For millions of Europeans, working on Saturdays and Sundays remains a common part of their schedule. The highest rates are found in Southern Europe and the Balkans, while the situation is significantly better in Central and Eastern Europe. Find out which countries have the highest rates of weekend work and where the workload on staff is the heaviest

The traditional two-day weekend is gradually ceasing to be the norm for many European workers. This is particularly evident in the tourism, restaurant, transportation, healthcare, and retail sectors, where working on Saturdays and Sundays is often a necessity. At the same time, the situation varies dramatically across European countries: while in some nations only a small portion of people work on weekends, in others this applies to nearly a third of all employees.

According to Eurostat, residents of Greece, Italy, Cyprus, and several Balkan countries work the most on weekends. The lowest rates were recorded in Lithuania, Poland, and Hungary. These statistics are influenced by the structure of the economy, the proportion of self-employed workers, the development of the tourism sector, and labor legislation.

In this article, we explore which European countries have the highest rates of weekend work, where the situation is best, and what trends are currently emerging in the European labor market.

Earlier, we talked about the European countries where it is easiest to get a work visa and start a career abroad.

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In which European countries do people most often work on weekends?

Working on Saturdays and Sundays remains particularly common in Southern European countries and the Balkans. According to Eurostat, it is there that the largest share of workers regularly goes to work on weekends. Experts cite the economy’s heavy reliance on tourism, the restaurant industry, seasonal employment, and self-employment as the main reasons.

Greece has become the absolute leader in Europe. Here, about 32% of workers regularly work on weekends. High rates were also recorded in Italy, Cyprus, and Malta, where the service sector and tourism account for a significant portion of the economy. In many popular tourist regions, restaurants, hotels, shops, and transportation operate without full weekends off, especially during the summer season.

The countries with the highest proportion of weekend work are:

1. Greece — about 32%

2. Italy — over 30%

3. Cyprus — nearly 27%

4. Malta — over 25%

5. Romania and Croatia — about 24–25%

Analysts also highlight the Balkan region, where weekend work is often linked to the high proportion of small businesses and family-run enterprises. In such companies, employees frequently work flexible schedules without a clear distinction between workdays and weekends.

The percentage of employees who regularly work on weekends in European countries. Source — Eurostat / Euronews.

We previously reported on which countries have the fastest-growing wages and will offer a better standard of living in 2026.

Where do employees work on weekends the least?

In Central and Northern European countries, the situation is quite different. Here, the work-life balance is much more developed, and labor laws more strictly regulate weekend work. In many companies, Saturday and Sunday remain standard days off, and overtime is paid at higher rates.

The lowest rates of weekend work were recorded in Lithuania, Poland, and Hungary. In these countries, only a small proportion of employees regularly work on Saturdays or Sundays. At the same time, Germany and the Netherlands have some of the strictest rules regarding employee protection and working hours.

Among the countries with the lowest rates of weekend work:

1. Lithuania — about 3%

2. Poland — approximately 4.5%

3. Hungary — less than 6%

4. Germany — about 8%

5. The Netherlands — less than 9%

Experts attribute these figures to several factors:

- Higher levels of business automation

- The prevalence of office-based employment

- Strong labor unions

- Strict rules regarding overtime

- The spread of work-life balance models

At the same time, even in countries with low figures, working on weekends remains common in healthcare, transportation, the hospitality industry, and emergency services.

In our previous article, we discussed which EU countries are leading in remote work in 2026.

Who in Europe works on weekends most often?

Most often, it is not office workers who work on Saturdays and Sundays, but people in sectors where businesses or services must operate continuously. This is particularly true for tourism, transportation, healthcare, and small businesses. Self-employed workers—owners of cafes, shops, service companies, and family businesses—also have significantly higher rates of weekend work.

One of the main reasons remains the growth of the tourism industry. In popular European tourist destinations, the heaviest workload falls precisely on weekends, when the flow of customers increases in hotels, restaurants, airports, and shopping centers.

The following groups most often work on weekends:

- Hotel and restaurant staff;

- Drivers, couriers, and logistics workers;

- Medical staff;

- Retailers and supermarket employees;

- Small business owners;

- Tourism industry workers;

- Airport and railway staff.

Analysts also note young workers and part-time employees. They are more likely to agree to shift work or weekend shifts due to higher pay or flexible working conditions.

At the same time, among self-employed workers, the rate of weekend work is several times higher than among salaried employees. In many European countries, small business owners effectively work without full weekends off, especially in the tourism and service sectors.

Learn more about professions that offer the best chances for employment in the EU by following the link.

Why is working on weekends becoming the new norm in Europe?

Experts note that the European labor market has changed significantly in recent years. More and more companies are shifting to business models that involve serving customers seven days a week. This is most noticeable in e-commerce, delivery, tourism, and service industries, where demand on weekends is often even higher than on weekdays.

Another factor is the labor shortage in many EU countries. Due to a lack of workers, companies are increasingly implementing shift schedules and requiring staff to work on weekends. This is particularly evident in the hospitality industry, transportation, and healthcare.

The spread of work on Saturdays and Sundays has also been influenced by:

- The popularity of 24/7 online services;

- The rapid growth in tourist traffic following the pandemic;

- The development of the platform economy and delivery services;

- An increase in the number of self-employed workers;

- The spread of flexible employment formats.

At the same time, some European countries are trying to strike a balance between productivity and employee rest. For example, in Germany, Belgium, Iceland, and Spain, models of a 4-day workweek have been actively tested or discussed in recent years. Supporters of such changes believe that this will help reduce burnout and improve the quality of life for employees.

If you are planning to work abroad in 2026 and want to better understand the rules of employment, work permits, taxes, and basic employee rights, it is worth preparing for the move in advance. Visit World's practical working guide will help you navigate the current requirements, types of work permits, and steps to take upon arrival to avoid common mistakes and feel confident in your new life abroad.

We remind you! New economic indicators show which countries have been able to increase their GDP and which have lost ground due to inflation and slowing growth. Ranking of the richest countries in the world in 2026 — follow the link.

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