Mexico has lowest productivity of OECD

Mexico has by far the lowest level of productivity of all the 36 member nations of the OECD. Mexico has the longest working days -- 8 hours and 16 minutes -- while the shortest are those of Germany, at 5 hours 14 minutes.

But long hours do not equate to high productivity; quite the opposite in fact. Production per working day in Mexico generates value of $178, the lowest of all in the OECD, and much less than those of Ireland, at $655, and the United States at $482, for example.

The OECD figures are based on annual figures for productivity. Hence, the hours worked and the value generated are diluted by days off and holidays taken in the course of the year.