Global Business Hours Guide
Navigate international business hours, cultural practices, and holidays to schedule meetings that respect everyone's time and traditions.
🌍 Quick Business Hours Reference
🇺🇸 Americas
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🇪🇺 Europe
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🇯🇵 Asia Pacific
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🏢 Business Hours by Region
🇺🇸 North America
United States
Business Hours:
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Lunch Break:
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Work Week:
Monday - Friday
Culture Note: Meetings often start right on time. Business
communication is direct and efficient.
Canada
Business Hours:
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Lunch Break:
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Work Week:
Monday - Friday
Culture Note: Similar to US but with more emphasis on work-life
balance. French business practices in Quebec.
🇪🇺 Europe
United Kingdom
Business Hours:
9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Lunch Break:
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Work Week:
Monday - Friday
Culture Note: Punctuality is highly valued. Afternoon tea breaks
are common around 3-4 PM.
Germany
Business Hours:
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Lunch Break:
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Work Week:
Monday - Friday
Culture Note: Very punctual culture. Avoid scheduling meetings
after 4 PM on Fridays.
France
Business Hours:
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Lunch Break:
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Work Week:
Monday - Friday
Culture Note: Long lunch breaks are cultural norm. August is
vacation month - avoid scheduling then.
Spain
Business Hours:
9:00 AM - 2:00 PM, 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Siesta:
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Work Week:
Monday - Friday
Culture Note: Traditional siesta culture. Business dinners are
common and start late (9-10 PM).
🌏 Asia Pacific
Japan
Business Hours:
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Lunch Break:
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Work Week:
Monday - Friday
Culture Note: Punctuality is crucial. Long working hours are
common. Avoid scheduling during Golden Week (late April/early May).
China
Business Hours:
8:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Lunch Break:
12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Work Week:
Monday - Friday
Culture Note: Business relationships are important. Avoid Chinese
New Year period (late January/February).
India
Business Hours:
9:30 AM - 6:30 PM
Lunch Break:
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Work Week:
Monday - Saturday
Culture Note: Many companies work on Saturdays. Multiple festivals
throughout the year affect schedules.
Australia
Business Hours:
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Lunch Break:
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Work Week:
Monday - Friday
Culture Note: Strong work-life balance culture. Summer holidays in
December-January.
🌍 Middle East & Africa
UAE (Dubai)
Business Hours:
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Lunch Break:
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Work Week:
Monday - Friday
Culture Note: Weekend is Friday-Saturday. Ramadan affects business
hours significantly.
South Africa
Business Hours:
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Lunch Break:
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Work Week:
Monday - Friday
Culture Note: Multiple official languages. Time management can be
more flexible than Western standards.
🏛️ Work Culture & Meeting Etiquette
🇺🇸 American Style
Time:
Very punctual, start on time
Communication:
Direct and to-the-point
Meetings:
Action-oriented, decision-focused
Small Talk:
Brief, then straight to business
🇯🇵 Japanese Style
Time:
Extremely punctual, arrive early
Communication:
Indirect, respectful, formal
Meetings:
Consensus-building, detailed prep
Hierarchy:
Senior person speaks first
🇩🇪 German Style
Time:
Punctual, well-structured
Communication:
Direct, factual, thorough
Meetings:
Well-prepared, detailed agendas
Decisions:
Data-driven, methodical
🇧🇷 Latin American Style
Time:
More flexible, relationship first
Communication:
Warm, personal, expressive
Meetings:
Relationship-building focus
Small Talk:
Extended, family and personal life
🎉 Major International Holidays to Avoid
🎄 December - January
Christmas Period
Dec 24 - Jan 2
Most Western countries have limited business activity
Chinese New Year
Late Jan/Early Feb
China, Taiwan, Singapore - 1-2 week holiday
🌸 March - May
Easter Week
Varies (March/April)
Christian countries - Good Friday to Easter Monday
Golden Week (Japan)
Late April/Early May
Major holiday period in Japan
☀️ July - August
European Summer
July - August
Many Europeans take extended vacations
Eid Festivals
Varies (Islamic Calendar)
Muslim countries - Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha
🍂 September - November
Diwali
October/November
India and Hindu communities worldwide
Thanksgiving (US)
4th Thursday in November
US and Canada have different dates
💡 Global Scheduling Tips
Find the Sweet Spot
- US-Europe: 8-10 AM EST (2-4 PM CET)
- US-Asia: 8-10 PM EST (9-11 AM JST next day)
- Europe-Asia: 1-3 PM CET (9-11 PM JST)
Respect Local Weekends
- Most countries: Saturday-Sunday
- Middle East: Friday-Saturday
- Israel: Friday evening-Saturday evening
- Some companies in India: Work Saturdays
Mind the Lunch Hours
- Spain: 2-4 PM (siesta time)
- France: 12-2 PM (long lunch culture)
- Asia: 12-1 PM (shorter lunch)
- US: 12-1 PM (working lunch common)
Start Time Considerations
- Germany: Start early (8 AM meetings common)
- Spain: Avoid before 9 AM
- US West Coast: Avoid before 9 AM
- India: 9:30 AM is standard start
Optimal Meeting Windows
- Tuesday-Thursday: Best for all regions
- Monday mornings: Avoid (planning time)
- Friday afternoons: Avoid (wind-down)
- Sweet spot: Mid-week, mid-morning
Use Smart Tools
- Always specify time zones in invites
- Use SmartMeetTime for optimal scheduling
- World Clock apps for quick reference
- Calendar tools with timezone display
🧮 Business Hours Overlap Calculator
Find Overlapping Business Hours
Select two time zones to find when both regions are in business hours
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