Cultural Issues : Working in the UK

C

Cliff Stamp

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A friend of mine is considering a job in the UK. Anyone who has lived or worked there have any comments on relevant cultural issues? I am thinking of things like :

-social touching (handshake, hand on shoulder, ...)
-distance in conversation
-humor in the workplace
-male/female interaction socially (not romantically)
-manners of address (respect, formal introduction,...)

-Cliff
 
Is your friend from english-speaking Canada? You're 90% of the way there.

Tell him to get the BBC version of "The Office." Dave Brent is a character set in a "normal" British office setting. ;)
 
The more "foreign" one acts (within a non clearcut british reason) the better, foreigners are allowed some leeway in UK that one that should know better is not.

I even sometimes speak extra bad english (only with strangers). One of my friends once heard that and I wonder if he has stopped laughing yet.

TLM
 
i doubt you'll have a problem -

people enjoy a handshake but i don't believe its compulsory!

In fact I reckon people like them more than they let on, brits supposedly being a bit wary of touchy feely stuff. I think we find it a bit formal and expect to shake hands at business meetings or job interviews but not usually on the street or when friends meet.

Distance in conversation. If i get your meaning you are asking how close to stand? Observe the personal space issue at all times until you know the person better. Apparently we have bad teeth, so you might already be aware of that. If on the other hand by distance in conversation you mean "do i have to pay attention?" then, yeah, it helps when you have to reply.

Humour in the workplace is mandatory. Cultivate irony and sarcasm and don't believe all that people say. Misinformation is rife over here. As is confusion. As is mickey taking, leg pulling, blagging and outright character assasination. Fun, fun, fun...

Male / female social interaction is not frowned upon by society at large. It may be misinterpreted and gossip may follow, but generally we enjoy each others company on a more or less equal standing.

Manners of address. Politeness is no longer a british institution but most people favour it over rudeness. You (or your friend) will soon work it out. Generally speaking rudeness gets short shrift. Formality is often the best way until the ice breaks.

Hope that helps and hello - this is my first post on blade forums.
 
I'll recommend the first book shown here for a light humoured though quite accurate look at how the English behave.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_g...alias=aps&field-keywords=watching+the+english

It can depend were your friend is thinking of spending his time and also how old is he. For example I've observed that amongst young educated men in their early twenties who are mates a friendly hug on meeting seems to becoming more acceptable, though only in large urban areas. That never used to happen except maybe on the sports field and I'm happy to say it doesnt seem to of taken on in the more rural market/farming towns.
As Circle says, the English like their personal space and a normal conversational distance at work would be at least a couple of feet.
We can be slow to open up to people. Were not being unfriendly, just guarded, and it can take an age for us to warm to someone. Hence the formality of our greetings with people.
And your mate is going to have to learn how to use sarcasm. Were probably the most sarcastic, and cynical, race of people in the world. Oh and some self-depreciating humour may help.
He's going to have to learn how to drink. 99% of socialising in this country is done in some sort of pub and inviting any new workmates for a beer or two after work would probably be a good way to break some ice. Though don't overdo it with the beer when with workmates as that can be frowned up on. Alot of my foreign mates think British women are the funniest and friendliess girls on the planet. Personally I don't but if your mates a friendly guy who can talk and have a laugh he'll get on fine with them.
He'll have to get used to people. Everywhere. Theres over 60million of us on an island of ?91,003 square miles. If he wants space theres only a couple of corners of this island he'll find it. I think this is why the English are not the polite people others like to think we are. Were feeling crowded in, and walking through a city centre on a Saturday afternoon can be torture.
Oh and when the English aren't in a pub there shopping. We'll buy and sell anything. Alot of our supermarkets are open 24hours a day and if the other shops could entice us out some drinking den or other then they'd open that long as well.
Anyway just a little bit but I hope it helps.
D.
 
He is young, 25, will be working in the IT field specifically. Thanks for the information guys. I appreciate it, anyone with anything else please feel free to contribute.

-Cliff
 
Names, place names and last names.

Listen very very carefully when they are pronounced. Do not count on pronouncing them correctly by reading them in print, or even recognizing them in print having heard them spoken.

It's a perversion they seem to delight in.
 
TDahlgren said:
Names, place names and last names.

Listen very very carefully when they are pronounced. Do not count on pronouncing them correctly by reading them in print, or even recognizing them in print having heard them spoken.

It's a perversion they seem to delight in.
Click to expand...

Good point.

Three places near Milton Keynes all have the same middle and ending with only the first letter being different.

Woughton

Loughton

Broughton

Guess how they are pronounced?






Woughton (woof - ton)

Loughton (lau - ton)

Broughton (braw - ton)

You can go into a shop and ask for 'a rubber', as you will get a pencil eraser. The trunk of a car is called a boot, and the hood, is called the bonnet, the windshield is called the windscreen, the fender is called the bumpers. The sidewalk is called the pavement. Gas is stuff that is a vapour and lights the 'cooker', the stove. Petrol is what you put in your car. You can put gas (butane) or petrol (Zippo lighter fuel) in your lighter depending on the type you have.

All British women and nymphomaniacs. The young ones binge drink at weekends and get so legless, they can't walk. Here a couple of nice British girls
http://www.chavscum.co.uk/4images/details.php?image_id=417
and another girl livin' it large on a Staturday night down the boozer.
http://www.chavscum.co.uk/4images/d...79&sessionid=765058783d1f62cc1b09283001eb8025

Queueing (lining up) is a national institution. People do it quietly and politely with no pushing in.

Oh, and it always rains!
 
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