Yet not everyone is a fan; some think small talk is inauthentic and a waste of time. The first one is politics. If youve ever avoided a conversation with a colleague, or felt like you were strangely silent when your coworker tried to engage you in a conversation, this video will help. I have had issues with my coworker and believe she is trying to have me fired. The biggest surprise for me [after moving here from New York] was breaking down some of the barriers when it comes to language and colloquialisms. I appreciated hearing about your organizational system. 7 English Small Talk Topics for Starting Friendly Conversations 1. Employers in low-paid industries will be forced to lift the wages of migrant workers by up to $16,000 from July, under an Albanese government overhaul that could cut access to foreign hospitality . When I first started working in Australia I was immediately struck by the "work hard, play hard" culture that was often talked about. 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. I'm from the UK and worked in London for eight years before moving to Sydney. Religion is a very personal belief for many people, and its considered to be part of your private life. Got any plans? Topics are open and can be shared by almost anyone. Ms Selenge lived in a traditional Mongolian ger. Stuart Allinson, managing director of BidEnergy. How can you segue from small talk to the substance of the formal agenda? I have seen this in my own workforce and tradesmen working at home. Sharing a few small (often fairly superficial) items of personal history and current circumstances helps the team to bond. I have never before seen people form an orderly queue for a bus. When youre asked a version of this question, simply say, Im happy to share! and then give some details. Anne Marie Skinner, commercial strategy manager at Allure Media. Try these thoughtful questions to check-in during a crisis.). If you feel uncomfortable with the subject matter, its probably a good idea to wait until the topic changes. We definitely behave and speak differently around colleagues context is key to communicating well. Australian workplace is quite an informal. 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. Im happy to hear youre feeling more confident making small talk now! A recent INSEAD study of more than 500 professionals working remotely across the world showed that the teams that were thriving in the new virtual environment were formally scheduling social gatherings involving quizzes, shared playlists, book recommendations, and movie clubs. It helps you learn a little more about whats going on in your office. These small, unstructured social conversations foster cohesion, job satisfaction and productivity. Proceed with caution! When it's done right small talk can help create a golden workplace culture where people feel safe, secure, and at home. A common small talk topic is the weather. Try this more detailed article where I give more examples of appropriate topics: https://englishwithkim.com/small-talk-better-questions-keep-conversation-going/ This one also talks about questions that are work-related: https://englishwithkim.com/office-small-talk-interesting-work-related-questions/ If you have any specific concerns about questions, let me know as Im in the process of updating this series and like to include questions from real-life situations. We at Business Insider asked expats from our own office, and execs to find out what surprised them most about Australian working culture. Matthew Kates, country manager for Australia and New Zealand at Zerto. I have visited some remote Chinese cities only to find an Australian advising a business in a particular sector, with no Mandarin, but still readily accepted, contributing and having fun with the workforce. People can small talk with anyone. Humour can be good, if it comes easily for you. With the exception of Melbourne or Canberra, Australians like to drive even when there is a public transport alternative - and cities are designed to suit cars, not bikes, particularly Sydney. In Mehls study, 79 undergraduate students wore an electronic device that recorded 30 seconds of sound every 12.5 minutes for four days. 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! Find out more information about how we use cookies and other personal information in the Privacy Policy. It isnt gossip. Very polite! Think of small talk as a tool that negotiates and defines a relationship. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. They can tell you about a meeting they had, or a client they worked with, or a project theyve been focusing on all morning. Managers and employees alike should be careful not to let social conversations take a negative turn. Afterward, all of the captured conversations were categorized as either small talk or as substantive, meaningful conversation. I had to call my sister (in recruitment in Sydney) to confirm! Multiculturalism is very common in Australian workplace and diversity specific employee networks designed for staff to communicate, express their ideas, views and share information. Great Britain = Similar to Australia, the British tend to prefer conservative, classic clothes and aim for darker colours like black, dark blue, and grey. Other tactics include creating virtual lounges in Slack or Teamwork where teams can socialize and holding regular virtual coffees, trivia nights, and happy hours. That place where people share a joke, a coffee, lunch, Friday arvo drinks and really connect with each other. It oils the wheels and makes it easier to pick up the phone and ask someone for some information or assistance that will help you progress a tricky step or navigate a blockage in a pressing project. Tammy Law. 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.
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