A lot of you might just be curious travelers that want to learn about local treasures and the culture of the country in broad terms. I am sorry to disappoint you with such a boring blog post as this then. I promise to write something about nice local restaurants, bars and clubs at some point ;)
For me it is more interesting to write about everyday matters experienced in different countries. The life beyond the touristic experience, the everyday hussle and bussle og things. The things we love and hate about living and working in another country. Where do we get stuck? What kind of cultural ¨caramels¨ are difficult to swallow for you? I certainly have had a lot of funny discussions with other expats about certain moments here in the Netherlands which were related to cultural differences.
One example is at work. In Norway for example you will stay home if you are sick, just for a few days to get better (of course not if it is just a little cold!). Here in the Netherlands the Dutch are very committed to their jobs, no matter how low paid it is or crappy tasks that awaits them everyday, I know of Dutch people diagnosed with brain cancer that STILL insist of coming to work everyday until the end (and yes he did have money to sustain himself even without a job!). Or a less dramatic and more common thing I saw in many of my previous colleagues; 40 C fever, barely possible to breathe....sinusitis or ulcers or stuff like that and they WILL still go to work unless they have to crawl (or maybe even then?) For what I ask myself?! Are you really productive (other that as a virus spreader...) when you are in that state ?! I think not, why not stay home for 2 days and avoid spreading your germs around you to everyone else in the office for 2 weeks and subsequently contaminate the rest of the work-force?
For me the logic is simple, if you are sick it is better to stay home if it is serious. Get better and more productive, be strong an effective or do not be there at all;) But maybe that is just the viking in me talking. I certainly know that if I had my own business I would not care much for germ spreaders hehehe!
In the UK I they were not that fussed, if you were sick you were just that...sick. You did not need to work from home or stuff like that, but rather take it easy until you got better. The big difference there for a Norwegian was the horribly low salary. Most people there live at their parents place until the age of 30-35! The housing prices are simply so high and the salaries so low that it is impossible to move out earlier apparently! (I moved out at the age of 16....not saying that this is a good thing, just comparing;)
What I DO like about Dutch work ethic is that they are a people of entrepreneurs. You have to look long and hard to meet a more motivated folk and dedicated hard workers. I think it has just become an expectation from Dutch managers that employees show up at work no matter how ill they are. I just wonder how this is supposed to be a good thing in the work-force?
In Norway I started working from the age of 13, I was always a very dedicated and hard worker (at least I think so and as far as I know my employers there as well). So what is annoying with the Norwegian work culture, or funny at the least? Oh let me tell you we are certainly not perfect either hehehe. What I like and what I experienced at least was that your team becomes your 2nd family. Sometimes you love em, and sometimes well...maybe not so much! What I dislike is that we hate to give direct feedback, we tend to whisper behind our colleague's back in fear of being rejected or land in a conflict. Me and one of my Norwegian friends here in the Netherlands discussed it yesterday and us Norwegians we are simply put, very conflict shy. We have hidden opinions (and let's be honest, what is the point of that!) I could go on and on about how this is not one bit productive and a very negative trait in my people, but I think we all understand why this is not productive (obviously!;)
In England it was a bit like that as well, but the English is better at praising you as well when you do something good at work (they have to with that salary ;). Us Norwegians are not so good at this either and the Dutch? Well so far I do not find them very good in the praising department, however I must say it really depends where you work and the age of those you work with.
As with most things when you work abroad, there is pros and cons to consider. My advice to Norwegians that go to work in the Netherlands would be. Be prepared for a direct culture, to work hard when you are sick, to get inspired and push yourself to become better even if you are great at what you do. Be prepared to discuss and dare to dream. There is no ¨Jantelov"over here, you are allowed to brag a little, but as the Dutch say ¨doe even normaal!¨ (do not get carried away!)
Copyright: 40tbfacts.com (2015)
Until next time peeps!
xAnnie
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