Its cultural, of course. Not every society is full of corporate climbers. Some places its OK to fill a socially useful role, make enough money, and go to the pub after work. Add in family and community club, and you have a life.
I'd argue that this is exactly what blue collar america used to be before manufacturing up and left. That and 30-40 years of productivity gains not distributed to workers.
The social safety net surely helps, too. Improving the worst-case for failing to stay employed gives workers more power to define the terms of employment.