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In Germany, holidays are 'uber alles'
Germans may be known for their strong work ethic, but Caitlan Carroll said they also are strict with dividing their time between work and life.
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Sarah Gardner: OK, so there's a cultural disconnect between Americans and Europeans over vacation time. But we're also on two different pages when it comes to work time. I'm actually not sure when my workday stops, between all my e-mails and the texts.
But in Europe, it's a different story. And a lot of Americans who go to live and work there find themselves, shall we say, adjusting. And struggling to let go of their 24/7 work mentality.
Caitlan Carroll: I'm Caitlan Carroll, I'm an American journalist and I'm living in Germany. I've been here off-and-on since 2010.
One the big stereotypes in Germany is that everyone is very efficient, very punctual, very productive. And that is true to an extent, but that productivity comes within certain office hours. It's not a culture that really thrives in the 80-hours weeks that the U.S. does. In Germany, your job... It's important, it's part of your life, but it's not necessarily something that you have to sell your soul for.
There's a real sense of moderation here. You work the hours that are set every week -- maybe it's 40 hours, maybe it's 30 hours -- and that's enough. And when you do more, there's the question of "But why? Why do you need to do more?" When you're doing more, you're sacrificing time somewhere else, maybe it's time with family or time with friends. More is not necessarily better.
Vacations are very important here. As an American, I was used to getting two weeks off. But in Germany, there's just an understanding that you probably get a month off every year, and that you take that time. People take long holidays during the summer and things kinda slow down here. Everything from politics to just local stores.
It just forces me to not put off my errands, to not put off my grocery shopping until I have nothing in the refrigerator, but to be a little bit more prepared. It actually is a little bit less stressful, because I'm not always running around like I normally am. It actually makes me be a little bit more cautious, maybe a little bit more German.
The upside of not being able to reach everyone at any time of the day, and not being able to get them on holidays, even when I need to, is that it forces me to also take that time off. So, I think it's really reminded me it's OK to have boundaries when it comes to work time, and that even in the news business, most things can wait.
Gardner: Caitlan Carroll is a now more relaxed American journalist living and working in Frankfurt.
Sorry schwerb, I don't agree. I have lived and worked in Germany for over a decade, also with three different businesses ranging from 30 employees to 6,000. I know of no-one who has lost vacation time at the end of a year. The expectation is that overtime is compensated, either with pay or time off. Most don't begrudge some extra effort here and there, but frequent unpaid hours are not accepted by the majority of my colleagues. Germans aren't lazy - they do however draw a very clear line between their own time and their employer's time. The secret of the country's success is their insistence on doing things properly - with clear procedures and responsibilities.
What is not grasped in this report (or elsewhere) is that employers with staff working more than 40 hours per week are keeping their companies from growing. These extra hours should be translated into new jobs and a better work/life benefit for all.
As an American who has spent much of his working life in the UK, I have seen a dramatic erosion of the work/life balance and the rise of the unthinking, self-induced compulsion to stay online during vacations. There are certainly no additional benefits for employees who remain connected, but there are plenty of drawbacks.
Quatsch! Absolut Quatsch! I lived 14 years in Germany and found the total opposite of what Caitlan Carroll has found. What I have experienced with 3 different employers in Germany, is very similar to what I have experienced in the US. There are some folks who work really hard and put in the overtime, and there are those that do not. I do agree on the efficiency and productivity of the German workforce. I'd like to think I picked up some from my first boss' "Ordnung" and efficiency. As for vacation, yes, they do take at least two weeks, but most gets carried over and lost. I know, I was responsible for HR for part of my career and folks lost a lot of the 6 weeks vacation. But all of the people I know, have the iPhones or Blackberries with and are still in contact, or take their laptops with. Also, ask yourself this question . . . if Germany were so "faul" (lazy) and focused on vacation, how in the world would they be the Exportmeister when one looks at total exports as a % of the total economy? Seems to be a contradiction, does it not?
