European workplaces are known for having generous paid time off policies, some of which encourage taking weeks at a time away during summer.
Embracing that mindset was a big transition for Alex Ingrim, 36, who grew up in the U.S. but has spent the last 17 years living and working across France, the UK, Malta and now Italy.
“I’ve grown up with the American perspective that your career is really important,” Ingrim tells CNBC Make It. “And then I’ve worked within European companies where they encourage: Hey, make sure you spend time with your family. Take all of your holidays — don’t leave holidays on the table just to show that you’re a hard worker. That’s not going to get you anywhere here.”
Leaving lots of vacation days unused is “not respected or valued,” he adds. “You just look like someone who is not taking enough time off.”
Ingrim has worked for financial service companies across Europe, which typically provided 25 vacation days per year on top of around 10 public holidays.
He’s currently the president and co-founder of Chase Buchanan USA based in Florence, where he provides financial guidance to roughly 70 clients on moving from the U.S. to Europe.
Helping clients adjust to a new work culture comes with the territory. One thing Ingrim often tells clients is that discussing work in social settings isn’t as common.
“If you go to a party in the U.S., one of the first things people do is ask each other what they do for work,” Ingrim explains. In Europe, “I’ve been at parties for three hours, and I don’t know what anybody does for a job. We have neighbors [and] I have no idea what they do for work.”
Work is a small part of your life and identity, Ingrim says: “You talk about other things at parties that are usually a little bit more interesting, like food or vacations or sports, whatever it may be — but you talk about your interests personally, not what you’re doing at work.”
The social norm reflects an overall culture that prioritizes life outside of work more so than the typical U.S perspective.
“It’s not as culturally acceptable to put your career ahead of your family and other priorities in life” like hobbies, travel and other pastimes, Ingrim says.
Overall, he says he’s happier living in Italy than in the U.S. He started his time living internationally when a college study-abroad trip to France led him to meet his wife, Louisa. Deciding to live in Europe to be together “was a great choice,” he says.
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