>Are Germans more "efficient"? Idk, let's look at some data and try to nut out whether it checks out.

It's more complex than that. In Spain the "presentismo" (being in-place ,in your office, phisically in your seat) it's taken from the middle manager/boss as a religion. Thus, productiviy is halved even if we work even more than you than average.

And, yes, OFC, this was a big issue because of the Covid and remote work over the internet.