The other thing that continues to surprise me is that despite the conservative business environment, Australians are, in fact, early adopters. This morning has been pretty, but I like it that way. Asking your coworker whats been inspiring them is great if you work in a more creative or artistic field, or in a field where new technologies and ideas are constantly being developed and discussed. I'll never forget my initial shock when I was invited to a summer beach party with work, and told in no uncertain terms that we all needed to bring our thongs. Entry and Advancement in the Australian Workplace showing interest in your coworkers can really help you in your career. You probably know by now that making small talk is an essential communication skill. Traffic or the daily commute, especially in major cities, Recent viral YouTube videos making the rounds, Local sporting events, especially if the team is having a good season, Major television or entertainment events, like the Super Bowl, the Oscars and the Grammys, but only if theyve happened recently, Popular TV programs, Netflix, and Amazon series, Local tourist attractions, especially if youre new to the area, Weekend plans, if its Thursday or Friday, Upcoming holiday plans, especially if a long weekend or a major holiday is approaching, Upcoming vacation plans, if its a high travel season like the summer or school vacations, Recent weekend trips or vacations, if you know theyve come back from one, Compliments on a new hairstyle, especially if it was a major change, Compliments on an article of clothing or an accessory, Questions about where to buy specialty items that you know your coworker is interested in, such as gourmet food, cool shoes or jewelry, Food, especially if youre at a meeting where food is provided or its breakfast or lunchtime. After she claimed I threatened to kill her and I was forced to apologize (obviously is was untrue as the conversation was witnessed by another coworker) she continued speaking to me as if nothing happened at all. Australians do great work, but it often feels like they do "just enough", rather than volunteering for challenging projects, starting early and finishing late, and consistently going the extra mile. We use cookies to make our website easier to use and to make the content you see more relevant to your needs. These short chats help you to learn a little bit more about your colleagues and help them to see you as a person as well. 7 Inappropriate Conversation Topics in the Workplace What is a suitable topic? When youre asked a version of this question, simply say, Im happy to share! and then give some details. Cultural diversity takes on a new meaning when you work in Australia. Once again, I encourage you to keep it positive, but you may be able to ask the other person for some help or some advice. Benefit from top class thought leadership, ugm consulting based in sydney, australia - operating in australia and internationally, well established by researchers such as Amy Edmondson. This information is collected anonymously and we cannot identify you personally from this information. You dont want to ask someone who hates sports if they saw last nights game, or someone who doesnt own a TV if they watched the latest episode of this years hot show. Great Britain = Similar to Australia, the British tend to prefer conservative, classic clothes and aim for darker colours like black, dark blue, and grey. Australians have a unique set of business etiquette rules in comparison with other business cultures. Psychology Today 2023 Sussex Publishers, LLC. The proximity to Asia and the fact we are in the same time zone means there are enormous opportunities across the continent for Aussies. Published December 9, 2021 in Teamwork Dominic Price Work Futurist 5-second summary Feeling connected to your colleagues isn't about high-fives at the office. This also gives you something to talk about the next time you see each other. Emphasize the upside. In the work context, it means projects that will begin shortly. Children learn the most valuable lessons with other children, away from adults. Here it's a given that a) you work hard so a few minutes here and there don't matter and b) you're an adult! So how can you prepare for ice-breakers when the best thing to do is to pick up on the thread? In a recent article on the topic, management experts Bob Frisch and Cary Greene summed it up this way, The chitchat, the side conversations that lift emotions and promote well-being is one way we strengthen and deepen relationships and is critical to building high performing teams. For these reasons, we encourage all our UGM clients to explore a range of ways they can intentionally facilitate in a virtual format those informal interactions that often arise spontaneously among colleagues who used to be face-to-face in the office every day. Learn four levels of intimacy. This balance seems to be intrinsically societal; that Australia has decided to place significant importance on being outside and spending time with family, as much so as working incredibly hard. Don't worry, the job will get done. These are just suggested ice-breakers that may help you develop more meaningful collegial relationships. In recent years, small talk has been belatedly recognized as a beneficial feature of everyday life. Drawing on our research, we offer managers and employees the following advice: Encourage new social rituals. Trust is built and then maintained. In other words, a script functions as a detailed guide outlining what behaviours are appropriate in a given situation. They found that though small talk was both uplifting and distracting to employees, the positives outweighed the negatives, and the negatives could be managed. Wow, thanks for letting me know! New online apps, such as Water Cooler, allow employees to pick a time to chat with coworkers about shared interests, hobbies, or fitness goals. Aside from the unforeseen amount of coffee I'm drinking here at work, I find there's surprisingly little bureaucracy and regulations when it comes to doing business in Australia. The biggest surprise for me was to learn how to navigate the business community here and build relationships. Im.quite I never know when Im.gonna offend someone. For example: "Beautiful day, isn't it?" "Lovely. During the COVID-19 pandemic, some of these topics may not seem relevant or appropriate. The tidbits we learn about our colleagues for instance, that they play guitar orlove dogs build rapport and deepen trust. The party turned out to be a rousing success, and those in attendance confirmed that it was one of the most interesting and stimulating social events that they had ever attended. Graham Jackson, CEO of Fluent Retail. In the Anglo-Australian context, individuals are more loosely connected and interact on a basis of equality than the Chinese. People contribute their best work, feel more committed and put in more discretionary effort when they experience their co-workers as people of goodwill towards them. I have Autism and am 22 years old. Small talk is important to us in other ways, putting us at ease and helping us transition to more serious topics like negotiations, job interviews, sales pitches, and performance evaluations. If you happen to mention a challenging situation in response to their small talk questions, this gives you a chance to go a little bit deeper. Required fields are marked *. As well as fostering trust, networks and connection, small talk also helps people transition from activity to activity throughout the working day. In short, being adept with small talk is an important component of your arsenal of social skills. Once again, it shows youre forward thinking. As you probably noticed, many of the previous questions were really focused on specific challenges or problems, but this question is a little more open-ended. I cant wait to hear more the next time I see you. Rena Phuah, Advertising product specialist at Allure Media. These minimum standards of employment include hours of work, flexible working arrangements and leave and related entitlements, amongst others. Naturally, the first thing you should do is greet your coworker with an enthusiastic Hey Jim! or Hi Carrie!. Despite the "give it a go" image, I'm always surprised that we tend to reward safe-playing mediocrity when we should be hugely more optimistic and competitive as a nation. They were also more willing to go out of their way to help their colleagues. Though easy, this approach is extremely effective: Research shows that employees feel the greatest sense of belonging at work when their coworkers simply text or email to ask how theyre doing. I've worked in Asia and the Middle East before Australia and I found the biggest surprise to working here was how direct people are in business. The expression on the horizon means something thats approaching, or something thats coming your way. That place where people share a joke, a coffee, lunch, Friday arvo drinks and really connect with each other. We also saw that conversations didnt have to be intimate or lengthy to deliver benefits. In this way, the powerful but subtle skills of small talk can be widely shared to benefit every hybrid team. Small talk is a big deal. What projects are keeping you busy these days? Here, I found it was quite the opposite. It's part of Australia's DNA and I see it reflected in our own business agile, diverse, innovative with speed to market as a key point of difference here and internationally. The first thing I noticed when I got my contract was the 8.30am start time. On the whole, it was clear to us that the positives of small talk outweighed the negatives and that those negatives could be managed. According to one study, 38% of Brits had small talks about the weather during their last 6 hours of the day. A C-level executive at a national IT services firm. Thank you so much for sharing. Our guide to Aussie slang: they say what? Walk My World Another reason I dont talk. Team members feel that their colleagues are competent and reliable, that they will make good on their promises and will give support when you need it. This may help you learn more about what they do. These brief, casual conversations are a great way to get to know new people, but they can be even more important in the workplace.