FeeFee

I will be working in Melbourne for a software company and have a couple of questions regarding workplace culture. Hope someone can help me.

Is flex time common? e.g. 7 to 3, 10 to 6 etc. The employer says it is allowed, but I'd like to get an idea of how common it is.

Since the city is famous for its bars, should I assume that I will be more or less obliged to hang out with co-workers outside of work? I know that no one will shoot me if I don't, but I don't want to look like a weirdo.

Many thanks.

POW148

Hi

Australia work place is committed to a work / lifestyle balance. Flex time is part of that balance. You will find that most employers are approachable for their employees to work the hours that best suit their workers. However, work core hours must be addressed to ensure that business needs are met.

I have a bit of a drive to get to work and found it impossible to get my wife out the house before 7am to enable an 8am start. I now do a 8.30 start which is good for me. No arguements in the morning and the boss gets the work place open for a further 30 minutes at the end of the day as I finish 30 minutes later than everyone else.

As for the drinks after work, I dont think you will be frowned upon for not attending. I would recomend that you try and make the effort every so often. Prehaps you could drop into the conversation that you have commitments else where but managed to get out of them for tonight and wanted to spend time out of the office with your work collegues.

It is frowned upon in the Australian workplace to go drinkng at lunch time so my advice is to give that one a wide berth. No more liquid lunches over here.

Good luck

FeeFee

Thanks for your advice POW148. That's very helpful. They probably don't encourage drinking at lunch here either, so I think that's very reasonable.

Cheers.

Vim Fuego

What all of them? Work/Life Integration more like.

I am clearly living in a parallel universe, but I don't mind