Working abroad is all about discovery and cultural change. You have to get used to new ways of working, and it’s not just a question of the language barrier.
Following a survey, we collected the testimonies of several French people from the four corners of the world.
In Canada, the main difference with France is the ease of hiring. Young French people feel they can find a job more easily. Loïs, a French expatriate, has noticed the chance to prove herself. If it doesn’t work out, you’re fired the next day! So if you progress quickly and are resourceful and efficient, doors open very quickly. This can be explained by the more flexible job market in Anglo-Saxon countries. Vincent has found the same to be true in London.
In Asia, taking the initiative and proposing new ideas or projects in the workplace is not as highly regarded as it is in France. Emilie was very surprised by the absence of the concept of initiative among employees and by employers’ views.
In Dubai, the biggest cultural difference is the lunch break! In France, in a boui-boui: it’s a must. Not so in Dubai! Mouna tells us about her experience in her new marketing job. On her first day, her boss informed her that she was in charge of her own schedule. So for the first week she went to the company restaurant. Sometimes she would see her boss in a hurry with his briefcase. Mouna told herself he was in a hurry to go and eat… Until one day, when she took her boss’s remark in stride: “You know, Mouna, here it’s not like in France, we don’t have a lunch break!”
In Germany, we all know the clichés about German rigor. Job timing can be one of those clichés. But for Antonia, it’s more of a bad memory! “Yes, yes, the response time of my colleagues in customer service was timed!”
The “yes” syndrome in Vietnam. Christophe, an executive, says it best: “One of your Vietnamese colleagues will never say ‘no’ out of pride and conviction. On the other hand, it’s not at all obvious that he’ll give you back work that corresponds to your expectations and objectives, despite his efforts. It therefore takes longer to negotiate and implement an action within the company”.
In the end, it’s just a matter of adapting, as with everything. And beware of the biggest culture shock, perhaps in France! For Julie, after several years abroad, rediscovering the Franco-French corporate culture was sometimes a little difficult.
Whatever the country,expatriate insurance allows you to travel with peace of mind and concentrate on the most important thing: getting used to cultural differences!
