I've worked in a US company (in a German branch) and the work hours, late night meetings etc. they did in the US were insane to all of us. I can't say if this is typical or not, but from what I hear it is.
In Germany, people usually give their best effort... for 8 hours, then they go home and enjoy their free time (or family time, if they have one). Of course, sometimes emergencies happen and you stay longer, but this is seen as an exception. Worker protection is also very strong here, meaning that things like "on call duty without compensation" aren't even legal.
Also, if you're in the valley you might not be able to afford to live there, so you have to factor in commuting too. Commutes are generally much shorter in Europe and public transportation is also usually better.
Yes, it's true that you earn a lot more in the US, even factoring in health insurance, rent etc., and I agree that European (and in particular German) employers should be paying more (and salaries are already starting to rise significantly), but still, I wouldn't want to trade because in the end, money is not all that matters.
I've worked in a US company (in a German branch) and the work hours, late night meetings etc. they did in the US were insane to all of us. I can't say if this is typical or not, but from what I hear it is.
In Germany, people usually give their best effort... for 8 hours, then they go home and enjoy their free time (or family time, if they have one). Of course, sometimes emergencies happen and you stay longer, but this is seen as an exception. Worker protection is also very strong here, meaning that things like "on call duty without compensation" aren't even legal.
Also, if you're in the valley you might not be able to afford to live there, so you have to factor in commuting too. Commutes are generally much shorter in Europe and public transportation is also usually better.
Yes, it's true that you earn a lot more in the US, even factoring in health insurance, rent etc., and I agree that European (and in particular German) employers should be paying more (and salaries are already starting to rise significantly), but still, I wouldn't want to trade because in the end, money is not all that matters.