Howefamily

Thanks Novo, it is indeed. Happy weekend

BristolUK

Sometimes no answer is better than an answer when someone didn't read the content.

Just last week I got an automated email for all subscribers about late newspaper delivery due to weather. Delivery by 8.30am it said.

At 11.37 I emailed to say it had still not arrived - I had checked the mailbox - specifically mentioning that time and that was also the time the email left my outbox.

The reply said "Your carrier was running later than the notified time, did you receive the paper by 10am?"

I emailed the local radio station once asking for information that I clearly stated was not available on the website. Their reply - after several reminders - referred me to the website.

Howefamily

My god, that kind of thing just drives me crazy, maybe I am
Just getting old and cranky

Novocastrian

Nowt wrong with that.

Perth

Not directly related - but somewhat - I have the very same cultural issues with personal relationships, and I've been here over 25 years

I find that without a great deal of work it is difficult to maintain friendships with the genus americanus. The only reason I am married to the OH, who is a USC, is because he worked overseas in more countries than I can count for most of his career, so understands and appreciates other cultures.

Sometimes I think he is more excited than I am about moving to the UK

Lorry1

Hi Howefamily, sorry to hear you were having a bad (day?).

As you know, my husband worked for a major I.T company in NS and he felt the same as you. He loved NS & Canada but struggled with the work ethic of some people.
He found them to be too polite & would faff around the situation. My husband just went in and told it how it is. He found The Americans (who he generally worked with) appreciated that.
Also, he would get really annoyed when someone with absolutely no experience would get hired because they 'knew someone' high up in the company. It would just cause more problems & work for everybody else.

Hope things improve for you soon!

jimmydean

The almost total inability for work colleagues (or anyone else for that matter) to understand any form of sarcasm is the most amusing thing I have encountered in Canada. People actually believe everything you say is true here

Howefamily

Sadly it's more than a bad day.
Intentions are constantly misunderstood. No one makes a decision when I think ones made and when I think it's not made apparently it was

They think the oddest things are rude whereas they think nothing of just not turning up for meetings that they have called! And not answering direct questions on email is normal. I deem that rude.

I want to feel comfortable but now I am always second guessing myself and my assumptions as to what someone means is often incorrect, I feel like I am losing my mind at times.

Howefamily

Having said all that, some things are some people are what I feel comfortable with, it feels normal. I get them and they get me. But the struggles that I have also mentioned outweigh this often

Wombat7

this is interesting. As someone who spent the majority of their working career in Canada, I'd really appreciate some more examples. I left UK in 1980 to go to Canada and I found the work culture there was different from what I had experienced in UK - people worked much harder.

I worked for an international organization (or even organisation) for the last 15 years or so, which entailed working with people from around the world. I always found that the North Americans (well Canadian and U.S.), as well as Australians, were prepared to but in the hours (eg work a Saturday if necessary) and the Brits and Irish would not - just my experience.

Howefamily

I am wondering if a lot depends on where in Canada. Where I work now everyone works hard and long hours, they are also educated and intelligent, my main gripe his comes from small cultural differences and the email no response issue.
In many organizations nepotism rules and some just don't do much and there's lots of management apathy. That was in my other companies.

Everywhere I have worked I have come across the lack of directness and such politeness that often people talk in circles

Wombat7

how's family, think you are right. I worked in Toronto and people worked hard and long hours.

For directness try the Dutch!

Simon Legree

I think it does depend on where in Canada. I lived in Oakville and worked in Toronto for 30+ years and didn't really experience what you speak of. I am not particularly enamored with NS and live there in the summer only because that's where my wife originates from. I agree that nepotism is a big factor. If I had my way we would have stayed in Oakville but I did agree to decamp to NS when I quit work. At least I only have to be there from mid April to late October !

Tirytory

I think my husband struggles with his workplace...lack of efficiency and professionalism, lacking organizational skills etc.

Having booked time off a couple of months ago to go to quebec City, we found two missed calls on my phone not his asking where he was. Turns out they had booked him off for an hr because they hadn't used the computer system properly. Just the most recent example.

So frustrating!

Howefamily

I find examples such as this bizarre in the least, and sadly typical.
Maybe I have some really thick rose coloured glasses on but I don't recall any such instances in my UK working life at all.