India tops the world for unpaid work: 24% spend 16+ hours a week working for free
One in four Indian workers puts in 16 or more unpaid hours every week, the highest share among markets surveyed by ADP. The report also links heavier unpaid work with stress, lower perceived productivity and a greater likelihood of looking for another job.
One in four Indian workers puts in 16 or more unpaid hours every week, the highest share among markets surveyed by ADP.
India has recorded the highest share of workers reporting 16 or more unpaid working hours a week, according to ADP’s People at Work 2026 report.
The report found that 24% of Indian workers put in 16+ unpaid hours every week. Another 40% work between six and 15 unpaid hours weekly.
That means a large share of India’s workforce is spending substantial time working without counting those hours as paid work.
Globally, the picture is less extreme. 62% of workers report up to five unpaid hours a week, while 26% put in six to 15 hours and 12% work 16 hours or more.
MORE UNPAID HOURS DO NOT MEAN BETTER PERFORMANCE
The report throws up a less obvious finding: putting in more unpaid hours does not automatically translate into better work.
Workers reporting heavier unpaid workloads were more likely to say they were not as productive as they could be. They were also more likely to experience stress and consider leaving their jobs.
Workers putting in 16+ unpaid hours were more likely to report finding meaning in their jobs and being fully engaged, but that came alongside lower perceived productivity, lower levels of thriving and greater intent to look for another job.
REMOTE WORKERS ALSO REPORT MORE UNPAID HOURS
The problem is not limited to a particular office setup.
Remote workers were more likely to report working large blocks of unpaid hours than hybrid or office-based workers. Younger employees were also more likely to say they worked off the clock.
For employers, the numbers point to a workplace problem that cannot be measured simply by looking at attendance or logged working hours. The report suggests that when unpaid work keeps increasing, the extra hours can come with a cost to productivity, wellbeing and retention.
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