Working in Norway

Hours, culture and working conditions

Working in Norway

In the 2000 European Survey on working conditions, Norway scored higher than most other EU countries.

The average working hours in Norway tend to be from 8 am to 4 pm, Monday to Friday, but may vary between sectors. Some working days may begin at 7 am and others at 9 am. It all depends upon which kind of job you have.

Anyone who works over 40 hours per week is considered to be working overtime and overtime hours are usually paid at almost time-and-a-half.

Work culture and working conditions

Norwegian workers have a lot of freedom when organising tasks and the pace at which they complete their work. They generally also have a say in work methods. According to studies, Norwegians are more satisfied with their working conditions, suffer less from exhaustion and are exposed to less physically demanding work than other workers throughout the EU.

Among Norwegian employees, workers over the age of 55 are reported to have better working environments than their younger colleagues. Older workers tend to have more independent jobs and they value the social aspects of their jobs more.

Further reading

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