Disclaimer: The content is translated from Traditional Chinese by AI. We’re reviewing all translations manually to ensure the accuracy!

Differences in working culture between the UK and Hong Kong

When I'm in Hong Kong, I often hear a lot of information about “Europe's Work-Life Balance (Work-Life Balance)” and “Asia has the highest working hours in the world.” After working in the UK for a year, I have experienced the importance that Europeans place on work-life balance, and have gradually become accustomed to this work environment and pace. The following is just my personal experience working in Hong Kong and the UK. I believe that companies, whether in Asia or Europe, have all kinds of different work cultures, can't be generalized in one way or another.

• Work culture: working hours
• Work culture: management
• Work culture: cultural exchange
• Work culture: focus on personal development
• Working environment: office and work from home (WFH)
• Labor Legislation: Holidays and MPF
  

Work culture: working hours

When working in Hong Kong, it is common for everyone to work overtime outside of the contractual working hours, and colleagues or supervisors are not grateful for this. Employees are used to working long hours and are more likely to leave the office after their boss has left work. Some bosses even ask to handle business during the weekend, feeling that every moment is inseparable from work and sleepless.

In the UK, my contracted working hours are Monday to Friday from 9AM to 5:30 PM, including an hour for lunch. What's more, no one cares if you actually go online at 9 o'clock, and no one says you have to leave at 5:30 PM. The UK has a clear End Of Day (EOD), and some companies also have a culture of “leaving work at 3 o'clock on Friday”.

Of course, this is also closely related to your team or job description. Everyone in my old team left work on time, so at one point, I worked in the office after 5:30 PM. My manager walked over with his backpack (ready to leave the company) and asked me, “Why haven't you gone home yet?” Then I learned that many of my colleagues who work here all have the concept of “unless this job is really urgent, just leave it until tomorrow”. You should enjoy your spare time to the fullest, and don't write about work.

Currently, due to the need to work with an American team, sometimes it takes 6 or even 7 o'clock to finish. Also, I adjust my schedule throughout the day, such as starting work at 10 o'clock or taking a longer break in the middle.

Work culture: management

Hong Kong usually adopts the upper and lower management methods, and supervisors will directly tell employees what to do. Other than that, management is also far superior. Other than the company's annual activities, there are simply few opportunities to see them. The idea of class within the company is quite strong. Apart from management having private offices, it is also difficult to convince senior management to take responsibility for new ideas and projects.

In contrast, Western management culture usually adopts an open policy, and management will adopt this approach if employees find a better way to work. It is relatively easy for companies in the UK to talk and interact with senior management. When I was an intern at an international company in the UK, my manager took me to see the department's vice president (Vice President). As a friendly person, apart from remembering my previous reports, she also welcomed me to contact her. Most management is very supportive of the personal development of their subordinates. Shortly after I joined my new job, I proposed a project idea with my boss. My boss asked me to write a simple plan without saying anything, hoping I could make my name shine. Afterwards, she helped me report back to higher management to apply for funding and execute plans. My boss emphasized, “You are not my subordinates, but my companions.” , the whole team went up and down, and made progress together.

‍

‍

Work culture: cultural exchange

The company I used to work for in Hong Kong had colleagues from different countries, but the boss didn't encourage us to understand the culture of our foreign colleagues or create a diverse atmosphere. The main thing was for foreign colleagues to cooperate and adapt to the working environment in Hong Kong.

Since the UK's own workforce comes from different countries, most companies have a diverse culture. My company regularly hosts events representing local cultures: such as Chinese New Year, Indian Lantern Festival, etc. In addition to making colleagues in a foreign country feel more like they belong, it also lets other colleagues learn about local culture.

Work culture: focus on personal development

Most Western countries focus on individualism. In the West, the individual employee is more important than the company as a whole. However, the Eastern comparison side is more important than the enterprise as a whole. Therefore, many Hong Kong companies decide on the recruitment of employees based on manpower vacancies in each department, so that the employees being transferred need to do a series of training for themselves or for which they are not interested.

In contrast, the British corporate culture places great emphasis on the individual development of each employee. For them, employees are the company's capital. When planning personnel changes in each department, the company will first consult the individual wishes of employees. I've seen many examples of people moving from the marketing department to the product department, or from engineer to product manager. Furthermore, most companies partner with at least one online learning platform to provide employees with a free learning platform. Some companies also have yoga classes, personal nutrition and goal setting workshops.

‍

‍

Work environment: office and work from home (WFH)

Most offices in Hong Kong have their own designated locations, and the upper eccentrals have their own private offices. This has led to a stronger sense of class within the company and a greater sense of distance between management.

On the contrary, most British companies have a very thoughtful and inclusive office environment to protect the physical and mental health of every employee. My company has installed a lift table and a charger for any electronic equipment in every seat. In addition to prayer rooms, private work spaces, there are also office facilities for the disabled. The company has a variety of drinks, snacks, and fruits for employees to choose from to keep them motivated to work. Since our company uses Open Planning (Open Planning), there are no private offices for senior management. The management also sits with everyone, and the relationship is very good.

In addition, many Hong Kong companies have strict rules on working from home. Employees must go back to the office unless they have a special reason. British companies' work-from-home policies are very relaxed, and many companies don't force employees to return to the office every week.

Labor Legislation: Maternity/Pending Maternity Leave and MPF

Maternity leave for women and maternity leave for men in Hong Kong are divided into 10 weeks and 5 days. The average paid maternity leave in the UK is 26 weeks, plus 26 weeks of additional maternity leave. A total of 52 weeks of maternity leave allows female employees to get fit and take care of newborn babies. However, the paternity leave for men is 1 or 2 weeks, and employees are free to choose. Of course, these are only the minimum guarantees stipulated by law. Many British companies have their own policies to provide higher benefits to their employees.

Also, participation in Hong Kong's MPF (MPF) or Provident Fund Plan (ORSO) is compulsory, and employers and employees are required to make mandatory contributions. However, the UK's Pension Plan (Pension Plan) is self-selected, and employees can choose not to participate in the plan. Most of the contribution ratios in the UK are for the most part where employers provide more than employees, so that employees can get better benefits from it.

Conclusion

Based on my personal experience, I enjoy the British work culture even more. Furthermore, depending on the industry and the size of the company, every company has a different work culture. Many of the specific examples shared this time are based on my company situation and do not represent all Hong Kong/UK companies. I have many friends who work in the financial industry in the UK, and they have mentioned to me that their experiences are different from mine. At any rate, the most important thing is to respect your self-worth and choose a job you enjoy!