Men aren't pulling their weight at home

vintage couple ironing
Factoring in both paid and unpaid work, who puts in more hours? It's usually the Mrs. Click on the image to see the 10 countries where men pitch in the most at home.


Working in the home is not usually paid. But if both paid and unpaid work are combined, it's the women who put in the longest hours.


You tell us: What's your housework worth?

The difference was most stark in Italy, where women work an average of 22 hours in a paid job, in addition to doing 35 hours of housework each week. That's about 11 more hours than the average Italian man works both inside and outside the home.

"Overly heavy workloads for women with the 'double burden' of holding a job and looking after the family can generate time deprivation and stress, with negative effects on life satisfaction and health," notes the OECD.

In all countries tracked, women did the majority of the housework -- an imbalance that can hinder them from participating fully in the job market and building their careers, the OECD said.

Related: Chore wars: 10 places where men help the most



Totaling it all up, the average American woman actually works 18 minutes more than a man each week, but she is compensated for fewer than half her hours. The American man, on the other hand, is paid for 65% of his work.

Related: Why I choose to not work

The OECD also noted that men tend to have slightly more positive feelings about housework than women, because they're more likely to combine a chore with a leisurely activity. Take for example, a father who looks after the kids while reading a newspaper or watching a football game.

Sheryl Sandberg on women vs. men




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