“Work-Life Balance,” a phrase we hear non-stop as American business students seeking to enter the workforce. Companies preach their policies that give employees the opportunity to live a life outside of work, each claiming to provide the best balance out of every company. Through every internship recruiting event in the United States, I was always impressed by the number of benefits and opportunities presented by each firm. That was until I saw what real work-life balance looked like in France. My time studying abroad showed me that the French work to live, rather than living to work.
French businesses value their employees’ personal lives and prioritize time off. I saw many different exhibits of this while visiting businesses throughout Europe. One example of a balanced work-life was the length of the French lunch break. It is standard for French businesses to offer employees two-hour lunch breaks which allow people to socialize over a meal, go home and rest, check on family, work out, etc. Additionally, most businesses that are able will close down during the month of August to allow employees ample vacation time. I saw how both of these things improved the satisfaction of employees in their jobs and helped them feel valued by the companies or businesses that they worked for.
Seeing how France differs from America when it comes to work-life balance was very eye-opening during my study abroad program. There are many pros and cons to the approaches of both countries but ultimately, I think everyone could benefit from a two-hour lunch break and I definitely enjoyed it during my time in France!
