Member-only story
It’s time Americans discovered a work/life balance
Productivity isn’t everything.
After two full months of self-isolating at home, the average American will still have worked more hours in the year than a pre-pandemic German.
Yes, it’s true. Business Insider crunched the numbers after former Rhode Island State Rep David Segal made the claim on Twitter. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, a typical American worked 1,786 hours in 2018. That’s over 400 more than the average German, or an extra ten 40-hour weeks.
So what do Americas get for their extra labour? Well, despite what you might have heard, not a bigger paycheck — the average American earned just over $52,000 in 2018 according to the Social Security Administration, while the Federal Statistical Office of Germany puts their typical income for 2018 at €46,500. At the average exchange rate in 2018, that’s equivalent to $54,870.
“But taxes!” I hear you cry. And yes, Germans pay more taxes. The annual Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development report for 2017 showed that a typical unmarried German worker paid 39.9 percent in income tax and social security contributions. In the U.S., equivalent workers paid 26 percent tax. However taxes aren’t the full story.
