[okwhateverdude]

As an immigrant from the US to NL, and having lived here over a decade and a half, the author's observation is pretty spot on. There are broad differences between the Dutch and Germans (stereotypically, they both like rules, but only the Germans are really strict about them, for example), but overall, they are similar in their mindset toward work. Of others I have met from all over the EU, they too seem to have similar cultural values.

One of the things I have seen, first hand, is when American's buy EU companies and start running them. Or when they open offices over here. The culture shock and friction is immediate. Meta, for example, basically did no labor law research before announcing a layoff, and got slapped hard by the locals. Took years for that process to finally resolve which induced a ton of stress for everyone working there. You also have founders over here that salivate at the Silicon Valley culture and want to emulate it, but for whatever reason don't actually want to move there. They also induce friction in their companies. For what it is worth, I don't want to work at a company with those kinds of cultural influences. And I want to make sure if those companies operate here, we tax them appropriately and force them to behave in an acceptable way that benefits society.