I think that it is a combination of the culture in America as well as the individual’s inner motives. America’s businesses are valued at how successful they are, and 50-60 hour work weeks stem from the idea that working longer means that more work will be done and the company will make better numbers. For motivated individuals, this is true. It is also true for managers who just cannot do everything that they need to do in only 40 hours. However, this has created a culture where people stay late at work because everyone else is staying at work. Often times I have heard people make the joke, “Working a half day?” to someone who is leaving the office at 5pm. In these cases, demotivated employees are not accomplishing anything more and are still putting in the bare minimum – they are just spending a few extra hours a day doing nothing, they are not being overworked.