Flemish think they work harder than they do

2 November 2005

BRUSSELS — Flemish employees work fewer hours than they think, with the over-estimation amounting to a hefty 10 percent.

The difference between perception and reality in terms of work hours was revealed in research by the Brussels Free University (VUB).

If the real number of work hours for salaried employees is slightly more than 33 hours per week (full-time workers combined with part-timers), workers think they put in 37 hours.

That is an overestimation of four hours or 11 percent, newspaper ‘Het Nieuwsblad’ reported on Wednesday.

The difference is even more noteworthy among self-employed workers, who think they work almost 56 hours per week while they actually work 48 hours. That is an overestimation of 13 percent.

VUB professor Ignace Glorieux said the difference is due to the fact self-employed people who work from home fail to make a clear distinction between family life and work.

“The shopkeeper who stands in the kitchen to eat a sandwich has the feeling that he is still working, while strictly speaking that is no longer the case,” Glorieux said.

Subject: Belgian news