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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.
“You know what needs to be done,” answers the American. “As long as your
work gets done, you can adjust your schedule as you see fit.”
• Americans have specified goals and are often expected to use their own
discretion in completing their jobs.

Source: http://www.webberkerr.com/blog/2015/10/13/5-differences-between-us-and-uk-working-culture, http://www.iorworld.com/navigating-british-culture--how-the-british-


conduct-business-pages-230.php, http://www.workforce.com/2000/03/01/british-vs-american-communication-styles/
Hierarchy
British
• Britons perhaps feel a greater sense of hierarchy than their American counterparts.
A 2011 Gallup wellbeing poll found that 57.1 percent of Americans felt that they had
a collaborative relationship with their boss, compared to 42.1 percent of Britons.
• Despite the strong British tradition of a sense of equality, they still pay attention to
authority. For people coming from more "flat" organisational cultures such as the
Netherlands or Australia, the subtle differences in role and status might be
confusing. Brits defer to seniority, perhaps more than to credentials. Even though
communication between supervisors and subordinates tends to be informal, this
shouldn't lead anyone to believe that there's no hierarchical differentiation. But the
concept of "fairness" is instilled in British society, and supervisors will try to reach
consensus rather than order staff around.
• It is normal in the more hierarchical U.K. for workers to receive clear directions and
approval from their superiors. The British take more direction from their superiors
and are a bit more concerned with conforming to expectations on the job.

Source: http://www.webberkerr.com/blog/2015/10/13/5-differences-between-us-and-uk-working-culture, http://www.iorworld.com/navigating-british-culture--how-the-british-


conduct-business-pages-230.php, http://www.workforce.com/2000/03/01/british-vs-american-communication-styles/
Life After Work
Americans
• In America, it’s common to see a business executive at a little league baseball game or school play. Many
American businesspeople are also engaged in church activities, volunteerism, and other community
responsibilities. It’s not common in the U.S. for business people to have a bevvy after work and chat
soccer transfer gossip.
• Alcohol is a less integral part of the campus culture in the US than perhaps it is in the UK. The drinking age in
the US is 21, so many university events are dry (no alcohol allowed). If a campus is known as a dry campus,
this means there are no on-campus bars and that no alcohol is permitted on campus grounds
!
British
• In the U.K. come 5 o’clock the pubs are full with suits. In fact, its harder to get a drink on a weekday at 5 than
a Friday night. Having a pint after work is a Britons favorite pastime and what gets most people through the
day.
• ‘Going to the pub’ is in fact, a big part of British culture. Often people who are new to the UK may find the –
often excessive – British drinking culture surprising. They may well be horrified to hear tales of the drunken
behaviour of senior staff members at last year’s office Christmas party for example!
• However, UK visitors will not feel pressurised to participate. The British people simply use ‘going to the pub’
as an activity to build relationships and no one will be offended if people from other cultures prefer to abstain.

Source: http://xpatnation.com/american-vs-british-business-customs/, http://www.expatica.com/uk/employment/The-surprising-UK-business-culture_103526.html


Work-Life Balance
Americans
• Americans tend to believe that individuals control their circumstances by how much
they work. This work ethic is reflected in American attitudes towards academics. Do
not be surprised if you meet students who spend the vast majority of their free time
studying in the library.
• For many US companies you have to put in the long hours, cancel annual leave and
work for no benefits to show your dedication to your job and get ahead. Americans
are afraid to take all of their entitled two-weeks of holiday. On average, Americans
are allotted 16 days of paid leave, but according to Glassdoor, the average worker
only takes half of what they are legally allowed. When asked why they do not take
more time off, workers mainly cited a sense of fear that their work and/or
professional relationships would suffer as a result.
• Career is front and center for many Americans. While Americans are applauded for
their work ethic, there is still the troubling fact that employees who exceed 40 hour
work weeks do not receive overtime pay.

Source: http://xpatnation.com/american-vs-british-business-customs/, http://www.jobsite.co.uk/worklife/british-working-culture-outsider-perspectives-17270/


Work-Life Balance
• As Nick Hanauer explained in Politico, “In 1975, more than 65 percent of salaried American
workers earned time-and-a-half pay for every hour worked over 40 hours a week… By 2013,
just 11 percent of salaried workers qualified for overtime pay, according to a report published
by the Economic Policy Institute. And so business owners like me have been able to make the
other 89 percent of you work unlimited overtime hours for no additional pay at all.” 
British
• Business culture may be changing in the United States, but there is still much more emphasis
on devoting oneself to ones work and employers than in the U.K.
• In the UK there is a greater emphasis on maintaining a healthy work-life balance and an
understanding that a job is something that you do – not something that defines you.
• Britons like to have a life outside of their work and enjoy other interests like a spot of tennis
and a good old holiday in the sun.
• In the U.K., full time workers are entitled to 28 days off per year (part time workers are also
allowed 28 days off, but it is pro-rated). In the U.S., there is no federal minimum for vacation
days. 
Humor
Americans
Americans do not appreciate sarcastic humour, and they may not appreciate self-
deprecating humour either. Whether it is about them or their country, Americans can have
a hard time laughing at themselves.
!
British
• The English love their dry wit and repartee. In fact, off-the-cuff jokes are often how one
interprets someone’s intelligence. Americans should be aware that loud and brash jokes
are not appreciated and Brits lean to the more intellectual side of humor.
• The English humour and use of understatement also takes time to understand. An off-
hand comment like: “Oh yeah, don’t worry, the report only took me about two hours,” – 
when in reality it took about five days – may simply be a light hearted way to suggest the
person was happy to complete the report despite the time it took. Only time will allow the
listener to develop an ear for the subtleties that lie behind the British language.
Business Attire
Americans
In general the East coast is more formal, whereas the West coast is known to be
casual and informal when it comes to business attire. Casual or dress-down Fridays
are common throughout the States and high-end Italian fashion is not appreciated
nor noticed.
!
British
In the U.K. when it comes to business dress codes, classical conservative attire is
the norm for both men and women and dark colors such as black, dark blue and
charcoal grey are predominant. Senior managers look to spend on quality materials
and high-end fashion in the work place to distinguish themselves. So designer
labels, bespoke suits, silk ties, and Italian shoes are common in the office and a
sign of affluence and status.

Source: http://xpatnation.com/american-vs-british-business-customs/

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