Attitute toward schedules/being on time UK vs US

Not sure if anyone has mentioned this before, but has anyone else noticed that British people are much more "casual" than Americans when it comes to showing up for things at a specified time.

For example, at the companies I've worked for in the US, if there was a 9AM meeting, people would start showing up before 10 minutes to 9. By 5 to 9, everyone (or almost everyone) would be sat in their seats, waiting for the meeting the start.  At 9AM on the dot, the door would be closed so no one else could get in the room, and the meeting would immediately start.

When I worked for a large company in the UK, if there was a 9 AM meeting, people would still be straggling in at 5 after 9. Then they would stand around chatting with each other, sometimes stepping out to get cups of tea or coffee. It would be at least 9:15 before the meeting would begin.

The same thing has happened with various groups outside work that I belong to.  Meetings/classes are scheduled to start at a certain time.  In reality, they can start a half hour later, because it's not until then that everyone has showed up, got a drink for themselves, etc.

I'm always the one who shows up at the time that has been announced, and then stands around waiting for everyone else to arrive.

Has anyone else noticed this?

It's not something I've noticed happening specifically, but that's probably because I'm used to the UK way of doing things. Reading through your post though, it does sound pretty normal for the UK (it also sounds like the kind of thing Michael McIntyre would make a joke about in one of his shows ), but I think it does depend on the formality of the setting.

We were told at work today that when we start our on-the-job training next Spring, we will be expected to turn up on time... and by 'on time', they mean 5 minutes early. However, we will be working with the UK military at RAF bases so timekeeping is going to be stricter there compared to other workplaces.

I'm always the one who shows up at the time that has been announced, and then stands around waiting for everyone else to arrive.

Has anyone else noticed this?

Yes! It drives me crazy! I wasn't sure if it was just my Army Brat upbringing-- but I did think it is much worse here in the UK.

No, I haven't noticed this.  What I have noticed is that the "US/UK differences" you keep bringing up nearly always depend on the region, the organisation, the individual people, etc etc etc.  I work for a school, and when we have classes or meetings, we always arrive on time, or earlier.  However, in the US, I was often annoyed by people being late.  I am pathologically early for everything, but I don't think that's down to my nationality, it's just me and my OCD.  My dad is American and he's always late, my mother is American and she's always early.  My MIL is British and she's always early, my DH is British and he tends to be late.  I don't get why people insist on trying to fit countries into tidy little niches, "the UK is like this but the US is like that" for every.single.thing.  Why put so much effort into generalising?   

I notice this and tend to chalk it up to public transport.  I think the overall attitude is more relaxed, like if you are late, people assume it is because of buses or whatnot.  Versus the US, where if you are late, it is assumed that you didn't plan, etc.

But that's just me.

Yep, I definitely have noticed it.  I remember once I was about a half an hour late to a meeting with a prospective client because of transport problems.  I was mortified, but the client was completely understanding and said it was not a big deal at all.  I was really surprised!

Yeah, I noticed it and I'm hardly one to start a whole US/UK thing. Even when I was teaching and classes, in theory, had to start at a set time, I found the staff relaxed. I agree with Geeta, it did seem to have to tie in a lot to the reliance on public transportation.

The one place I worked where they tried to be hard assed about it was a place that was not really on public transport and was following an American business model.

I can't speak about it in the workplace since I haven't worked in the UK. But, yes, there is a different approach to time from workmen and people like that. When I lived in Pembrokeshire, everyone called it "Pembrokeshire time." And now that I live in Cornwall, I hear it called "Cornwall time."

(And neither place is really urban or reliant on public transport.)

Honestly, I don't really mind it. It definitely exists, but to me it's sort of nice not to be that tied to the clock all the time. I might think differently if it affected my job, but as it is I'm fine with it.

Where I worked in the UK they had flexi-hours. You just had to be in before 10, which is really nice when you're reliant on public transportation. I never worried that I was going to be late for work. Meetings were flexible, but I can't say I encountered anything in the US where you were locked out of a meeting if you were late. I wouldn't say that's the norm over there.

No, I haven't noticed this.  What I have noticed is that the "US/UK differences" you keep bringing up nearly always depend on the region, the organisation, the individual people, etc etc etc.    

Are you talking about me?

I certainly understand that there are regional, organisational, individual differences. I wouldn't expect someone in the UK military to show up whenever they feel like it.

On the other hand, the UK and US are different countries with different cultures and ways of doing things. That's why there are several large threads (none of which I've started) on UKY whether on not people should be rinsing dishes after washing them. That's why there are threads on this board about culture shock and a whole forum called "Homesickness and Hard Times".

I don't think it's all about public transport though, as I moved from a place in the US (New York City) where many people use public transport.

ETA: Not locked out of a meeting in the US, but the door was closed so if you came in late you created an embarrassing little scene.

It hasn't seemed different to me.  The only difference in coming to meetings I've spotted is that most business meetings I go to here have a time set before the meeting for coffee/tea and greeting each other.  Some people take advantage of this time and come a bit late saying they'll just miss the cuppa.  People were often late for meetings I went to in the US too though.

It hasn't seemed different to me.  The only difference in coming to meetings I've spotted is that most business meetings I go to here have a time set before the meeting for coffee/tea and greeting each other.  Some people take advantage of this time and come a bit late saying they'll just miss the cuppa.  People were often late for meetings I went to in the US too though.

I agree with this, I notice that most business meetings start with a cup of tea/coffee and a biscuit, and at least 10-15 minutes chit chat about nonsense that isn't business before we get started with business. This is the case with clients as well, we usually make small talk for a good 20 minutes before the presentations start. I think it might be the case with different organisations and how busy people are. If we are super busy, meetings are prompt with no small talk.

For me it depends...  I lived in Miami- it was quite normal for folks to show up at least 15 minutes late and not think anything of it.  (And for a party, if it started at 8, you couldn't show up until 10!)

Here, most of the time, meetings start on time and end on time- if its scheduled for an hour, it lasts an hour. If you wanted it longer, you should have scheduled it longer.  Mostly it has to do with the fact that we want to leave work on time!  However, mind you, band practice is supposed to start at 7 and we're lucky if we're getting going at 7:15 with everyone there ready to play.

We get frustrated dealing with co-workers in Puerto Rico who definitely show up 15 minutes late, then folks in California who start 10 minutes late and keep the meeting going on for 1/2 an hour after.  
When we call Pennsylvania, they're on time but tend to go over time.

When we call China, Germany, Italy, the meeting starts bang on time and ends on time.

When we call Oz, we get varied responses- some on time, some not.  

So really, in my case, it all depends.

 However, mind you, band practice is supposed to start at 7 and we're lucky if we're getting going at 7:15 with everyone there ready to play.

That's musicians for ya! 

I’ve worked in three different countries and have noticed some things.  However, I don’t know how well I can compare them, two of the places I worked were not for profit’s and then the rest has been in finance in New York. 

In Germany I worked at a museum and people showed up on time, took exactly 60 minutes for lunch and then left a 5pm on the dot.  During business hours they didn’t discuss anything not work related.  I think that was the most startling to me.  Even when dealing with German investor’s years later I felt that they sort of threw everything at the purpose they were currently meant to be at.  In group meetings I could sometimes feel their unhappiness if we got off topic, or if one segment of the meeting ran long.

In London I worked at ISH, a nonprofit student organization.  Everyone worked really hard but seemed to take some time to chat throughout the day.  My boss was out the door at 5pm on the dot, however the underlings often stayed later and even showed up on the weekends.  I don’t think that her behavior was very indicative of British work culture, she just felt that she was above most of the work we did and even said on a few occasions how she couldn’t be bothered to pitch in. 

Here in New York every company I’ve worked at previously has really been on time.  People who showed up late would sometimes be embarrassed, and singled out.  One woman was fired because she could never turn up before 9:30.  It’s a bit more relaxed here, however I have a constant battle with the subway and despite leaving at the same time every day sometimes I arrive at 8:30 and other times 9:15.  It’s not indicative of my desire to be on time.  I just refuse to leave my UES apartment any earlier than 8 am for a 9 am job that really is only a 30 minute commute.

In the future I’ll be living in North London and probably commuting to somewhere in Central London and I’m sure that no matter how much I try to be on time, that the tube will occasionally mess me up. 

I think that different cultures really do have different approaches to work.  I think in NYC, we tend to be really abrupt and sometimes forget the niceties, please thank you and such.  In parts of Spain, Portugal, (and to my great annoyance a few years ago) Morocco they shut down everything for siesta.  I think it’s just one of those things that you have to go with the flow and do as the locals do.