Work without wages: India tops global ranking for unpaid overtime 

For most workers, putting in a few extra hours now and then has become part of the job. A skipped lunch break, a late evening spent finishing tasks, or an extra hour answering emails often goes uncompensated. But in India, unpaid work appears to have become far more than an occasional occurrence. 

According to ADP Research's latest People at Work 2026 report, India reported the highest levels of unpaid work among all markets surveyed. Four in 10 employees (40%) said they spend 6 to 15 hours each week working without pay, while nearly a quarter (24%) reported clocking 16 or more unpaid hours, the highest share globally in both categories. 

The findings suggest that a significant proportion of Indian employees routinely extend their working time beyond compensated hours, highlighting persistent concerns around workload pressures and work-life balance. By comparison, the Czech Republic reported the lowest share of workers putting in 16 or more unpaid hours each week (4%), while Japan recorded the lowest proportion in the 6 to 15-hour category (15%). 

The United Arab Emirates emerged as another notable outlier, matching India with 40% of workers reporting 6 to 15 unpaid hours weekly and recording one of the highest shares of employees working 16 or more unpaid hours (19%). 

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Climbing costs 

Globally, unpaid work is far from uncommon, though the intensity varies sharply across workers.  

ADP's survey found that 62% of workers put in up to five unpaid hours every week. However, a sizeable minority are contributing far more time beyond paid hours, with 26% of workers saying they spend between 6 and 15 unpaid hours weekly. At the higher end, 12% of respondents globally report working 16 hours or more without compensation each week, highlighting that for a notable share of employees, unpaid work extends well beyond occasional overtime. 

While unpaid work varies by age, geography and work location, the strongest predictor is job level. The higher employees climb the organisational ladder, the more likely they are to put in hours beyond what they are paid for. 

The gap is striking. Half of all senior leaders and upper managers report working at least six unpaid hours every week, while one in five C-suite executives (20%) say they put in 16 or more unpaid hours. Upper management leads the 6–15 unpaid hours category at 33%, followed by middle management (31%) and the C-suite (30%). 

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In contrast, individual contributors are the least likely to report significant unpaid overtime, with only 17% logging 6–15 hours and 9% exceeding 16 hours. They are also the most likely to keep unpaid work to five hours or less (74%), compared with only 50% of C-suite leaders. 

The findings point to a clear relationship between seniority and unpaid work, suggesting that leadership roles often come up with greater expectations, responsibility, and time demands that extend beyond formal working hours. 

Why do employees continue to put in these extra hours? The data suggests that for many, motivation is not necessarily pressure or obligation.  In many cases, it’s driven by a genuine sense of connection to their work. In fact, on-the-job engagement appears highest among those reporting 16 or more unpaid hours a week, and this group is also more likely to say they find meaning and purpose in what they do. 

But the pattern also highlights a downside. Employees who reported the greatest number of unpaid hours were more likely to experience higher stress levels and showed a greater intention to leave their organisations. In other words, while extra effort may reflect commitment and engagement, excessive unpaid work can ultimately undermine employee wellbeing and retention, making it a costly proposition for employers as well. 

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Younger workers & free labour 

Age appears to play a significant role in how much unpaid work employees take on. The data shows that younger workers are considerably more likely to spend extra hours on the job without compensation than their older counterparts. 

Employees aged 18–26 are the most likely to report unpaid overtime, with 31% saying they put in 6 to 15 unpaid hours each week. The 27–39 age group follows closely behind at 29%, suggesting that workers in the early and middle stages of their careers are the most likely to extend their workdays beyond paid hours. 

The trend begins to taper off with age. Among employees aged 65 and above, just 16% report working six to 15 unpaid hours, the lowest share across all age groups. Older workers are also the most likely to keep unpaid work to five hours or less, with 73% of those aged 65+ and 70% of those aged 55–64 falling into this category. 

The findings suggest that unpaid overtime declines steadily with age and career stage, potentially reflecting greater job control, clearer boundaries, or changing priorities later in professional life. 

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Remote work's hidden trade-off 

While remote work is often associated with flexibility and better work-life balance, the data suggests it may also come with a less visible cost: more unpaid work. 

Remote employees are the most likely to report significant amounts of unpaid overtime, with 35% saying they work 6 to 15 unpaid hours each week and 13% reporting 16 or more unpaid hours, the highest proportions across all work arrangements. 

In comparison, employees working fully on-site report the lowest levels of unpaid overtime. Just 24% say they work six to 15 unpaid hours, while 12% report working 16 hours or more without compensation. 

A majority of workers across all workplace models report five or fewer unpaid hours each week. However, that figure is the lowest among remote employees (52%) and highest among office-based workers (64%). 

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Commitment vs clarity 

The findings point to a need for organisations to reassess workloads and expectations, particularly at senior and managerial levels where unpaid hours are most prevalent. There may also be scope to better account for time spent on off-hour meetings, travel and additional responsibilities, or to simply rebalance workloads where demands are consistently extending beyond paid time. 

For employers, providing clearer expectations could be a key step forward. Workers who report minimal unpaid hours are more likely to say they understand what is expected of them, which in turn may support greater efficiency and productivity. 

For employees, the conversation matters just as much. They should evaluate the value of their unpaid time by discussing their off-the-clock efforts with managers. This could help determine whether such work should be formalised within paid hours or whether workloads need to be adjusted during periods of high demand. 

Ultimately, the goal is not to eliminate commitment, but to ensure it is sustainable, visible and fairly accounted for.  

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