Work Culture in the US & UK
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Work Culture in the US & UK by Michelle Martinez Lingua e Cultura Inglese (L-1, L-15) Department of Education, Cultural Heritage and Tourism University of Macerata Emotions Americans • In the U.S., it is culturally acceptable — even admirable — to show enthusiasm. When arguing for a point in a meeting, for example, it is quite appropriate to express your opinions enthusiastically. • When speaking with a potential employer at a networking event, it is appropriate to express your interest enthusiastically. In fact, in this particular situation, the employer might interpret your interest as real and genuine because of the enthusiasm you express. ! British • Brits are typically much more understated in their emotional expressiveness. • A great performance, for example, in the UK would typically be characterized as being “not bad.” Or when someone asks how you are doing, the typical answer is “fine” (as opposed to “Great!” or “Good!” as it might be in the U.S.). • In general, people in the UK value moderation and self-control rather than emotional expressiveness. If you strike a really big deal or make a significant achievement at work, people will typically celebrate or congratulate, but with a certain level of self-restraint. • They might very well be excited for a short time and celebrate with some light applause and congratulatory gestures; however, the level of outward, visible excitement would typically be far less than in the U.S. and last for a shorter time. Source: https://hbr.org/2013/04/common-language-doesnt-equal-c Privacy Americans • Americans love their small-talk and making loud and friendly conversation with absolute strangers. This translates to the business environment as well where minutes will be taken before the serious conversation to just chat and talk about the weather. The Brits view the Americans as overly friendly, which sometimes rubs people the wrong way, especially when they’re complete strangers. • Americans are much more open than Britons. Friends and even acquaintances discuss personal thoughts and opinions that might seem private or intrusive in the UK. Do not feel embarrassed if an American asks you a seemingly private or presumptuous question. He or she is most likely sincerely curious about your thoughts and feelings and is assuming you would like to share them. • You may learn more about your American friends than you wanted to know, or you may hear more childhood stories than you care to listen to. Americans will be interested in your experiences and background as well since your upbringing may differ greatly from theirs. In addition to more frequent discussion about their personal lives, there is often a greater display of photographs, posters and memorabilia in dorm rooms or office spaces. Source: http://xpatnation.com/american-vs-british-business-customs/, http://www.fulbright.org.uk/pre-departure/us-culture/cultural-differences Privacy British • The people of the UK value their privacy highly. Although they may appear to be very open in public, the implicit message permeating the culture is ‘please do not interfere with my personal space’. Although the UK is multi-cultural, this privacy requirement forces many people to be rather wary of making new friends. • Brits often come off as cold, but this is not to be taken the wrong way and as unfriendly. If a foreigner really wants to adapt to British culture and make some valuable connections, they need to be patient and realise that creating such friendships may take longer than anticipated. The high value put on personal space is also visible in everyday life, as when people will avoid sitting next to someone else on a bus or apologise if they touch someone accidentally. • They would not usually invite new friends to their home. Visitors to the UK may find this ‘friendship up to a point’ unusual. However, in time they will learn that in Britain friendship comes through sharing activities like going to the pub, playing golf or going to the gym. Source: http://businessculture.org/northern-europe/uk-business-culture/, http://xpatnation.com/american-vs-british-business-customs/ Communication Style Americans • An American executive is on a new work assignment in the U.K. One day, he overhears one of his British employees giving wrong information to a secretary about some proposals that are being sent out. The American goes up to the British worker and corrects him. “You have those contact names completely backwards,” he tells the employee. “The name on the Berlin package is for our contact in Frankfurt and the name on the Frankfurt package is for a firm in Berlin. If these proposals had gone out like this, it would have been a great embarrassment. You need to be a lot more careful in the future, do you understand?” • The American executive feels a need to let an employee know of his mistake so that it won’t be repeated in the future. The desire to debate issues directly and openly leads Americans to be seen by some cultures as aggressive and even rude. Coded speech and verbosity is often seen as time wasting and in time pressured corporate USA, that is a crime. Source: http://www.workforce.com/2000/03/01/british-vs-american-communication-styles/ Communication Style British • The British communication style is a curious mixture of direct communication when it comes to data, numbers and policy for example, yet on the other hand, any feedback, delegation to colleagues and general interaction is littered with indirect ‘suggestions’ and subtleties which often confuse others. Take for example the comment from a manager: “If you have time you may want to look into that…” Most people from countries like Germany, France the Netherlands or Scandinavian countries which practice direct communication styles, would not recognise this as an instruction for action. It takes time to learn to read between the lines and understand that the British manager really meant: “Please research that topic, as soon as you are able.” • Foreign business partners may find that their UK counterparts may even be too polite. People in the UK do not normally criticise or openly complain in public; or even provide negative feedback, when asked for their honest opinion, irrespective of whether or not such comments are warranted. It is therefore essential to read between the lines and seek out the honest opinions of relevant parties. Source: http://www.expatica.com/uk/employment/The-surprising-UK-business-culture_103526.html, http://www.jobsite.co.uk/worklife/british-working-culture-outsider- perspectives-17270/ Communication Style • The British also value politeness and courtesy and, as a matter of course, will express a significant amount of respect when interacting in a business situation, either out of sincerity or simply because they are adhering to cultural norms. • “One of the biggest surprises for me was how much British people love to chat in the business environment. It takes a good deal of patience and at least five minutes before a Brit gets to the point in a business meeting and for some people, especially if you come from a nation that’s more ‘straight to the point’, it can feel like a waste of time. I personally took quite a liking to it – I think it helps to break down the barriers and ease into the conversation, especially if it’s a difficult one.” Olga is a PR executive with Harvard PR, London • The difference between the American and British styles is that an executive in the U.K. is unlikely to scold an individual so publicly. It is more common in Great Britain to speak to people privately if their work needs to be corrected. To be reprimanded publicly would be quite unusual and may affect workplace relations between the two individuals. Source: http://www.expatica.com/uk/employment/The-surprising-UK-business-culture_103526.html, http://www.jobsite.co.uk/worklife/british-working-culture-outsider- perspectives-17270/, http://www.workforce.com/2000/03/01/british-vs-american-communication-styles/ Self-Promotion Americans • Americans aren’t shy talking up their accomplishments and selling themselves. They do it all the time — at job fairs, interviews, sales calls, performance evaluations, and when vying for prized internal assignments and positions. • Not everyone feels equally comfortable selling themselves — nor is everyone equally adept at doing it, but the overall point is that self-promotion is clearly a necessary and useful skill for getting ahead in the U.S. professional world. ! British • In the UK, on the other hand, overt self-promotion isn’t only uncommon; it’s essentially taboo. Most Brits are very uncomfortable with being praised in public and are quick to deflect and deflate such compliments with a witty counter. • They don’t promote themselves and their accomplishments to their British colleagues, and if they do, they’ll definitely suffer the consequences, most likely in the form of some serious “piss- taking” (mocking and ridicule). • In the UK, if you want to tell your boss what you have accomplished, describe it in a straightforward, non-exaggerated, fact-based manner. No embellishment and certainly no grandstanding. Source: https://hbr.org/2013/04/common-language-doesnt-equal-c Hierarchy Americans • American supervisors do encourage creativity and initiative over deference. In the more egalitarian and individualistic U.S., however, it is common for workers to have more control over their daily work. • A British worker asks his new American manager if he can have permission to leave work two hours early the following day as he has some personal errands to run. “Well, I wanted to make sure and get your permission,” says the Brit. “I am planning to stay later on another day to make up the time.” The American replies that he trusts the worker to get his projects done, so if the employee needs to leave early one day, then that is a decision he can make on his own.