Corporate habits in British and American companies
Anyway, corporate culture has long been an important part of the workflow, and in many organizations, it pays a lot of attention. Considering that in the current era of globalization, large corporations prefer to open their branches in different countries, new employees need to understand the peculiarities of the internal mentality of the companies where they work: familiarizing with corporate values ​​and traditions can not only positively affect their future career, but also create warm relationships with colleagues. Therefore, today we consider the most characteristic and interesting corporate habits and traditions of British and American companies.
In British companies, the team spirit is very strong: it is important to be able to work in a team and together, and not to get involved in a solo game. The characteristic of “a good team-player” in British corporations really has a weighty meaning: you can and should put forward your personal ideas, but you must be able to competently integrate them into the team work process. Individual achievements of an employee, of course, are taken into account, but as part of the result of the work of the whole team - so attempts to “break away” from the team in the work plan can often have a negative impact on the attitude towards you.
Politeness is the second equally important corporate value of any British company. According to a study by the University of Sussex and the University College of London, during which 1350 workers of emails of British and American companies were analyzed, it turned out that the British use the word “please” about two times more often than employees of American organizations. And the phrase "please find the attached" , familiar to almost everyone who has ever corresponded with foreign companies, is used by the British ten times more often than Americans. The concept of politeness includes such items as “small talk” (a short exchange with the interlocutor with remarks on neutral topics like the weather) and punctuality.
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Punctuality is one of the most common corporate habits of British organizations. Coming to work is necessary on time - the attitude towards colleagues who are late is very negative for the British. So, getting a job in a British company, remember that if you are not sure that you do not sleep in the morning, it is better to have a couple of additional alarms - delays can be fraught with consequences.
Nevertheless, despite their commitment and punctuality, British companies are able and abide by the work and rest schedule, which can also be called another corporate value with certainty. Unlike the American corporate culture, often implying that as a proof of love and dedication to work, employees can donate their weekends, the British do not see in their dreams how they can spend an official holiday in the office. The standard work week in British companies lasts from Monday to Friday from nine in the morning to five in the evening, and after work the employees have a great opportunity to get acquainted with the corporate habit that is equally important for the British - going to the pub together with colleagues to miss a pint of something tasty. and alcoholic.
This ritual is really important, so do not neglect it - the evening with colleagues in an informal setting provides an excellent opportunity to communicate with them without being in a familiar working environment. Here, however, there is a danger of overdoing - you should not forget about the chain of command.
If we talk about corporate culture and traditions in American organizations, then first of all, it is worth noting the frequently encountered habit of employees to contact each other by name. Americans have far fewer formalities in communication than in British companies. Often, foreign businessmen, especially from Japan and other countries with particularly developed labor etiquette and a rigid system of hierarchy and subordination, are very surprised when they discover this American corporate habit of using only their first names in circulation, regardless of the position they hold.
Again, it is worth noting that the atmosphere in American companies, as a rule, is much more open and relaxed than in British ones. It is unlikely that you will often encounter the small talk corporate British habit when something as neutral as possible is being discussed - on the contrary, it is not very common for Americans to protect their personal lives and avoid some private topics at work.
We mentioned above that one of the peculiarities of American corporate culture is far more frequent overtime than in British organizations. However, employees often receive certain advantages for it, and not always monetary. For example, Bjorn Jeffrey, the general director of the game studio located in Stockholm, said, speaking about the policy of American companies in relation to processing: “These benefits can really often trick an employee to stay in the office. For example, something from the series: if you come earlier than usual, you will receive a free breakfast or, if you have to stay, we will provide you with a free dinner. ”
Such trends are closely related to the attitude of Americans to work as a whole, which, in principle, can be called another corporate habit: if Europeans work to live, Americans live to work ( "Americans live to work, while Europeans work to live" ). Katie Davis, vice president of a firm that works with American companies, agrees: "In Europe, the concept of work is very developed in order to live, and this is exactly the opposite of the American conviction to live in order to work."
Another interesting corporate habit characteristic of American companies is their preference to write messages or emails instead of calls. If in European companies over the phone they often negotiate or solve some issues, Americans more often keep in touch by email or text messaging.
Some trends in the corporate culture of companies created in a particular country and absorbed its mentality may be common, but almost every large organization has its own unique traditions. For example, in the international corporation Google very much liked to ask at the interview completely unexpected questions like “How many golf balls can fit on a school bus?”, Designed to test the applicants original approach to business and the ability to think in situations “under pressure”: the worst is keep silent or say "I do not know."
Corporate life in international companies is a topic on which you can talk for a very long time and repeatedly find all new interesting facts and interesting nuances. Write in the comments about your experience of working with foreign colleagues: what habits and traditions have you noticed and what do you think about this.
Readers of the blog give a coupon for 500 rubles for the purchase of a subscription, which includes 8 types of training and weekly mailings about English grammar and vocabulary - "Vitaminki" and "Buns".
And for unlimited and perpetual access to all features of the site there is an “All Inclusive” tariff (the discount does not apply).
British traditions
In British companies, the team spirit is very strong: it is important to be able to work in a team and together, and not to get involved in a solo game. The characteristic of “a good team-player” in British corporations really has a weighty meaning: you can and should put forward your personal ideas, but you must be able to competently integrate them into the team work process. Individual achievements of an employee, of course, are taken into account, but as part of the result of the work of the whole team - so attempts to “break away” from the team in the work plan can often have a negative impact on the attitude towards you.
Politeness is the second equally important corporate value of any British company. According to a study by the University of Sussex and the University College of London, during which 1350 workers of emails of British and American companies were analyzed, it turned out that the British use the word “please” about two times more often than employees of American organizations. And the phrase "please find the attached" , familiar to almost everyone who has ever corresponded with foreign companies, is used by the British ten times more often than Americans. The concept of politeness includes such items as “small talk” (a short exchange with the interlocutor with remarks on neutral topics like the weather) and punctuality.
')
Punctuality is one of the most common corporate habits of British organizations. Coming to work is necessary on time - the attitude towards colleagues who are late is very negative for the British. So, getting a job in a British company, remember that if you are not sure that you do not sleep in the morning, it is better to have a couple of additional alarms - delays can be fraught with consequences.
Nevertheless, despite their commitment and punctuality, British companies are able and abide by the work and rest schedule, which can also be called another corporate value with certainty. Unlike the American corporate culture, often implying that as a proof of love and dedication to work, employees can donate their weekends, the British do not see in their dreams how they can spend an official holiday in the office. The standard work week in British companies lasts from Monday to Friday from nine in the morning to five in the evening, and after work the employees have a great opportunity to get acquainted with the corporate habit that is equally important for the British - going to the pub together with colleagues to miss a pint of something tasty. and alcoholic.
This ritual is really important, so do not neglect it - the evening with colleagues in an informal setting provides an excellent opportunity to communicate with them without being in a familiar working environment. Here, however, there is a danger of overdoing - you should not forget about the chain of command.
American traditions
If we talk about corporate culture and traditions in American organizations, then first of all, it is worth noting the frequently encountered habit of employees to contact each other by name. Americans have far fewer formalities in communication than in British companies. Often, foreign businessmen, especially from Japan and other countries with particularly developed labor etiquette and a rigid system of hierarchy and subordination, are very surprised when they discover this American corporate habit of using only their first names in circulation, regardless of the position they hold.
Again, it is worth noting that the atmosphere in American companies, as a rule, is much more open and relaxed than in British ones. It is unlikely that you will often encounter the small talk corporate British habit when something as neutral as possible is being discussed - on the contrary, it is not very common for Americans to protect their personal lives and avoid some private topics at work.
We mentioned above that one of the peculiarities of American corporate culture is far more frequent overtime than in British organizations. However, employees often receive certain advantages for it, and not always monetary. For example, Bjorn Jeffrey, the general director of the game studio located in Stockholm, said, speaking about the policy of American companies in relation to processing: “These benefits can really often trick an employee to stay in the office. For example, something from the series: if you come earlier than usual, you will receive a free breakfast or, if you have to stay, we will provide you with a free dinner. ”
Such trends are closely related to the attitude of Americans to work as a whole, which, in principle, can be called another corporate habit: if Europeans work to live, Americans live to work ( "Americans live to work, while Europeans work to live" ). Katie Davis, vice president of a firm that works with American companies, agrees: "In Europe, the concept of work is very developed in order to live, and this is exactly the opposite of the American conviction to live in order to work."
Another interesting corporate habit characteristic of American companies is their preference to write messages or emails instead of calls. If in European companies over the phone they often negotiate or solve some issues, Americans more often keep in touch by email or text messaging.
Some trends in the corporate culture of companies created in a particular country and absorbed its mentality may be common, but almost every large organization has its own unique traditions. For example, in the international corporation Google very much liked to ask at the interview completely unexpected questions like “How many golf balls can fit on a school bus?”, Designed to test the applicants original approach to business and the ability to think in situations “under pressure”: the worst is keep silent or say "I do not know."
Corporate life in international companies is a topic on which you can talk for a very long time and repeatedly find all new interesting facts and interesting nuances. Write in the comments about your experience of working with foreign colleagues: what habits and traditions have you noticed and what do you think about this.
For those who want to pump English
Readers of the blog give a coupon for 500 rubles for the purchase of a subscription, which includes 8 types of training and weekly mailings about English grammar and vocabulary - "Vitaminki" and "Buns".
And for unlimited and perpetual access to all features of the site there is an “All Inclusive” tariff (the discount does not apply).
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/346470/
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