[kaon123]

I have a question: I've noticed that whenever I talk to Americans, or read American blogs and books, they always tend to talk about working so many hours. Personally having worked in Switzerland and Holland I've never experienced this.

Is it that Americans actually structurally work overtime? Or is it the braggadocio way American English works where everything is always in hyperbole? Has anybody here worked on both continents? Can you tell me more whether a cultural divide exists?

[therealdrag0]

I haven’t worked in both continents. But in US some people do and some people don’t. We definitely have many people who subscribe to a work hard to get more attitude. Those people work hard including long hours because they are ambitious, especially startup cultures. Founders really hustle. Alternately there are those that work hard because their manager makes it expected and the employee need their job badly and it’s “easy” to fire people in US. Alternately there are MANY people too that have good WLB or coast.

Personally my WLB has varied by job and responsibilities. I’ve had many years of ~35h weeks, and never worked a 50hr week. My partner though is more neurotic and ambitious and often works 10hr days.