Hard Work And Success: Does Working Longer Hours Mean More Money?

It’s no surprise we find disparities around the world with regards to wages, but how does this examination hold up when looking at the amount of work performed?

An analysis (seen above), performed by Compare the Market, into the labor force and global disparities between wages earned and hours worked makes interesting reading. Hard work pays off is a saying that we have all heard before, but it is not necessarily true.

In today’s article, we are going to discuss the relationship between hard work and success, and whether or not working long hours can make you a lot of money. If you have any of your thoughts that you would care to share in response to this article, then please leave them in the comment section below.  

Long Working Hours, Empty Wage Packets

A common theme found globally is that countries where people work the longest hours generally tend to earn much less compared to countries in which people work shorter hours.

This is a multi-faceted problem so there are many underlying causes for low wages and long hours, some of the most obvious being the decline of unions, technology, and the employability of the people who reside in that country.

Long working hours in an ideal world would result in high wages for those who work them, but unfortunately, this is just not the case.

Repetitive and Manual Labour

When it comes to the kind of work people commit themselves to in countries with longer working hours, we generally tend to find a lot of repetitive and manual labor, such as work in warehouses and factories.

These jobs, wherever you go in the world, never tend to pay much. In many countries, however, they are all that the citizens have to fall back on for work.

Conversely, in other nations where working hours are shorter, there are often more opportunities available to the citizens as far as work is concerned.

What Is Hard Work?

Hard work is subjective. To one, being sat in front of a computer all day is hard while for another, manual labor is hard. It comes down to the person and their socioeconomic status in most cases.

Hard work is whatever you find the most difficult facing you in your life. Success is defined by the individual and not the field of work. One can make something of oneself in virtually any field, provided that the person is dedicated and committed to the job.

The reason working hours do tend to be shorter in some countries is generally that the citizens have access to more advanced tools, meaning that more work can be done in less time.

Learning a Skill

There are many skilled trades one can apply oneself to. Some prefer to become electricians, while others computer engineers. It is fundamentally important that if you are going to learn a skill, that you commit yourself to it in its entirety.

You must know everything about it and take the time to learn. You will not gain mastery of a skill overnight, only through years of commitment and a will to learn, will you become a master of your trade. Specializing in a niche skill where there is a market is an effective way to earn money.

In conclusion, it is this author’s opinion that hard work does pay off, provided that a person works in a trade and has a skill that has not only benefits themselves but to society.

You can work long hours doing very little and earn very little, or you can apply yourself to your work and make a success of yourself. Thank you for joining us today and reading this article.