calwich

I`m curious to know how the Canadian workplace culture compares with the UK. Fortunately I`m self employed now but in my early years here in Canada as an employee I found the workplace culture shocking. There was a prevailing coldness in the office, few people seemed to acknowledge each other with the friendly "hello" that I was so accustomed to in England. There was absolutely no humour in the workplace, no comaraderie, and an overriding obsession with seniority over merit. Has anyone come across the same thing or was I just unlucky?

dingbat

I think you were - but then I have also experienced that type of office too! It takes a little longer for people to warm up here; after a while (about a year) you will notice that it mellows a bit. I find that there are a few who will enjoy the fact that you are different, and will respond to you with interest after a while. The camaraderie is not the same, I have to admit, but much of that is a cultural difference (we go and pile in the pub to bond) and the Canadians have a Timmies. Guess which one is more fun. There is a "seniority over merit" culture, but that in fairness, (OK, this will choke me) was the same in the UK where I worked for ten years as a civil servant.

Iginla

I think you might be unlucky.

I find the hospital environment completely different to your experiences.

No overriding obsession with seniority over merit, lots of humour and in general morale a lot better than the bitterness of an NHS hospital. People are happy at what they are doing and don't have the feeling of being "stuck" in a job

ClareBC

Yep, unlucky. Mind you the humour is very different here .....


Clare

lee2

Where I work, I find there's a lot of teamwork and mutual respect, even though we're all quite different people culturally. It's a bit of a politically correct environment where I know raunchy humour would not go down well or would be misinterpreted. But I like the fact that it's not a sexist environment and in fact there's probably more female managers than male.

I find people are more private and reserved and far less likely to go out for a drink after work unless it's an official celebration, like somebody leaving or getting a promotion etc. It takes a while to get to know people. It's not that people aren't friendly. My colleagues treasure their private or family lives, particularly in a busy, stressful city like Toronto.

iaink

Doesnt sound like my workplace, I think you were just unlucky.

Interested

I agree with the others I think you were unlucky. I find my work colleagues to be open and friendly and it's a big office too.

I also find it much less hierachical here, I feel completely comfortable talking to the CEO of our Canada Offices, and there is no pretence amoung senior staff.

Maybe you should think about switching jobs.

Glaswegian

I work on site at a lot of companies and I find it varies from company to company.

If you have the right attitude, they'll like you.

I recently worked with a company that had a few Brits ... they do come across as really critical ... I got really aware of the humor gap.

wizzard

I've never really noticed the humour difference. I find it to be fairly similar to that with my friends back in England. The guys at work seem to respond to the same kind of humour. Perhaps it depends on generation as well. I should imagine people closer to my age in their early to mid 20's say grew up with a much more common entertainment base. Similar movies and tv shows and so forth. But really you just have to go to the BBC Canada shop and stuff to see how well all the UK comdey shows do over here, even the older ones which dislpay a much larger culture gap.

I find the workplace here much more relaxed than those I experienced in the UK.

Drew

mrs. liftman

I don't know how things are in Canada, but the people I work with are very thoughtful. The surgeon's and anaesthatist's take the time to thank the team for a pleasant list; am,pm or all day.

We bring in cake for peoples birthdays. If its a really big case the surgeon arranges lunch for everyone and and we all brings in sweets to keep us going and CD's for us to listen to.

Even if it's been a really sh***y day everyone feels valued from the auxilliary up to the team leader.

LegB4Wicket

As one who has never worked in Britain, it would be unfair for me to compare the two cultures; nevertheless, I find many Canadians watch the clock far too much and cannot wait to sit in rush hour congestion on their drive home to the suburbs.

That being said, younger employees tend to more responsive to 'bonding activities'. But it is true most Canadians lack a proper sense of humour and often become offended very easily in this age of victim culture.