Steelcase’s recent issue of 360° Magazine, titled Culture Code, shares a big body of research on workplace culture across eleven countries. The following is a sampling of three interesting workplace culture perspectives (by country) from this research.
Visit the Steelcase website for the remaining eight country profiles.
Country Profile: India
Indians gravitate easily toward group activities, a behavior that’s easily leveraged for collaboration.
Work Dynamics
- Flexible work arrangements and/or mobile work are limited; managers want to observe workers, and workers want to be seen.
- Decision-making is based on hierarchy, though leaders may solicit employee input.
- Interaction often happens at individual workstations; work environments tend to be noisy.
- Employees tolerate dense work environments.
- Conflict with co-workers is avoided in every way possible.
- With seemingly limitless opportunities, workers switch employers easily.
Work Hours
- Chaotic traffic and overcrowded public transportation lengthen the average workday.
- Arriving at work on time is expected, but at the same time, being late is accepted.
- Indians don’t mind delaying meetings and projects if it means the right people can participate.
- Bringing lunch from home and eating at your desk is common.
- Companies are expected to host celebrations of national events for employees and their families.
Country Profile: China
Maintaining harmony and showing respect to superiors is highly valued; employees are reticent to express their own ideas, though that’s beginning to change.
Work Dynamics
- Flexible work arrangements and/or mobile work are the exception due to inadequate internet infrastructure, small homes and cultural norms.
- Collaboration can be strong within departments, but limited interdepartmentally because trust is stronger within close-knit groups.
- Employees tolerate dense work environments.
- A paternalistic leadership model means workers’ immediate supervisors are expected to be hands-on and personable. Managers are expected to socialize with employees.
- Workers expect explicit directions on tasks.
- Qualified workers switch companies easily.
Work Hours
- Chinese people are among the longest working in the world; the workday is officially set at 8 hours, but at least 25% put in 9-11 hours every day. Source: Netman
- Long lunch breaks provide time to eat, rest or even take a nap to re-energize.
Country Profile: The Netherlands
Because flexible, mobile work and desk-sharing are so well accepted, a significant number of progressive companies don’t provide any assigned workspaces or private offices; instead, all workspaces are 100 percent shared.
Work Dynamics
- Early adopters of flexible work; most routinely do some of their work away from the office.
- Resist autocratic management styles.
- Tend to keep workplace interactions pragmatic and to the point.
- Social norms protect personal space in open offices; interruptions, especially for non-work-related small talk, are regarded as inconsiderate.
- Sociability at work typically occurs only at designated times, such as lunch.
- At most organizations, an employee work council is consulted for important decisions, including workplace design issues.
Work Hours
- The Dutch work fewer hours than workers in most other countries, typically less than 40 hours per week; personal time has high value.
- Being punctual for meetings and staying focused on work while at work are norms.
- Lunch breaks are short and simple; workers typically eat together.
Check out other workplace topics in Steelcase’s 360° Magazine.