differences b/t working in UK and US?

Anyone who has worked here in the UK and in the US, have you noticed any differences?
I've noticed longer lunches, more pub breaks, afternoon drinking, less stress on dress code, more physical (non sexual) contact...  would anyone agree/disagree?


CP

The one thing I really noticed it that people don't think TWICE about going to the pub for lunch -- AND having a pint with lunch.  As for clothes -- no -- haven't really noticed anything THAT different (except the prices when shopping!)

Don't even mention touchy feely!  My boss is a complete and TOTAL PIG!
ewwwwwwwwww 

My boss and I go out to lunch together about once every 6 weeks or so - and it's so cool that I can have a drink with him when we do that.

Also, if I ask for holiday time, no one gives me any grief.  Of course, it's still difficult for me to actually ask for the time...still not used to having 20 days of holiday time!

I notice they tend to be a bit more lax about people calling in sick........even when people use the 'under the duvet' type of sick leave. Back at my old work in the states, unless you were dead or in the ER, you better call within 1 hour of your starting time. Here, I've seen up until 4 pm for a call in without so much as a bat of the eye!

Also, if I ask for holiday time, no one gives me any grief. Of course, it's still difficult for me to actually ask for the time...still not used to having 20 days of holiday time!

Ha ha! I totally know what you're talking about. I keep asking my boss "would it be okay with you if I took such and such day off" And she just looks at me funny and says "Uh, yeah. It's your holiday!" She really doesn't care.

And doctors appointments are so much more easier to take here. My job is very supportive. Plus, if I'm 5 or so minutes late then they don't care. They know I'll make it up sometime and it's not a big deal.  At my last job I would have had that on my file!

I find everything much more laid back and I LOVE it. I feel like I'm actually given the right to watch over myself and not worry about everyone else watching me.

And I do love the drinking culture here. It's very sociable. My boss doesn't drink but I love going out with the workmates for a drink.

You are all making me very jealous! I loved working in England; even tho it was for an American company.... I noticed how much more laid back they were over there. I got really ill once and they said they felt bad they couldnt pay me "sick time" because I was on a student visa and wasnt allowed it. I said, "Sick time? Im only working part time anyway!" They laughed and said, "You still get sick time!" Wow!!!!!!!!! *green with envy from your posts!*

I think the holiday entitlement is fantastic.  I work part-time (only 4 hours a day) and I'm entitled to 28 days of holiday a year!  It does take some getting used to--not having to beg for a day off for a doctor's appointment or whatever, especially when compared to my previous job (teaching), where I practically had to present a death certificate to get a day off (or even a half day). 

Overtime is also nice.  While I'm not paid for overtime, I get to save up the time and take it whenver I want.  I don't have to submit any forms or give three weeks' notice...it's weird to just say, "Hey, I'm gonna take Thursday off", to my co-workers and they're like "Okay.  See you Friday."  I guess that's a perk of working for a small organisation--much less red tape and bureaucratic crap!

I think any half decent boss KNOWS that employees give their best when they know they are valued.

It pays - literally - to be flexible.

Whichever country you are in.

It pays - literally - to be flexible.

Whichever country you are in.

Tell that to my old American boss. Man, he was such a butthole.

Here in america...in my experience anyway...you may earn vacation and sick time (not much) but you're made to feel guilty for taking it. People come to work while sick just for fear of losing their jobs if they don't.

I can't wait for my US hubby to see the 'working part of life' in UK .   He started a new job 4 months ago and is unable to even begin taking any vacation time until NEXT June!!!! As for sick day's.. well, once you have worked over 90 days, you are entitled to 4 hours for every month you have worked.

I tell him about how much more laid back it is to work in the UK and he can't even get over the amount of bank holidays etc we have!

Right now, he loses 12 hours a week just driving back and forward to work - he leaves the house roughly about 7am and does not get back home until 7pm! and on his day's off, he is just too tired to do anything! 

It's going to be nice to see those shadows fade from round his eye's

Pauline

Tell that to my old American boss. Man, he was such a butthole.

Yeah, most of them are.

This is encouraging.  I actually find myself relaxing a bit and looking forward to working here (when I get back with my spousal visa and can work).  I HATED working in the States...it was MISERABLE!!!  I have a very low immune system and getting sick for me means I can't work, I stay in bed.  It will be nice being in a place that actually cares when you're sick instead of making you bring in a hospital's note in order to keep your job.

I tell him about how much more laid back it is to work in the UK and he can't even get over the amount of bank holidays etc we have!

hmm, the Uk has 8 bank holidays a year, the US has 10 federal holidays.

Unfortunately not everyone gets all of those US federal holidays off. Here at Sprint we only get 6 (New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day) of them and I'm sure if they could cut them more, they would.

I always feel guilty when I go back to the US and see my friends and family working like dogs.  I basically work four days a week on full pay (on the 5th they pay for me to get my master's), get 2 months holiday a year (30 days normal, plus the week between christmas and new years plus bank holidays) and my boss will not let me work overtime, so when I do I have to take days off to make up for it... 

One thing I don't like though is that people, at least where I work, don't take their jobs very seriously.  They don't work very hard, but always complain about how much work they have to do.