ENGLISH 3

“CULTURE IN WORKPLACE”

Written by :

Dhini Tharanisa 2205082067

AK-3F

Course Lecturer :

Dra. Heddy, Dipl.Tesol, M.Hum

Politeknik Negeri Medan

Accounting Major

2023/2024

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 PREFACE
First of all the writer's deepest thank To Allah SWT, the lord of the universe an to our
prophet Muhammad SAW, may peace and blessing be upon him, his family and his followers so
writer can finished writing the paper entitled “ Culture in Workplace” right in the calculated
time.

The purpose in writing this paper is to fulfill the assignment than given by Ma’am Dra.
Heddy, Dipl.Tesol, M.Hum. as a lecturer in English in the accounting department.

This report was completed on time because it received help and support from various
parties, namely my closest friends.

If there are errors in writing, or there are discrepancies in the material I have raised in
this paper, I apologize. The writer accepts the widest possible criticism and suggestions from
readers so that they can write a better paper the next time.

Medan, December 2023

Dhini Tharanisa

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 TABLE OF CONTENT

PREFACE...........................................................................................................................2
CHAPTER I........................................................................................................................4
1.1 BACKGROUND..........................................................................................................4
1.2 RESEARCH PROBLEM.............................................................................................5
CHAPTER II......................................................................................................................6
2.1 EXPLANATION ABOUT WORKPLACE CULTURE..............................................6
2.2 REASON WHY WROKPLACE CULTURE SO IMPORTANT................................7
2.3 HOW TO CREATE CULTURE IN WORKPLACE...................................................8
2.4 TYPES OF WORK CULTURE EXISTING IN THE COMPANY............................10
2.5 THE IMPACT OF WORKPLACE CULTURE..........................................................12
CULTURE IN WORKPLACE IN INDONESIA..............................................................16
CONCLUSION.................................................................................................................23
SUGESTION.....................................................................................................................23
REFERENCE....................................................................................................................24

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 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION
1.1Background

Culture in workplace is considered capable of having a significant influence on the

company's long-term economic performance in the future. Not a little culture in workplace can
damage the long-term performance of a company even though the company has intelligent
employees. Therefore, although culture in workplace is difficult to change, culture in workplace
can be created in such a way as to support company performance.

Work culture is a person's perspective that gives meaning to things Work. In this way,
the work culture of the solid state apparatus is understood as a method views and moods about
money foster strong beliefs based on values that he believes in, and has high enthusiasm and is
serious about it to achieve good work performance. Work culture plays a very important role in
employee performance activities in a company or organization. A strong work culture will create
a growing and successful work environment.

Create an environment where everyone can interact with each other, support each
other's efforts, and achieve. Share information with each other, and with each other aware of how
to bring an agency into line with what the division has set out to be more directed, waning
loyalty and fidelity to the main tasks within the agency. as a result the organization becomes
ineffective and less competitive, or the organization becomes less capable resolve internal
integration problems and external problem.

Work culture exists in every company and emerges when it changes. The environment
also has a very high level of competition. Work culture is one of the most important factors in
the success of a company where. This is reflected in the behavior of its employees, the people
involved, and regulations within the company. Work culture is values that are instilled by a
company continuously It is hoped that it will be able to advance the company's performance. In
life everyday life cannot be separated from the cultural ties that are created. Cultural ties created
by an interconnected society, both in the family, organizations, or in business. Culture
differentiates society with each other in terms of interacting, behaving and acting in completing a
job. Culture binds groups society becomes a unified view in creating uniformity of action or
behavior.

Facts prove that work culture plays an important role in performance employees, to
achieve work professionalism, top management and resource deficit Humans are required to
create a quality work culture through system implementation good management. All of this is

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done not only to improve organizational culture but in order to create employees who always
want to improve themselves

1.2 Research Problem

a) What is Workplace Culture

b) Why is Workplace Culture Important

c) How to create culture in the workplace

d) What types of culture

e) What the impacts work culture

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 CHAPTER II

DISCUSSION

2.1 Explanation about workplace culture

Workplace culture is a philosophy based on a view of life as values. Values that become
traits, habits and incentives that are cultivated within a group and is reflected in attitudes into
behavior, ideals, opinions, views and actions that manifest as work.

Robbins (2003:11) says work culture is "a system shared understanding held by
members of an organization differentiates the organization from other organizations"

Practically in the Work Culture Development Guide book State Apparatus (2002: 13)
can say that work culture contains several meanings, namely:
1. Patterns of values, attitudes, behavior, results of intentions and work, including everything
instruments, work systems, technology and the language used.
2. Culture is related to perceptions of values and the environment that gives birth to meaning and
outlook on life, which will influence attitudes and behavior at work.
3. Culture is the result of life experiences, habits, as well as the selection process (accepting or
rejecting) existing norms how to interact socially or place oneself in the middle specific work
environment.
4. In the cultural process there is mutual and mutual influence interdependence, both social and
social environment.

Talking about workplace culture means talking about guidelines contains the rules
related to the next work implemented in real life in everyday work produce products that are
relevant to their job demands. Culture this work is then mechanically and organically found
within humans so that it is expressed in his life. As a guideline for attitude and behavior,
workplace culture is a set of knowledge built in within the individual human worker with which
humans act or behave in the world of work. Workplace culture it has become a part of a person's
life so without it even with supervision, someone will definitely do it according to the guidelines.

A toxic workplace culture is characterized by negative attitudes, behaviors, and practices

that harm employees’ well-being, hinder productivity, and negatively impact the organization as
a whole. In a toxic culture, employees may experience stress, fear, and unhappiness due to

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harmful dynamics within the organization. That’s Why a healthy culture in the workplace is so
important.

From the understanding of workplace culture, it can be concluded that workplace

culture is a perspective that fosters confidence based on values employees believe to achieve the
best work performance.

2.2 Reason why workplace culture is so important

When every employee has ethics and respects culture, they will respect each other and
this will directly impact the growth of enthusiasm. Every employee who has high work
enthusiasm will certainly be able to complete the job well.

A high and strong work culture is a reflection of an advanced company, which has
integrity so that a company can be well controlled. This high performance is obtained from a
comfortable and orderly work atmosphere. A high work culture results from a comfortable and
orderly work atmosphere. With a high work culture, it will automatically accustom company
people or business people to work in a more organized manner and this can have an impact on
the progress of a company.

 Increase productivity

By implementing ethics and culture it will have a direct impact on increasing

productivity. In a company, productivity is really needed because the greater the employee's
productivity, the greater the ability to achieve company targets. Without productivity, it is
difficult to achieve targets and will be less competitive with other companies. So, students
who want to work must be able to increase company productivity by implementing good
ethics.

 Cultivate a sense of enthusiasm

When every employee has ethics and respects culture, they will respect each other and
this will directly impact the growth of enthusiasm. Every employee who has high work
enthusiasm will certainly be able to complete the job well. Once the work is completed well
and on time it will be able to increase the company's productivity.

 Achieve greater success

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 Employees who implement good work ethics and culture will achieve greater success.
This can be obtained by making a real contribution to work and also implementing a positive
attitude at work such as discipline, responsibility, respect for all employees, and other
attitudes desired by the company.
 Communication

Good comunnication helps create mutual respect and trust, regardless of individual roles
and responsibilities. Workplace cultures where people can’t ask questions, float ideas or
easily connect with each other are less transparent and might not get the best from people. To
achieve engagement, communication needs to involve open, two-way conversation

 Teamwork

The most successful organizational cultures bring together people from all backgrounds and
nurture a sense of team spirit. Even people with very different outlooks and personalities can gel
if they have a common purpose to get behind. The highest performing teams are increasingly
insisting that diversity of all kinds is critical for success. As the latest Diversity and Inclusion
thinking from McKinsey suggests, the most diverse companies are now more likely than ever to
outperform their more monocultural peers when it comes to profitability. A thriving
collaborative culture can break down boundaries between teams. On the flip side, a toxic
environment can make employees selfish and cultivate a blame culture.

2.3 How to create culture in the workplace

A positive work culture can increase employee productivity which ultimately has an impact on
the company. To build a work culture like this, of course, a lot of effort is needed.

1. Communicate the company's vision and mission

When the company's vision and mission are communicated to all team members
clearly, it helps create a strong understanding of the company's direction and goals. Every
individual in the company feels connected to a larger goal and has aligned views.

2. Building a culture of appreciation

Appreciation given sincerely can motivate someone, and even become a source of
energy to do more than usual. If every leader did it, you can imagine what great things the
company could achieve.

3. Develop collaboration and participation

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 You'd be surprised at what someone can do when given the freedom and encouraged to
collaborate and participate in something bigger than themselves. In this way, employees will be
more encouraged to develop, be more creative and be more productive.
4. Implement work-life balance

Don't bother employees with work matters outside working hours. After all, this will
not make their performance more optimal. A balance between work and personal life of
employees must be maintained for better work productivity.

5. Effective communication

Good communication between superiors and subordinates can make many things
easier. Bosses can communicate what they want better, and vice versa. So, don't let effective
communication be disrupted by bureaucracy that is too rigid.

6. Prioritize employee health

Companies are essentially employee-driven. If employees are damaged, it is certain that

this will disrupt company operations. This is where it is important to prioritize employee health,
both physical and mental.

A positive work culture can take a company in a better direction. So even though it is
difficult and takes a lot of time, it is all worth the effort.

Which factors affect company culture?

Many factors can affect company culture may include, but the most common influences
include the following:
 Management attitudes
 Employee treatment
 Company beliefs
 Benefits and perks

The benefits of creating a positive work culture within your organization include increasing:
 Job satisfaction: Employees often are happier when working for companies that invest in
improving their well-being because they feel more valued.
 Employee retention: Employees may be more likely to want to stay with a company they
feel treats them well and gives them the proper resources to succeed. If they enjoy their

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 work and the people they work with, employees also may be less likely to explore other
career options.
 Recruiting: A positive culture can help improve the reputation of a company, which may
make more talented professionals seek it out when looking for a new job. This also can
allow companies to be more selective with who they hire, which can help improve other
factors, such as retention and productivity.
 Motivation and Productifity : Professionals who enjoy their work environment and have
strong relationships with their coworkers and managers may be more likely to work
harder and have a better attitude. Being invested in a company may make them feel more
passionate about how much success it has.
 Collaboration: A positive company culture often prioritizes teamwork, communication
and interaction among coworkers. These factors all can improve how well a team
collaborates on projects because team members may feel more comfortable and willing to
ask for help.
 Employee well-being: Being in a positive environment that allows employees to grow
and rewards them for performing well can help reduce the stress and anxiety they may
feel in the workplace.

2.4 Types of Work Culture Existing in the Company

Talking about work culture, there are actually many types. On the Organizational Culture
Assessment Instrument (OCAI) site itself, there are at least 4 types of work culture. The
following is the explanation.
1. Clan Culture

If there is one word to describe this work culture, "family" might be a suitable word.
Clan culture emphasizes close relationships between team members and mutual care. In this
culture, values such as collaboration and communication are priorities.
Clan culture is a work culture that creates a warm and friendly work environment. This culture
makes employees feel like they are part of one big family who work together to achieve goals by
being involved in various office activities.

2. Market Culture

This work culture emphasizes competition and encourages employees to compete with
each other. Market culture creates a dynamic and motivating environment, where employees are
faced with challenges that drive the company's progress. Market culture is based on competition
and is used as a basis for running a company. With this competition, it is hoped that employees
will be motivated to be competitive and focus on increasing their work productivity.

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 In market culture, companies adopt strategies that involve considering client
preferences, increasing productivity, collaborating with other parties, and increasing competition
to improve company quality.

3. Hierarchy Culture

This type of work culture emphasizes the structure in running the company. Strict
hierarchical rules are the basis for increasing business productivity. Hierarchy culture is a type of
work culture that emphasizes a more formal and orderly work environment.
In this culture, control of the company is completely in the hands of individuals with higher
hierarchical positions who are considered role models because of their experience and abilities.

The success of a company depends greatly on the compliance of all company members
with clear and precise hierarchical rules. This culture is considered an effective approach in
increasing company productivity.

However, it is also important to note that the appropriate work culture for a company
can vary. Influencing factors, such as industry type, company size, and the values you want to
emphasize. Therefore, the selection of an appropriate work culture must be based on the specific
needs and characteristics of the company.

4. Adhocratic Culture

In an adhocracy culture, leaders are innovators. He must have the courage to take risks
and realize new ideas with his team. Adhocracy culture emphasizes the importance of
collaboration between all company members, from leadership to staff. Companies with this type
of culture will continue to adapt and compete to change and improve the structure of human life
in the future.

Companies with an adaptive culture will encourage employees to always think

creatively and produce fresh ideas. The aim is to create new innovations for the company. This
culture can generally be found in startup companies that are growing rapidly to companies that
have reached a high level of success, such as Google, Meta, and Amazon.

In an adhocracy culture, companies will actively face change and try to always be at the
forefront of adopting new technology and strategies. Collaboration and flexibility are the keys to
responding to ever-growing challenges in the digital era.

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 2.5 The impact of workplace culture

The Impact of Organizational Culture on Employee Behavior :

1. Productivity : A positive organizational culture can increase productivity by

creating a work environment that fosters collaboration, communication, and
innovation. Employees who feel valued and supported are more likely to be
motivated and engaged in their work.

2. Increase employee job satisfaction : Data shows a positive work environment can increase
employee happiness by up to 33%. This will also in turn increase employee job satisfaction.

3. Job satisfaction: Organizational culture can also have a significant impact on job
satisfaction. Employees who feel that their work is meaningful and that their
contributions are valued are more likely to be satisfied with their job and committed to the
organization.

4. .Encouraging work motivation : Working in a comfortable space with all the facilities is
certainly enjoyable for employees. But what is no less important is a good work system, such as
transparent work assessment and a culture of rewarding success. Companies that develop a
culture of appreciating every team achievement will have more enthusiastic and motivated
employees. This is different when the company does not create an environment that appreciates
work results, employees will also work as hard as they can just to meet targets, nothing more.

5. Innovation : A positive organizational culture that fosters creativity and innovation

can lead to new ideas and approaches that can benefit the organization in the long
term.

6. Reducing turnover rates : Turnover is a quite serious problem for HR. This is because with
employee turnover that continuously occurs, there is a need for ongoing recruitment.
Recruitment requires a lot of resources, both human, financial and time. Therefore, retaining
employees is one of HR's tasks.

7. Turnover rates : A negative organizational culture can lead to high turnover rates
as employees become dissatisfied with their work environment and seek
opportunities elsewhere. This can be costly for organizations in terms of
recruitment and training.
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8. Indirectly, it can encourage customer satisfaction.
Everything that happens internally in the company will also affect customers. Including the
influence of a positive work environment which can indirectly increase customer satisfaction.

How to Build a Good Work Culture in the Office

Building a good and positive work culture is indeed a dream. Here are the steps you can follow
to build a good work culture in the office:

1. Create a company vision, mission and values

One important step in creating a positive work culture in the office is to formulate the company's
vision and mission. Convey it clearly and in detail to all employees so that they have a deep
understanding and a high sense of concern for the company. Apart from that, it is also necessary
to establish company norms that will guide employee behavior.

The company's vision and mission becomes a compass that directs shared steps and goals. With a
clear vision and mission, employees have strong guidance in carrying out their duties and
making decisions that are in line with the company's values. This helps create harmony and
togetherness in achieving the company's vision and mission.

2. Develop Attitude and Behavior Standards in the Company

The next stage in creating a good work culture is to design and develop standards of behavior
that reflect the company's vision and mission.

These behaviors include work ethics, integrity, cooperation, effective communication, and
professional attitudes. By strengthening these norms, a positive work culture will be formed,
where employees respect each other, work as a team, and respect the values and norms
developed by the company.

It should be noted that not all employees have the knowledge and understanding of how to
behave appropriately. Therefore, it is important to have clear standards of behavior that are
implemented throughout the company or office. This can also be used as an indicator for
evaluating employee performance.

3. Build Employee Trust and Engagement

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It is important to build relationships based on trust with employees. This trust can be formed
through honest and effective communication.
Even though there are facts that may be difficult to convey about the company, you must have
the courage to take the risk in discussing them.

This kind of attitude will help increase the level of trust that employees have in you.
Apart from that, in a positive work culture, ensure that no employee feels neglected. Every
employee must be fully involved so that they feel satisfied with their work environment.

4. Develop a Culture of Appreciation

Every employee definitely feels happy when they receive appreciation or positive feedback. As a
leader, you can recognize this culture by rewarding employees for their achievements and
dedication. Start with simple things, like recognizing their hard work in forums or office
meetings.
5. Promote Work-Life Balance

The time each employee has is very valuable. Especially after they finish working in the office
and want to enjoy time to relax or gather with family.

In establishing a healthy company culture, it is important to promote work-life balance. Start

with simple things, like respecting employees' time by not sending messages or emails outside of
work hours, even if they work from home.

Characteristics of Companies that Have a Positive Work Culture

A positive work culture will create a comfortable atmosphere and provide opportunities for
employees to continue to grow and develop. Apart from contributing to the company's success, a
positive work culture also has a positive impact on all team members.

The following are some indicators of a company with a positive work culture:

1 High productivity,
1 Open and honest communication,
1 Exciting work atmosphere,
1 There are motivating rewards and appreciation,
1 There is collaboration between teams

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 The difference workplace culture between Indonesia and German

Cross-cultural began to see everywhere in the country. For example, in international

offices there will be foreign employees and mostly people who do cross-cultural more tolerable.
Indonesia is located in South East Asia and it has 16,056 islands, the islands make Indonesia has
more than 300 ethnics (Kusnandar, 2019). And Germany is located in West Europe and becomes
the highest population in Europe ('Where is Germany?', 2015). The similarities of Germany and
Indonesia in business is: they are leading businesses among their respective continent ('Index of
Economic Freedom: Promoting Economic Opportunity and Prosperity by Country', 2019).

According Browaeys & Price (2015), there are eight components in cross-cultural
framework. In this paper, I will take four components to compare Germany and Indonesian
cultures, which are time focus, power, action, and communication. As stated in the introduction,
communication is important in running the business. According to Browaeys & Price (2015),
There are two kinds of communication in cross-cultural, which are high context and low context.
In Indonesia, high context communication means the communication is not well received. In a
high context culture, the communication more focus on how to deliver the message rather than
the meaning of the messages because they argue open communication leads to conflicts. On the
other hand, German has different ways to communicate, which is low context communication.
The information on this communication will represent the whole meaning of the message.

The Differences in work culture in Indonesia and Japan

The difference of work culture in Japan and Indonesia. In Japan, a company places great
emphasis on neatness in dressing while working.

A. Dress neatly

In Japan, companies require their workers to wear neat or formal clothing such as shirts and
trousers that are not tight on the body for male workers. And female workers must wear skirts
and heels. Meanwhile, in Indonesia itself, only certain organizations require their workers to
wear neat or formal clothing. Based on my experience of working, employees only wear ordinary
t-shirts. Unlike other companies, employees must wear neat clothes such as batik or shirts with a
jas.

B. Workbench

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Not only that, in Japan they are also very disciplined in following the work rules that have been
set. One of them is Jobdesk. In Japan, workers only do one job that has been given and
determined by their superiors. For example, if the job assigned by the boss is A, then A will also
be done without being asked to do work that is not assigned by the boss. Meanwhile, workers in
Indonesia can do work outside the job desk. For example, if the employee works in a specified
field, the employee may be ordered to work in a field that is not in their field.

C. Home time from work.

Workers in Japan are very disciplined in obeying the work regulations that apply in their
company. If the company regulations stipulate that the time for leaving work is 17.00, then the
workers follow the established hours. In contrast to Indonesia, workers can go home early with
permission from their superiors to go home early.
After that, of course work culture cannot be separated from communication. Communication is
very important and cannot be separated because communication is the key to creating a positive
culture in a job at the office or anywhere, so what needs to be improved is that we must maintain
a polite and courteous attitude, both verbally and non-verbally. Then the intonation when
speaking can be slowly trained so that the voice message conveyed can sound clearer and polite,
giving a positive impression without elements such as anger and so on. The amount of
communication in an organization can sometimes have positive and negative impacts. Examples
include communication between employees.

D. Communication

Between employees is certainly not an unusual thing in a company. Both communication about
work and communication about social matters. This form of communication is very important
because it can create a more effective and efficient workforce. With this communication, good
relationships can be created between employees in an organization.

Culture in Workplace In Indonesia

Business culture can be defined as a set of beliefs, ethics, and attitudes within a business
setting. Culture is a main constituent in business and has an influence on the premeditated course
of business. Culture impacts the administration, decisions, and all business function from
secretarial to manufacturing to production.

When it comes to Indonesian work culture, one must understand the nuances of how to react and
reply to partners, colleagues, and superiors.

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Work Environment in a Typical Indonesian Workplace
The following are some points regarding work environment in an Indonesian workplace:

 Addressing Superiors

The Indonesians know about the importance of their superiors and are used to addressing them
by suitable titles. In Indonesia, you must have to call them by “Bapak” which means “Sir”, or
“Ibu” which means “Ma’am”. No one can call them by their first name until and unless they are
allowed to do so.

 Making the Leaders Happy

There is an environment of making the leaders happy in an Indonesian workplace. Generally, the
assistant employees obey their seniors or boss and don’t question them. The assistant or
subordinate employees never talk back if their seniors give orders for any type of work because
they only want to make their leaders happy.

 Avoiding clashes

The employers in Indonesia try their best to avoid any kind of clashes. There is an environment
of peace in an Indonesian workplace.

 Friendship Between Co-workers

There is an environment of peace and friendship in an Indonesian workplace. The co-workers

don’t hesitate to ask personal questions and in this way, an environment of friendship goes on.

 Personal Criticisms

There is an environment of private criticism in an Indonesian workplace. People there prefer to

keep criticism private rather than discuss it in public. In this way, this culture does much to
protect the pride of the employers.

 Greeting the Most Superior First

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In Indonesia, as a subordinate employer, it is essential to know about the superiors of the
company. Greeting the most senior first is seen as good conduct.

 Giving Handshakes

In Indonesia, seniors are given handshakes first, though the style varies from company to
company. Giving handshakes with little pressure is common in Indonesia.

 Being Professional at All Times

During working hours, employees must be professional regardless of the situation. They are to be
helpful, friendly, and good team members, and they are advised to avoid gossiping to avoid any
sort of trouble.

 Arriving on Time

It is highly appreciated to arrive on the workplace on time or earlier.

 Showing Gratitude

Indonesian employees try to be helpful and friendly and understand each other, and saying
“thank you” after receiving help from a colleague is seen to be good manners because it shows
gratitude

Typical Work Schedule in Indonesia

Article No. 44 of Law 13 of 2003 on employees, as well as Articles 77 to 85 about Indonesia
labour laws, mention working hours of employees. They clearly mention the working hours and
overtime periods of employees. According to this law, working hours will last seven to eight
hours. Beyond this, any time worked will be considered as overtime and the wages will vary
accordingly. Some of the examples of the working hours are as follows:

Normal Working Hours

In Indonesia, working hours are usually from 8:00 – 17:00 WIB (West Indonesia Time). These
hours apply to all employees including private and civil employees. Saturday and Sunday
typically are off-days; thus, the work week usually lasts five working days, from Monday to
Friday.

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Shift 1 Working Hours

There is a difference between normal working hours and shift 1 working hours. Generally, these
working hours are applied to those corporations which have very intense operational hours as
well as civil service agencies.

The following are some businesses and entities which use shift working hours:

 Hospitals
 Automotive factories
 Food factories
 Electronics factories
 Hotels

Shift 2 Working Hours

These working hours are used when the working hours of Shift 1 are completed. They generally
last from 15:00 – 23:00 WIB. Businesses using Shift 1 working hours also use Shift 2 working
hours.

Shift 3 Working Hours

Shift 3 working hours last from 23:00 to 07:00, though these may vary from company to
company.

Working Hours 3 Group 3 Shift

Workers work from Monday to Saturday. On Saturday, there are five working hours and on the
rest of the days from Monday to Friday, there are seven working hours per day with a one-hour
break. There are a total of 40 working hours per week.

Non-Shift Working Hours

This type of shift is similar to those of the normal working hours. These hours are reserved for
business which need more coordination during working hours.
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Working Hours for 12 Hours

When there is bulk work in any company, then the usual working period is more than eight
hours. This extra period is sometimes known long shifts. In many agreements between the
company and the employees, the working hours are required to be 12 hours per day with one or
two days off.

Employees in Indonesia
In 2022, the total number of employees in Indonesia was 135,611,895, an increase from the
employed persons in 2021 which was 131,064,305.

How to Adapt to Indonesian Work Culture as a Foreigner?

To adapt to Indonesian work culture, foreigners should consider the following:

 Learn the importance of learning and using the Indonesian language

 Understand the hierarchical culture of Indonesia
 Be ready to socialize with Indonesians
 Learn about the food of Indonesia
 Show proper values, morals, and ethics in front of employers and other citizens in
Indonesia
 Always be punctual

How Indonesia’s Work Culture Differs from Those of

Other Countries
Indonesia certainly has a unique work culture. The differences between its work culture and
those of other countries can easily be seen. For example, if the respective work cultures of
Indonesia and the US are compared, the primary difference lies in scheduling. American work
culture is stricter. On the other hand, Pakistani work culture, for example, is more lenient than
Indonesia’s work culture with regard to deadlines and schedules. is given partial importance.

Although work culture varies from country to country. some countries’ work cultures do not
share the personal and moral values held by most in Indonesia. For example, Indonesian
companies’ stances on personal criticism and making the leaders happy might be some of the
points which do not apply to companies of foreign countries.

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However, in most other countries, employees’ working time is similar to that of Indonesia. The
workers work for around eight hours and if the company has bulk work, then double shifts are
also arranged.

Workplace Culture In Indonesia

For many looking for the answer for how to incorporate in Indonesia, they may overlook the
importance of understanding the day to day livelihoods of the people in the country. However, it
is very important to do so. When you are in another country, you are expected to behave in a
certain manner. Your employees are accustomed to specific ways, and understanding these ways
helps you to understand your employees more. This also directly impacts your company’s
success. And to help you with that, here are some workplace culture in Indonesia you should
know about:

Indonesia Has a Diverse Culture, Which Will Reflect in the Workplace

We may generalize the behaviours of Indonesians in many ways, but none of them will be true
for everyone. Indonesia is the fourth most populated country in the world and is generally
welcoming to foreigners. Thus, there are people from every cultural, ethnic, racial, and religious
background.

We can say that you will need to learn to deal with people once you are already here and try to
understand them first-hand. Also, you need to be very flexible. There may be differences in
opinion and way of behaviour inside your office, so you need to be very open-minded.

You May Need to Be More Subtle While Giving Instructions

In contrast to the west where people are direct in instructions, in Indonesia, these things are done
with subtle directives. Telling people to do exactly what to do may be considered rude. This is
not to say you shouldn’t give instructions at all. You may need to learn to use various verbal cues
and diplomatic ways of putting things.

Employees Are Warier About Asking Questions

Sometimes, your subordinates may be a little uncomfortable asking you questions. While in the
west it is a norm to be explicit with the questions, in Indonesia, employees may consider asking

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direct questions as challenging the authority’s command. Of course, this trend may not be seen in
a more modern workplace, but the mental factor is still there. So, you will need to be very clear
with your instructions the first time.

Solving Challenges in the Workplace is Through Everyone’s Involvement

It’s not just a business etiquette, but one of the perks of starting a business in Indonesia. You see,
being a country with diversity, people have developed a consensus-oriented way of solving
problems. You can expect every employee to be present in a meeting, and they will try to find
solutions in a way that doesn’t offend anyone.

You Will Need to Be More Than a Boss

One of the most important aspects of the workplace culture in Indonesia is that people have
emotional attachments with everything in the office. Thus, your employees will see you as a
father figure than a boss. This is different to the western way of working, which in many cases, is
strictly a give and take relationship. In Indonesia, you will be expected to understand each of
your employees personally, and you will get your reward in terms of loyalty.

Office Relationships are More than Just Professional

In Indonesia, people don’t consider office relationships as strictly professional. Instead of

colleagues, employees consider other members of the office as friends. Hence, your employees
will be close with each other and reciprocate each other’s likes and complaints. This also means
people aren’t only going to talk about work, even in very important meetings.

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 CONCLUSION

Implementing a strong corporate culture that is in line with the company's vision brings
a number of significant benefits, including increased employee productivity, the ability to recruit
and retain the best talent, unity and solid corporate identity, increased customer satisfaction, and
continued ability to innovate. Real-life examples like Google, Airbnb, Coca-Cola, Zappos, and
Tesla illustrate how the right culture can bring concrete benefits.

However, implementing corporate culture also has a number of challenges, such as

resistance to change, expanding the values of diversity and inclusion, alignment with the
company's vision and mission, and merging with business realities that may be different.
Overcoming these challenges requires strong communication, effective leadership, and
organization-wide commitment.

With a well-thought-out strategy and awareness of these benefits and challenges,

companies can create a corporate culture that supports long-term growth and success. Corporate
culture does not appear by itself among organizational members, but needs to be formed and
studied because basically corporate culture is a collection of values and behavioral patterns that
are learned, shared, by all members of the organization and passed on from one generation to the
next.

SUGGESTION

Corporate culture plays a very important role in supporting the creation of an effective
organization or company. More specifically, company culture can play a role in creating identity,
developing personal involvement with the company and providing work behavior guidelines for
employees. To improve employee performance, a company must have a culture Good
organization and good work discipline can also be achieved support each other.

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 Hopefully readers can apply the work culture that I have conveyed properly and
correctly so that they can be productive at work. Readers can help companies become better and
can support companies to become more advanced than before.

REFERENCE

https://repositori.uma.ac.id/bitstream/
123456789/801/5/128320092_file5.pdf

http://repository.iainpare.ac.id/2286/2/14.3300.008%20BAB%201.pdf

https://www.prasetiyamulya.ac.id/memahami-etika-dan-budaya-dalam-
dunia-kerja-sejak-dini/

https://perpustakaan.kasn.go.id/index.php?
p=show_detail&id=26&keywords=

https://appsensi.com/budaya-kerja-adalah/

https://talentics.id/resources/blog/manfaat-dan-tantangan-budaya-
perusahaan/

https://employers.glints.com/id-id/blog/3-pengaruh-lingkungan-kerja-
positif-kinerja-karyawan/

https://www.3ecpa.co.id/blog/workplace-culture-in-indonesia/

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 https://talentics.id/resources/blog/manfaat-dan-tantangan-budaya-
perusahaan/

https://www.paulhypepage.co.id/indonesian-work-culture/

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