How well do you think you understand your American employees?
As more foreign companies set up shop in the US and employ locals, there is a growing need to better understand American workers-their culture, values and history. Failing to appreciate the differences between these workers and those from your home country causes misinterpretations and misunderstandings. These, in turn, create a negative work environment and decreased productivity.
Looking at American workers and their behavior through a foreign lens can be deceiving. For example, I have recently heard several Italian professionals working in the USA say that Americans are not as loyal to their companies or as hard-working as Italians. They point to their American colleagues’ “unwillingness to go above and beyond their job descriptions,” or not wanting to be a part of something bigger than themselves.
Is this true?
Let’s take a look at 5 things you might be seeing in your American employees, and what it might mean.
1. They often prefer to work independently, rather than be part of something bigger.
America is an extremely individualistic culture (Hofstede, 1980). Americans have been raised with a “do-it-yourself” mentality, and believe they should master their tasks alone. They appreciate autonomy, independence and a sense of control. American employees may react negatively if forced to do something with others that they know they could do by themselves. Similarly, Americans can feel micromanaged and resentful towards an employer who is frequently over-monitoring their work.
2. They don’t seem to do more than their job requirement
Americans like rules (Trompenaars). They also prefer carefully planned-out lists. Lists, like rules, are easy to follow. If an employer has listed the job responsibilities of a position, most Americans will follow and stick to it. They may feel uncomfortable going out of the parameters of their position. What may appear like a lack of initiative to an employer may just be someone feeling unsure if they have the authority or permission to go beyond the responsibilities of their position. Employers should communicate exactly what they want to their American employees, and specifically let them know whether going outside one’s job responsibilities is welcome.
Additionally, Americans are transactional. If the workday is supposed to end at a certain time, and you ask them to stay late or work weekends too often, it will not sit well with them. Compensation in some form, either through extra pay or time off, will be expected.
3. They would rather stay in and get things done than spend time developing relationships with their colleagues.
Americans have a strong work ethic. They are achievement and action-oriented. You may see that for Americans, getting tasks done is often valued above taking time to develop relationships. Americans aren’t trying to be antisocial. They are just driven to get things done as productivity is a priority. Just check their “to-do” lists.
4. They seem abrupt and too direct with others, and frequently in a rush.
As a result of being so achievement and task-oriented, time is one of America’s dearest resources. When communicating, especially in a professional setting, brevity and conciseness is their preferred form of communication.
Time is to be used efficiently, so many may sit at their desk eating a cold sandwich while doing their work to “kill two birds with one stone.” Punctuality is valued, and completing meetings, workshops, etc. on time is appreciated. Being organized and using tools like agendas is also important to them as it helps them maximize their time. If Americans feel their time is being disrespected, they feel like they are being disrespected.
5. They don’t spend more than about 5 years with the same company
In the past, Americans would spend decades with one company. In return for their hard work and loyalty, their companies gave them secure employment, pensions, supplemental health care upon retirement, small percentage payments on their healthcare premiums, and often profit sharing through stock options.
But thanks to globalization, the Market crash of 2008, the pandemic, and “at-will” employment, this unwritten “psychological contract” (Ito) broke. Americans became skeptical after they and their parents were quickly let go as companies traded dedication to employees to dedication to the bottom line and shareholders. So indeed, it may be that Americans won’t sacrifice family and personal time for their company as they once did before. It is a complicated issue, and if you’d like to learn more about it, I wrote a newsletter dedicated to the topic that you can access here.
It’s important to remember that understanding the culture of all your employees, in this case Americans, is crucial in creating a positive work environment. With this knowledge, you can communicate more effectively with them. This will make your employees feel more understood and respected, increasing their job satisfaction, employee retention rate, and the productivity of your company.
“Home.” MindTools, www.mindtools.com/a5ce21r/the-seven-dimensions-of-culture. Accessed 28 June 2024.
Ito, A. (2024, January 22). How loyalty died in the American workplace. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/loyalty-employee-employer-job-security-broken-work-companies-bosses-2024-1
Tidwell, Charles. Hofstede Individualism Traits, www.andrews.edu/~tidwell/bsad560/HofstedeIndividualism.html. Accessed 27 June 2024.
If you are an Italian professional who wants to communicate more effectively and confidently with American colleagues and clients, send me a DM on LinkedIn or an email to: [email protected]. We can discuss what you need to do and understand so that you can reach your full potential in your career in the United States.