American culture centers on a passion for innovation and hard work, but could it be that certain regions achieve a better work-life balance than others? A new graphic from the team at Qualtrics sets out to answer this question. They’ve created a color-coded map based on the percentage of the past year that residents in each state spent working. Work shapes routines, finances, well-being, and so many aspects of our lives, so data presented like this can create a powerful statement about the state of work culture that can direct our attention to problems, policies, and workforce strengths. The team created the map using data from this academic survey from the University of Maryland and Minneapolis.
Key Findings and Statistics
According to the map, workers in these states spent the highest percentage of the year working:
- Utah
- Mississippi
- North Carolina
- Alabama
- Colorado
- South Dakota
- Pennsylvania
- West Virginia
- Arkansas
- Minnesota
Residents in these states spent the least amount of time working last year:
- Connecticut
- Michigan
- South Carolina
- Oklahoma
- Illinois
- Kentucky
- Oregon
- Washington
- Texas
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Ohio
- Wisconsin
Looking at the maps color-coded patterns, it appears that states in the South generally spend more time working than northern states, though there are some stand out exceptions, like Oklahoma and South Carolina. The national average of minutes worked in the year is around 110,000 minutes. This helps us judge outliers and find patterns. For example, we can see most states in the Northeast worked a bit more than average, with a major exception for Connecticut. In fact, Connecticut residents spent the least time working out of any state in the country.
High-Intensity Work Areas
Examining trends in the states with the highest percentages might reveal why workers are spending so much time on the job. The five states with the highest percentages were Utah, Mississippi, North Carolina, Alabama, Colorado, and South Dakota.
We can analyze why some of these states have the highest averages due to regional factors. For example, Utah has a lower unemployment rate than the national average, so that can mean people work a lot because jobs are plentiful or Utah residents are especially hard-working, fitting in multiple jobs, full-time work, and overtime.
Another common factor the data shows us is that low-wage states have higher work hours. Many of these happen to be southern states, like Mississippi, Alabama, South Dakota, and West Virginia. Lower average wages mean that workers have to take on longer hours just to afford necessities and make ends meet. Some of these states, like Mississippi, are hubs for the manufacturing industry, which often demands longer hours. Some of these jobs belong in the low-wage category as well. These states are pointing toward poor work-life balance with long, difficult hours. Another factor that can lead to people needing to work longer hours is cost of living, which can vary quite a bit from from state to state. In Colorado, for example, the cost of living is higher than the national average, which means residents there might need those extra hours to afford shelter, food, and so on.
Work-Life Balance Leaders
On the other end of the spectrum, some states are leading the way in work-life balance. These include Connecticut, Michigan, South Carolina, and Oklahoma. Interestingly, these outlier states aren’t united by region, they represent areas all over the country. What can we learn from their data? Factors outside broader region must be at play to influence their work-life balance.
For example, Connecticut residents worked the least due to the prevalence of part-time work in this state. Connecticut employs more part-time workers than most other states, which means less hours for workers. Factors that might make this possible are tourism leading to rushes in part of the year and lulls in others, high-paying service industry jobs that provide strong tips, and a thriving freelance or entrepreneur culture.
The cost of living could have an impact yet again. Oklahoma has some of the lowest housing costs in the country, meaning less staring on wages and the ability to work fewer hours. South Carolina is also relatively affordable compared to many other states. Pair this with culture and we might have an idea of why these states are leading in work-life balance. Southerners are known for a more relaxed lifestyle, perhaps influenced by a hot climate leading to high noon breaks for the heat.
Industry Factors
The prevalence of certain industries certainly impacts how many hours workers are logging. Manufacturing is a demanding job with long hours, which we can see reflected in the high work hours found in Mississippi, a manufacturing hot spot. The medical industry is known for requiring high work hours out of nurses, doctors, and support staff alike. We may be able to see this reflected in the data when looking at states with some of the largest and most well-known hospitals. Agriculture and logging require demanding schedules too, which might explain why so many Midwestern states and states in the Pacific Northwest have higher than average work hours. Not all the data holds true though. The tech and IT industry are known for long hours, and we know that Silicon Valley in California is the center of tech innovation, but the state shows lower than average work hours. Perhaps this industry has mastered the balance between work demands and a healthy lifestyle?
Socioeconomic Implications
Studies like these are important because time spent on the job closely correlates with other quality of life metrics. High work hours put strain on busy families. Strenuous physical jobs can take a toll on physical health. Lots of business and time spent at work can signal a booming local economy or it can mean a community that doesn’t have the time and resources to support other industries like restaurants, entertainment, and leisure.
Natural questions follow studies like these. Do higher work hours mean higher profits for businesses? Do workers that log more hours earn significantly more money? These are all important questions that could lead to valuable studies stemming from this one. When data and studies affect so many people as in this case, it can be difficult to draw reliable conclusions, and the only solution is a push for more data collection and studies like this one.
Looking to the Future
This study is useful for anyone looking to examine why certain regions might have longer work hours, the differences between industries and cultures, and provide insight and evidence for change-makers concerned with working conditions and worker rights. The COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on the way we work, so it might be fascinating to re-examine this data in a few years since the workforce is changing rapidly. Did the chart make you examine your own work-life balance? Sometimes graphics like this prompt us to reflect on our own lives and see how we fit into a wider picture.
Take a careful look at all the rich data Qualtrics collected. You’re sure to find facts we haven’t mentioned and add your own insight to the story this graphic tells.
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