Having worked alongside both Germans and Americans in both German and American corporations, I have seen the polarized differences in work life models.
The Germans , and of course this is a generalisation, come into work exactly on time do exactly their 37.5 hours a week and work 100% of that time. Including, of course, taking their allowable breaks. They take ALL of their 6 weeks + holidays without any guilt.
The Americans, on the other hand, (again a generalization and from my current experience) work under a completely different model. It appears to me that Americans marry into their work. Work becomes bound into their life. i.e. they may take a meeting from home at 7:00am, then take the kids to school, then do some shopping, then come into the office. Its work, but at the same time, it?s a social life. Then either take a long lunch or no lunch at-all. This goes on throughout the day but when they get home they continue to take work calls login to check systems and read email etc. In essence work and home-life become one. Then when the 10 days vacation comes along, there is a guilt attached to taking it.
Both the American and German economies have and are very successful, but which is best? Should there be a happy medium? Should we separate or marry into our employment?