13 Apr Working Culture: USA vs Europe
European working culture has always been a hot topic among professionals, from tenured employees to undergraduates getting started on their internships. The Great Resignation might be over, but 2025 could be the year it comes back. After all, a survey shows that 56% of employees in the U.S. are hoping to secure a new job this year. With large corporations taking back beloved benefits, wanting a change in work culture is totally understandable.
What even is the European’s view of work life balance?
For a student looking to gain work experience through an internship, there are a handful of highlights that make working in Europe extremely educational—and also pretty sweet.
Work-Life Balance
Work-life balance is a complicated relationship in America. It is no secret that the U.S. is unique in its aggressive approach to work, which results in its impressive productivity. This, however, comes with downsides. Americans often feel guilty about using their leaves, work over hours, and skip lunch breaks. In European countries, this is considered archaic.
A 2024 survey showed that over 40% of its American respondents work 41 to 50 hours a week. Meanwhile, only 26% of the European respondents reported the same. When asked how many work more than 51 hours per week, the results were 8% of Americans and 5% of Europeans. The difference is undeniable.
Additionally, in the United States, the law does not require paid time off for employees—leaves are left to be decided by employers. Meanwhile, European Union policies require at least four weeks of paid annual leaves. The mentality on vacation time is evidently different between the two. That is why it comes as no surprise that 51% of the European survey respondents agreed they are happy with their work-life balance, a far cry from the Americans’ 34%.
These numbers show that Europeans focus on rest and slow living, which helps workers avoid burnout—an ever-increasing complaint from the U.S. Students interning in Europe can expect less hours than they are accustomed to or perhaps have witnessed from their parents.
Lunch
In an internship in Europe, students from the U.S. can expect longer dedicated free time by way of breaks and lunch. Particularly in Spain, taking a siesta—a three-hour break in the middle of the day—is deemed acceptable in some companies. On the other hand, 49% of American employees actually admitted that they miss lunch at least once a week. Summer internships in Madrid, anyone?
After Work Hours
Back in 2017, France set out a labor law called “The Right to Disconnect.” The goals of this policy include preventing employee burnout by protecting their private time. This means that it is totally okay if an employee doesn’t answer a work-related email or call, or agree to taking home work documents.
While there is likely little chance the United States adopts this bill, the mentality is important for all workers to remember. Americans frequently are expected to be available at all times, especially for people in the business field. This blurs the lines between work and life in a distinctly American way.
Mentality
There’s an old saying that goes, “Americans live to work, Europeans work to live.” While this is an exaggeration, the difference in mentality surrounding work is stark. There is a general strong focus in the U.S. on productivity and hustle culture.
Yet, despite the intensity of work in the U.S., Americans tend to be far friendlier in the workspace than their European counterparts—but not in the way you think. Americans frequently adopt a positive feedback mindset, opting for frequent praise. Europeans are less likely to give out praise. As the European Business Review puts it, “This doesn’t mean that Europe is hostile. Rather, they are simply less prone to excessive geniality.”
European mentality and self-image are also less focused on what someone does. While in conversation in the U.S., what someone does is often used to define that person, while European countries tend to view someone’s job as simply that: a job. This mindset is an easy way to grasp the European relationship to work. While Americans heavily identify themselves with their career and productivity, Europeans simply don’t.
American companies are frequently adjusting to better match our European counterparts, and there is hope that the country’s relationship to work will eventually be settled. Gen Z and Millennials have a very different view than their Baby Boomer parents when it comes to work, and this is largely due to the awareness of European working culture.
European work culture is often viewed as a utopia to burnt-out American workers, and can be an excellent place to intern in order to travel and gain experience simultaneously. Just be prepared for work culture to be a bit less glamorous when you return to the U.S.!
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