Why Working Harder Makes Us Poorer

Interesting video that explains why American managers value “time in the chair” rather than output and productivity.

https://youtu.be/hD784CHYhGM

Germans work 25% fewer hours and are just as wealthy.

In Germany, someone working 50 hrs/week is seen as inefficient and a screw up.

In America, he’s a “go-getter” – especially if he’s working without overtime compensation.

intercst

4 Likes

I just saw a video clip from “The Office”, where Dwight and Jim are in a sales call with a client who is reluctant. They get him on customer service, with Dwight handing the guy his business card: “Here is my cell phone, my home phone, my pager, my other pager. I never get sick. I never take vacation. I don’t observe any holidays”. They got the business.

There is also a meme about American workers I saw months back, but I can only paraphrase from memory. The European worker will have an Outlook auto-reply something like “I will be gone for two weeks as I recover from surgery”, whereas the American’s auto-reply will say something like “my cell phone will be on during pre-op and during recovery in case anything comes up”.

During my time at Arm (a British tech company, and my last day is this Friday) I have seen a stark difference in how we Americans handle our vacation and the Brits/French do. And we don’t handle our time-off in a better way.

3 Likes

I have seen a stark difference in how we Americans handle our vacation and the Brits/French do. And we don’t handle our time-off in a better way.

Probably so. Americans just have much less time off than Europeans.

intercst

In America, he’s a “go-getter” – especially if he’s working without overtime compensation.

He’s not a “go-getter”, he’s just trying to not be the next person Welched out the door.

Steve

1 Like