40% of those in the tech industry said they believe their industry is the industry that requires the least amount of hard work to succeed.

Criteria for selecting what constitutes hard work are taking on more responsibilities at work (62%), longer working hours (57%), working on side hustles (53%), earning more degrees or certifications (33%), working manual labor jobs (33%), and taking less vacation time (25%).

For technology workers, the nature of their work is a factor in why their job is easy. This include the fact that their job requires little physical effort. Moreover, many technology workers earn regular six-figure salaries, eliminating the need for “side jobs” or additional part-time work.

The survey also debunked the assumption that longer working hours mean more success, with most of the 1,000 workers surveyed saying that a normal 40-hour work week is unnecessary for long-term prosperity.

On average, respondents said that all tasks could be completed in just 36.2 hours per week in order to be successful.

However, many Americans still believe that the best way to succeed is through hard work at their current organization. Hard work has more impact on most respondents than their college degree (68%) and on their career advancement versus their intelligence and connections (63%).

The sources for this piece include an article in TechRepublic.