Read the descriptions of cultural workplace practices. Which ones do you find normal, a bit unusual, or even extreme? Record your answers and send for feedback
A In our country, it’s common for people to show up 15–20 minutes late for meetings and chit-chat before getting down to business.
B We use sick days and vacation time very sparingly, and many of us even feel guilty when taking time off due to holidays or illness.
C In some of our workplaces, people tend to stand during meetings instead of sitting.
D We stick to our working hours and finish at 5 or 6 PM sharp, even if tasks aren’t finished.
E Many of us keep office windows open during the day, regardless of the season of the year.
Can you guess which countries these practices are common in?
Which of these workplace practices are or aren’t common in your culture?
Why do you think people follow these practices in their workplaces?
Have you noticed or heard about any other interesting workplace practices or customs from different countries/cultures around the world?
Check the definitions of these phrases. They’ll be used during the session and the Thursday micro lesson.
Vocabulary: digitalization – labor force – gender pay gap – working hours – sick leave – work ethic