The Indian work culture has always been a subject to discussion, and once again on Tuesday, this has become a point of discussion and comparison with UK work culture on social media. An Indian man who is currently working and staying in the UK, shared on his social media 5 workplace habits that he learnt from his colleagues in the UK. He vouched that those habits changed his perception of the 9-5 work culture, however the discussion left social media users in doubts and opened a discussion around work culture and boundaries.
What is the social media post on work culture?
Sumit Rajwar posted on his social media handle that his work experience in London has helped him better understand productivity. He wrote, earlier he thought long work hours equals productivity, but that completely changed when he worked in the UK, he understood efficiency, boundaries and life-work balance. He used the term ‘5pm proof’, where he explained that people in the UK actually leave at 5pm with ‘no guilt’ and no pretending to work late – it is simply a break between work and life. Explaining the concept of silent focus hour, he said, in the UK when it is time to work, the complete office turns into ‘quiet, focused mode’, where there are zero interruptions and to his surprise this increased productivity. Talking about workplace social, Rajwar wrote that while outings with a team are common in the UK, they still manage to balance fun and responsibility, he stated this as an ability to ‘Somehow manage both with impressive precision’.
How is Out-Of-Office time treated?
He explained the concept of ‘O.O.O’ which means that a person isn’t available on email, call and won’t be pressurised to check and revert on work. He also pointed out on straightforward taking time off, writing that annual leave requires “no dramatic approvals or justifications – just trust and good planning.”
This social media post raised doubts and observations, and opened a comparison between Indian and UK work cultures, and many called the latter’s approach healthier and more sustainable.
One user wrote, “Not sure where you have worked in the UK, but leaving at 5PM is just a fantasy. ” Another user wrote , “A lot of people working in London have long commutes and trains to catch,” another user wrote in contrast, mentioning how leaving late could jeopardise people’s travel time.
