The Goal of Work in the U.S. versus Brussels

This week’s blog topic is how the goal of work in Brussels differs from the goal of work in the United States. When I first thought about this comparison I wasn’t quite sure what to focus on. At first glance it seems that the two places are not that different when it comes to work. The routine is similar, and the intention is to finish your work so you can continue doing your job and do the best in the machine you’re in. However, upon further thought I do think that there is a slight difference. 

When we arrived in Brussels we were told that we didn’t have to tip waiters because they were actually paid a living wage. It was explained to us that jobs like being a waiter at a restaurant wer not seen as a temporary job until you could get something better, it was seen as a more legitimate career choice. I think that this speaks to the major difference in work between the two places. In Brussels, there is an element of passion that goes into work. Students have to choose a more specific area of study much earlier than students do in the U.S., and this is supposed to help them find a solid career path. In my very limited experience in the workforce, I found that in Brussels there was a personal goal to the work that people were doing, whether it was honing a skill that they enjoyed or contributing to the world in a positive way. 

In the U.S., I have found that people are way more money driven. Of course there is an element of passion as well, but it is not as prevalent as the constant nag of student debts and bills. These worries of financial burdens are so deafeningly loud in our minds that they can drown out any ambition to follow our passions. Unlike Europe, our jobs have to help us pay for our exorbitant healthcare bills, which makes the decision to change jobs or go after work that is lower paying an unattractive choice. Jobs in hospitality and customer service are seen as work that just pays the bills until we can get a better option. Without that weekly income it is impossible to stay financially afloat, and the people who own these places of work take advantage of that. If you are born to a family that has money you have a little more choice in choosing which job you want based on your passion, but even then there is a significant amount of pressure put on students to either become doctors or lawyers because those jobs pay the most, not because they involve helping people. 

I’m not trying to trash the U.S., and like I said I have a limited amount of experience in the workforce so I could be off in my assessment of the difference in the goals of work in Brussels versus the U.S.. From my perspective it seems that the goals are similar but that there is a slightly heavier emphasis on money in the U.S. comparatively.