Attitute toward schedules/being on time UK vs US

we start meetings pretty much on time here.  Most of the time we're too busy not to, so people are really pretty good about it.  And at home, same deal. 

I will say though, that it is slightly more..relaxed here, maybe?  Like, when we have the tube strike (and will tomorrow!), if you can work from home, our company (well, my boss) is fine with that.  He doesn't see the hassle in trying to shove onto already crowded other methods of transport if I can do the same job (essentially) from home.

When we had the transit strike in NY?  it was ridiculous.  We were expected to get in the office no matter what.  The first day was forgiven as we really didn't know down to the wire if it was going to happen, but after that, you were getting yourself in the office. 

The NYC transit strike was a nightmare, and it was even worse because of how cold out it was.  My employer at the time had an internal car service and he picked me up and drove me home, so I was lucky.  I just felt awful for all the people who actually walked over the various bridges to get to work. 

I definitely agree that there is a more "relaxed" attitude here for being on time compared to the US (Well, I'm from New England, so I won't represent all of the US on this.)

I also noticed people aren't just "late" for meeting up, but also when returning a phone call or email.  It's just not as urgent here as it is in the US.

I realized what the difference is with public transport. Like SB15 says, in New York you would be expected to come in on time no matter what. So people would just get  into work early just in case there was a problem with the trains or buses

For example, if the official work starting time was 9:00 AM, usually almost everyone would be in the office between around 8:30 and 8:40, just in case there was a problem with public transportation (or a traffic problem, if they drove in.) So if there was a transportation delay, they would (almost always) still be on time. In fact, I used to work for a company in New York  where the CEO would walk around the office at 8:30 (official starting time 9AM)  saying hello to everyone - we all knew that he was really checking to see who was in by that time and who wasn't.

My experience in the UK was that if work officially, started at 9:00, people would usually get in around 9:00.  If there was a train/bus/traffic problem, they would just come in late.

In New York, if your train or bus wasn't running for some reason, you were expected to find an alternative way to get there and show up  on time anyway.  Transport problems were not seen as a valid excuse for lateness.

Maybe in NY they were a little more reliable?  I don't know, as I have never lived in NY, but my bus is supposed to go every ten minutes. 

So far this week I have had to wait about 25 each day for going in to work. 

I know the subway can be delayed (or on strike!) but it seems like less of an issue than a bus.  Car accidents slow things down at least once a week. 

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. 

That work culture would work so well for me. I'm a big fan of work during work time and personal during personal time.

My lecturers are almost always late starting class (one in particularl is really bad about it). I can't say that it's a Scottish thing, though, as my classmates sit there, checking their watches and wondering what the delay is. OTOH, church starts exactly on time.  I'm used to it starting 5 or 10 minutes late to let a few more people show up, but that is not the case with this parish.

Quote from: Sscarllet on Yesterday at 03:14:29 PM
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.


That work culture would work so well for me. I'm a big fan of work during work time and personal during personal time "quote"

I haven't quite figured out the quote thing here yet.

I loved it as well, but it only really work if you have enough work to do.  Right now I'm bored out of my mind!

Maybe in NY they were a little more reliable?  I don't know, as I have never lived in NY, but my bus is supposed to go every ten minutes.  

So far this week I have had to wait about 25 each day for going in to work.  

I know the subway can be delayed (or on strike!) but it seems like less of an issue than a bus.  Car accidents slow things down at least once a week.  

I could be wrong, but I think unreliable buses and trains are the norm in most places. The difference is, in New York, I was taught to assume that the buses/trains were going to be late.
For example, if the bus schedule says that the bus is going to stop in front of my destination at 7:30, I assumed that it wouldn't get there before 10 minutes to 8, and I adjusted my schedule accordingly, taking an earlier bus if  I need to. I didn't show up 20 minutes late and blame it on the buses.

Yeah, I'm the same.  Granted, I'm an early bird and prefer to get into the office around 8 or earlier (so nice and quiet and you can get so much more done!) so I'm rarely "late" even if there is a massive delay, just late by my schedule, I guess. 

I think some of it may depend on the corporate culture, though.  My old company I had bosses who did similar things (showing up early, strolling around) and the times when people arrived and left were definitely noticed.  If you left before 6, it was a strike against you.    At my new company, the same level of performance is expected - but not the same hours.  I don't feel like we have this need for "face time".  If you do your job and you are done by 5 and there is no need for you to stay late, by all means, go home.    I like this a lot more.  I hated the feeling (at my old company) that I was leaving early when I already put in a 10 or 11 hour day, simply because my boss hadn't left yet.

It was definitely an adjustment when I moved.  There was some sort of issue with the tube early on, and it took me about 2 hours or so to get to work that morning, and I rushed in, all worried about how it would reflect on me, and nobody cared, as they heard about the tube issue. 

I haven't quite figured out the quote thing here yet.

There's a "Quote" link at the top right of each person's comment that'll put that comment in quote tags for you. You can click on the quote link for more than one comment. On the modified page you get when you're replying it say "Insert Quote" but it's in the same place

I was always arrived early for my old job, but then I worked in a bookstore.  I had to be there so people were served.  Same with my last job in an office.  

I suppose my current job doesn't mind.  We all work different hours and different days so as long as I put in my hours they don't mind.  

There's a "Quote" link at the top right of each person's comment that'll put that comment in quote tags for you. You can click on the quote link for more than one comment. On the modified page you get when you're replying it say "Insert Quote" but it's in the same place

Thanks!

At my current job (in NYC) everyone is always telling me that it's run like a midwestern company.  A lot of people seem to stroll in after 9am, and the few times I've been delayed due to the subway, no one even noticed.  I do work in a department that puts in a huge amount of OT.  I know that I said I was bored earlier, and I am, but this is truley strange for my job.  I think that because we so often work late into the night that the c level people don't care if we walk in at 9:20 occationally, or even duck out a bit early after a crazy week or two. 

This is the fourth place I've worked in the city and its the only place that hasn't been a stickler for time.

Slightly OT, but speaking of working late into the night, one thing that I find a bit odd is that office buildings in the UK  close early in the evening.  In the US, in New York,  I would sometimes work till 8 or 9 PM, stepping to get something to eat so I could have dinner in the office around 6ish. The building was open 24 hours a day.

I've worked in two places in the UK. One was a large corporation that had its own office  building.  Around 7 PM, the security guards start telling people to leave. DH and I now have our own company in a building that houses offices for a lot of different companies.  The front door closes at around 5:30 and the back gate is locked at around 7:00.

That work culture would work so well for me. I'm a big fan of work during work time and personal during personal time.

I have read all of the posts on this subject and your attitude is the closest to my views.

I saw a lot of window dressing or kissing up going on when I worked in an office.

I do have a life outside of work and I work to live and not live to work.

I thought we had learned a lesson in recent times about employer and employee loyalty?