Learning from China

The Chinese have a very strong work ethic. They often work much more than just 8 hour work days and they get their work done as quickly as possible. Sometimes they work so hard and so quick they are often told by their bosses to take a rest during the work day. It is not uncommon for Chinese workers to take naps during the work day and when they are working for 12 hours straight it is easy to understand why that is.  In many companies in America workers are putting in more hours now they have in the past.

 It is easy to get so consumed and caught up in major projects and get so overwhelmed by large amounts of work that resting is overlooked. When many people are rushing to get ahead and climb the “corporate ladder” it is easy for people to over work themselves. Giving employees areas to rest and relax in their work places is a very good idea. Although at first glance taking a nap during a hectic work day may seem lazy or counter –productive naps have been found to have very positive effects on people’s work performance.

Relationships are very important to the Chinese. Business relationships go much deeper than just networking, Chinese feel much better doing business with good friends than with people they just met. They spend a lot of time getting to know their coworkers very well and becoming friends before any business is actually discussed. Because of this socializing outside of the office is very common for them. Often a host will take potential business partners and coworkers out to dinner or out to a bar to get to know them and establish a closer personal relationship with them.

These kinds of relationships can be very useful to workers in America as well. Being friends with the people you work with and knowing those people as more than just coworkers can help create a positive atmosphere in the office and create high morale. Having an area that promotes socializing among workers can be very useful. Having some sort of coffee shop or lounge in the work space other than just a break room may inspire workers to discuss their ideas and projects with their peers in a setting that is a bit more fun and inspiring than a plain boring break room.