Who’s working here?  A recent Bureau of Labor Statistics report details the occupations with the largest numbers of employees.  The top: retail salespersons, cashiers, office clerks; food preparation and service workers; registered nurses; waiters and waitresses; and customer service representatives.  The report also provides comparative salary information among various professionals and in different parts of the country.

Do Americans work harder?  It depends.  Employees can take it easier in the Netherlands, but need to step it up if they are employed in Korea.  The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has statistics of hours worked in various countries through 2010. 

Should employers encourage employees to work fewer hours?  According to Geoffrey James in Inc., the answer is yes.  He cites studies showing that working more than 40 hours per week actually decreases productivity, and asserts that long work weeks lead to burnout and personal problems.