Only 15% of Belgian professionals stick to standard office hours

A recent survey conducted by recruitment specialist Robert Walters provides striking insights into working habits and challenges in the Belgian labour market. The results show a workforce that is experiencing increasing pressure, with many employees exceeding their standard office hours to meet growing demands.

Key findings:

• Extended working hours: only 15% of Belgian professionals surveyed stick to standard office hours, while almost a third (30%) say they start early or stay late every day. In addition, 39% say their longer working hours depend on their workload.

• Workload: 18% of respondents admit to regularly feeling overwhelmed by their workload, while 41% describe their daily tasks as consistently busy. Only 6% report a light workload.

• Reasons for overtime: the vast majority (81%) indicate that catching up on work or meeting deadlines is the main reason for working outside regular hours. Other factors include collaborating with teams in different time zones (8%) and expectations from management (8%).

• Need for “power hours”: nearly half (44%) of respondents believe that their productivity would improve if employers introduced specific “power hours” – concentrated periods without distractions.

Pressure to be “always on”

Belgian professionals are feeling increasing pressure to be available outside regular working hours, even during their holidays. Additional research by Robert Walters shows that 45% of Belgian employees check their emails during their annual leave to limit the backlog upon their return.  

This ties in with the ‘infinite workday’ phenomenon identified by Microsoft's Work Trend Index. Globally, 40% of professionals start checking their emails as early as 6 a.m. to manage busy inboxes. In addition, 29% log back in to deal with work emails until 10 p.m., and 20% do so on weekends as well. The number of meetings after 8 p.m. has also increased by 16% compared to last year.

Özlem Simsek, Managing Director at Robert Walters, emphasises: ‘To prevent professionals from feeling compelled to log in at any time, clear agreements must be made about response times. This can be done, for example, by tagging time zones in correspondence, using delayed email delivery and planning specific time slots for international calls in advance.’

Reclaiming the working day

Another possible solution to overtime is to implement “power hours” – specific blocks of time during which employees can work undisturbed without distractions. The survey shows that 44% of Belgian professionals surveyed would like to see their employer try this strategy to promote concentration and productivity in the office.

Simsek adds: ‘Implementing “power hours” may not suit every workplace, but it can be a good way to optimise the working day. If employers continue to silently condone a culture of regular overtime, they run the risk not only of burnout and staff turnover, but also of a decline in morale and productivity.’

Employers respond to skills shortage

The survey also reveals how employers are dealing with the shortage of qualified workers. A significant 71% of organisations are investing in improved training programmes to upskill their staff. This is a promising step towards closing the gap between demand and available talent.

Simsek emphasises the importance of long-term solutions to address skills shortages: "Improved training programmes are a step in the right direction, but companies must also consider promoting a culture of collaboration and flexibility. By offering growth opportunities, organising mentoring programmes and creating working environments in which employees feel supported, organisations can retain top talent and prepare for future challenges."

Resetting expectations

Given that many Belgian professionals experience heavy workloads and struggle to stick to regular working hours, it is clear that employers need to take proactive steps to help their teams find a healthier balance.

According to Simsek, the key to change lies in leadership: "Addressing these challenges starts with resetting expectations around working hours from the top down. Managers must not only openly acknowledge when responsibilities and tasks are expanding, but clear protocols must also be established to ensure that employees are supported in setting priorities, establishing expectations for deadlines and being transparent about their capacities.”

More information

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