunting for many business owners — but it doesn't have to be. Here's how to pick the best AI tools for your needs and integrate them wisely into your existing systems.