Is this typical for a european company.

[ICRS]

I spoke with someone who recently sarted a summer internship in Switzerland. Apparently she says corporate life is way different there (She use to be an intern where I work). Some differences she pointed out to me:

1. NO one eats at their desk (Here at our company it is very common)

2. Senior staff never mingles with lower level staff (Very common here)

3. Everyone takes their lunch at the same time and senior staff never eats lunch with low level people

4. Senior staff NEVER makes coffee

5. People only talk about work related things during non break time.
(Here people often go to one another cubicle/office and chitchat about non work stuff)

6. Checking non work related emails and sending non work email during work time is not allowed. (Here people do it all the time, even shop online during work hours)

This is for a big bank in Europe.

 

[Soundmanred]

I have not heard of such things.
Isn't the whole world just like America?
It is...right? :roll:

 

[Connoisseur]

Originally posted by: ICRS
I spoke with someone who recently sarted a summer internship in Switzerland. Apparently she says corporate life is way different there (She use to be an intern where I work). Some differences she pointed out to me:

1. NO one eats at their desk (Here at our company it is very common)

2. Senior staff never mingles with lower level staff (Very common here)

3. Everyone takes their lunch at the same time and senior staff never eats lunch with low level people

4. Senior staff NEVER makes coffee

5. People only talk about work related things during non break time.
(Here people often go to one another cubicle/office and chitchat about non work stuff)

6. Checking non work related emails and sending non work email during work time is not allowed. (Here people do it all the time, even shop online during work hours)

This is for a big bank in Europe.

Yeah it seems Europeans have a very distinct separation between work life and normal life. they also keep very strict 9-5 hours if I recall. I'm a bit envious but I actually like my job and i'm in the greatest city on earth so I don't mind so much.

 

[blinky8225]

I was told similar things from a person that I know doing an internship in London. Corporate life has a lot formalities, and there is a certain degree of professionalism that must be maintained. In particular, she noted a very strict dress code.

 

[Ronstang]

So you are telling us that in Switzerland they actually get work done? Imagine that.

 

[Playmaker]

Originally posted by: Ronstang
So you are telling us that in Switzerland they actually get work done? Imagine that.

GDP on a PPP basis per work hour is actually significantly lower in Switzerland than in the US, although some countries do edge us out.

 

[RallyMaster]

I refuse to move to Europe then.

 

[Ronstang]

Originally posted by: Playmaker

Originally posted by: Ronstang
So you are telling us that in Switzerland they actually get work done? Imagine that.

GDP on a PPP basis per work hour is actually significantly lower in Switzerland than in the US, although some countries do edge us out.

Maybe they have to be so strict then because they are not very bright and cannot afford the distractions?

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

I was in England and loved it. You work for 2 hours (actual work) then you take a 15 minute break. Repeat. Day ends.

Here, you work for 8 hours and feel guilty about doing anything other than working even though it is not frowned upon to go off work topic. The thing is, sometimes we go off work topic for liek 2 hours. I think our culture is kinda Fed.

 

[IEC]

Originally posted by: Playmaker

Originally posted by: Ronstang
So you are telling us that in Switzerland they actually get work done? Imagine that.

GDP on a PPP basis per work hour is actually significantly lower in Switzerland than in the US, although some countries do edge us out.

Especially France with their weak-sauce work weeks.

 

[nageov3t]

we just hired a guy from germany in my department a couple weeks ago.

he doesn't really hold to anything on the list except that he never eats lunch at his desk (he might be the only person in my company that actually uses the cafeteria... he eats at the same time every day, and when it's time for lunch, everything stops -- almost like that guy from dexter -- much to my annoyance as people start IM'ing me wondering why the things they asked him to do take so long) and he's very very anti-staying after his scheduled shift ends.

 

[Soccerman06]

Originally posted by: loki8481
we just hired a guy from germany in my department a couple weeks ago.

he doesn't really hold to anything on the list except that he never eats lunch at his desk (he might be the only person in my company that actually uses the cafeteria... he eats at the same time every day, and when it's time for lunch, everything stops -- almost like that guy from dexter -- much to my annoyance as people start IM'ing me wondering why the things they asked him to do take so long) and he's very very anti-staying after his scheduled shift ends.

I think that is a tad more common than you would want to believe.

 

[theeedude]

I like Silicon Valley culture.
No one really cares when, where, wearing what, eating where, high on what, browsing which sites, or while hanging out with whom you do your work, as long as you deliver your tasks with high quality on schedule, and call in or drop by a meeting once in a while to get new tasks and provide status update. We have guys working from home remotely from other parts of the country who never show up at the home office.
As far as they are concerned, you are a black box that receives tasks and delivers them completed on schedule. You do what you gotta do, unless you screw up, they leave you alone.

 

[Skyclad1uhm1]

Depends on the company, the country, and the employees/boss.

The company I work for here in the Netherlands is not at all like that. Our US office is in some ways stricter than we are. You can eat at your desk if you want, but the management prefers people joining them for lunch.

Some managers think employees are there for the management, rather than that the management is there for the employees. Companies where that is the case tend to have a hard time keeping personnel though.

Oh, and @Loki: The stereotype of the German 'Punktlichkeit' is true in a lot of cases. Germans tend to be very strict in following rules, including those of lunch breaks and working hours.

 

[PricklyPete]

Um...I work for a German company and have worked on several projects now in Europe.

1) People eat at their desk all the time.

2) I go to drinks with the CEO of my company all the time...and I'm just a regular senior consultant.

3) People often go to lunch together...but there are no rules on when you have to take lunch

4) Senior staff make coffee as often as they do for any American company I have ever worked for.

5) People are more serious about work when they are at work. There is much less chit/chat and wasting time. They also tend to leave at 5pm. I don't see a problem with this. I'd rather be at work and get my stuff done.

6) I'm at work now and on ATOT...any questions?

Really, you shouldn't take your one work experience and your friend's one work experience and generalize. There are plenty of stringent American companies and plenty of stringent European companies. And a Swiss Bank as an example...really? Swiss Banks are known for being the most uptight institutions to maintain their reputation.

 

[chcarnage]

Originally posted by: ICRS
1. NO one eats at their desk (Here at our company it is very common)

Yes, most Swiss leave the workplace for lunch.

Originally posted by: ICRS
2. Senior staff never mingles with lower level staff (Very common here)

Depends on the company I guess. Hierarchy is valued, only a bit less than in Germany. The situation may differ in international companies...

Originally posted by: ICRS
3. Everyone takes their lunch at the same time and senior staff never eats lunch with low level people

Office jobs often have presence times but less than an entire shift, p.e. 9-11 a.m., 2-5 p.m. And lunch at the same time is still a social activity even though senior staff might be missing.

Originally posted by: ICRS
4. Senior staff NEVER makes coffee

LOL Depends on the company...

Originally posted by: ICRS
5. People only talk about work related things during non break time.
(Here people often go to one another cubicle/office and chitchat about non work stuff)

6. Checking non work related emails and sending non work email during work time is not allowed. (Here people do it all the time, even shop online during work hours)

There are slackers in Swiss companies, too. But you better know when to procrastinate and when to work. And when you're interacting with coworkers (or the admin ) you better be working. It didn't come to my mind that this rule could be Europe-specific...

 

[Snapster]

UK resident here.

Originally posted by: ICRS
1. NO one eats at their desk (Here at our company it is very common)

Have worked for companies with a mixture of eating preferences, although it's more commonly dictated by workload and company location. If a deadline is looming a working lunch or lunch at the desk can be common, same with if you work at a company that's nowhere near anywhere decent out to eat.

Originally posted by: ICRS
2. Senior staff never mingles with lower level staff (Very common here)

Different per company and the employees there, we quite often go drinking with the big boss!

Originally posted by: ICRS
3. Everyone takes their lunch at the same time and senior staff never eats lunch with low level people

Again depends on company policy, I've worked with some that are strict 1hr from 12-1 and some where you can take 1hr between 12 and 2. Mixing refer to q2.

Originally posted by: ICRS
4. Senior staff NEVER makes coffee

Ref Q2.

Originally posted by: ICRS
5. People only talk about work related things during non break time.

We talk about anything and everything from work to world policy, it's good to have a natter!

6. Checking non work related emails and sending non work email during work time is not allowed. (Here people do it all the time, even shop online during work hours)

We're on MSN, ebay, webmail for home accounts all the time, this is purely dependant on a company's IT policy.

 

[nageov3t]

Originally posted by: Soccerman06

I think that is a tad more common than you would want to believe.

yeah, it's probably more of a company to company difference.

standard procedure at my company is that you stay will whatever you're working on is done, unless it's slow and you can easily hand it off to someone else or whatever it is is going to take an excessive amount of time.

on the flip side, no one cares if you come in late the next day to make up for it.

 

[JS80]

internet company culture is the best.