Work-Balance Life... I Don't Know Her

In a previous blog, I discussed the differences in European and American workplace culture. Now, I want to turn to how these cultures have different outlooks on the purpose of work by looking at my experiences working in the United States in comparison to Belgium. The biggest discrepancy between workplace culture between these two experiences is that Europeans generally have a more effective work-life balance. Europeans tend to work to live, rather than live-to-work like US citizens are socialized.

While working abroad, I learned that Europeans draw a very hard line when it comes to time at work and leisure time. They do not appreciate discussing work after hours or receiving work-related emails. After a long day, I arrived home from work to realize that I had forgotten to submit an updated briefing on Turkish trading patterns to my boss. I looked at my clock I saw it was only 18:25, so I sent an apologetic email to my boss with the document attached. Even though I knew my boss would not view the email immediately and respond, he explained later to me that emailing about work outside of work hours was considered rude.

It was this interaction that spurred me to contemplate how the American identity is larger connected to work. I thought about my previous jobs and how I never thought twice about texting or emailing a coworker after hours. Even in college, I have sent emails to my professors at midnight, knowing they will not see it until the next day. When Americans meet a new individual one of the first questions they would ask is: what do you do? An answer like “I am a mother of two” or anything unrelated to occupation would be an odd answer from our perspective but not for Europeans.

European citizens work so they can be paid and provide for their families and do not kill themselves working hours of overtime. Velocity Global explains that Belgium employees have an average workday of 7.4 hours and 8.6 hours of leisure time, Belgian enjoy quality family time, getting home in time for dinner each night and taking a full-month long vacation over the summer. Contrastingly, some Americans want to do these activities but their work environment and dedication to their job prevents them from doing so. In the United States, an individual’s life appears to revolve around his/her occupation. According to a Pew Research Study, Americans are more likely (73%) than Europeans (35%) to agree that “hard work is very important for getting ahead in life.” This philosophy is what prevents Americans from developing an effective workplace balance.

One concept I am reflecting on this semester is other’s awareness, understanding and empathize with others’ perspectives that I previously was unaware of. My internship allowed me to reflect on the positive and negative aspects American work-place culture. My former coworkers have a strong work ethic and are dedicated to their jobs but their work does not consume their life and identity like my coworkers in the U.S. They understand that their single job is a part of a large system, whereas I feel American employees feel as if every task they do has a great impact on the larger system. Most times, the briefing paper your write or the memo you send will not alter U.S. politics forever. Being able to view myself as a part of a larger European system allowed me to enjoy my internship more without stressing out over the smallest tasks. I have gained a new sense of admiration for the European work-life balance and strive to implement this balance effectively into my life back in the U.S.