A recent International Labour Organization (ILO) report has revealed that 51.5% of workers in Southern Asia, including India, regularly work over 49 hours a week, surpassing the globally accepted standard of a 48-hour workweek. This makes the region the highest globally for extended work hours, driven by economic pressures, informal job structures, and weak labor law enforcement.
In India, employees in sectors like manufacturing, construction, and services often exceed the mandated hours, raising concerns about work-life balance, health issues, and productivity. The findings spotlight growing disparities in global labor conditions, with Southern Asia at the forefront of overworked populations.
