Understanding Canadian Workplace Culture

Marie Gervais, PhD., CEO, Shift Management Inc.

What we will cover in the webinar• Basic Canadian workplace etiquette• Canadian hierarchy• Canadian communication patterns and speech• Canadian experience – what it really means• Incident analysis

EXPECTED BUSINESS ETIQUETTE

Expected business etiquette 1

• Greetings• Privacy• Time and deadlines• Display of emotion

Expected business etiquette 2

• Rules and laws• Hierarchy between managers and employees• Favours and expectations of reward• Preferred managerial qualities

Expected business etiquette 3

• Relationship and rapport building• Food: Eat alone or with others?• Food: Coffee, lunch, dinner meetings• Outside of work• Is it really about snow, beer, hockey and golf

deals?

GETTING STARTED

Presenting yourself

• Handshakes• Eye contact• Personal space• Interruptions • Hand gestures• Take initiative

Networking expectations

• Ask questions, show interest in the other person

• Offer something about yourself but not too much

• Think about how you can assist, advance or help the other person’s goals

• Send follow up email, phone call

Virtual introductions

• Ask for a virtual introduction• Reply to both at the same time, thank

introducer• Ask for a phone call or coffee meeting• Follow up with the introducer later

“Client facing” soft skills

• Positive attitude towards others• Willingness to learn• Customer service attitude• Polite and courteous but not deferential• Professional, not cool but not too warm

CANADIAN HIERARCHY

The Hidden Canadian hierarchy• Address superiors formally until you know

them, then address them the way your colleagues do.

• You can make suggestions but decisions rest with the management.

• Cultivate allies and networks to advance.

The Hidden Canadian hierarchyExpectations:• Speak up and say what you mean, politely.• Showing negative emotion is problematic.• Be humble, show strong customer focus. • Answer direct questions directly.• Don’t expect favours or privileges.• Only offer to help if you mean it.

CANADIAN COMMUNICATION

Canadian Communication

Canadian communication is usually:

• Direct for information- STRONG DESIRE FOR CLARITY

• Indirect for avoiding conflict and softening requests - HIGHLY CONFLICT AVERSE

Direct for getting information A: Did you get the file ready for Client XYZ so we can present tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.? B: Not yet, I sill have to complete the second half of the report, which I will work on this afternoon.. A. I need to see it this afternoon in case there are any changes required. Can you have it on my desk by 3:00? B. I can do that.

Indirect if there might be conflictA: I’m wondering if the Client XYZ file is progressing, do you have an update? B: Is that the one we need for tomorrow morning at 9:00? A: Yes, what’s your progress report? B: I haven’t finished it yet… A: Of course I’m confident that you will get it done on time, I’m just checking.

4 C’s of Canadian communication:

Clarity: It is the responsibility of the speaker to speak clearly and to make intention known. Clarity includes clear pronunciation and looking directly at people as you speak.

4 C’s of Canadian Communication

Conciseness: Explanations should be short and to the point. Timely, factual speech is appreciated.

4 C’s of Canadian communication:

Coherance:What you say should show a logical sequence – a long story where the point is not made clear by the speaker is not usually acceptable. Back up opinions with evidence.

4 C’s of Canadian communication:

Consensus:Draw other people into the conversations without actually telling them what to do. Use “speech softeners” to get others to agree to what you want them to do, and to have a “way out” if they don’t want to do it.

Canadian Speech Softeners

https://vimeo.com/channels/canadianculture

Speech softener examples“Could you have it on my desk by 3:00?” “I’m wondering… if the Client XYZ file is progressing… do you have an update?” “Excuse me, do you mind passing that file please?” “I’m not sure I understand.” “Maybe in your last workplace you did…but here we usually…”

CANADIAN EXPERIENCE

Canadian experience – what it really means

• How comfortable is the cultural difference when we talk to each other?

• Do you know what the Canadian workplace norms are?

• Will it be extra work for me to train you? • Are you a good fit for our company culture?

Canadian experience as a screen• Will this foreign employee make me look bad

because he/she knows more than me?• We have never hired people from “that”

culture, why should we start now?• How much effort does it take for me to

understand this accent?• Can I even pronounce this name? No? Next.

Getting around it – the good stuff

• Volunteer somewhere mainstream to learn cultural norms

• Find Canadians to connect with and ask them questions, be open to learning

• Identify your own bias – no culture is all good or all bad

• Look for signs of diversity/inclusion before you apply

Getting around it – the ugly stuff

• Modify your accent on the sounds that are most problematic, find an app or a coach

• Create a Canadian nickname you can use in applications (ex. Farhad becomes “Fred)

• Dumb down your resume• Build up the company, your colleagues and

your boss so they feel you are part of the team

INCIDENT ANALYISIS

Consider this incident #1:Although you are not the HR manager, a Ukrainian employee comes into your office with his resume and gives it to you saying he deserves to be promoted since he has been here for three months and he has family to feed back home. 1. What is the Ukrainian employee’s likely

assumption?2. What is the Canadian manager likely to assume?

Incident #1 Cultural Clues:

Employee - “These managers are all taking a cut somewhere in the system. I have to let this bureaucrat know that I won’t put up with not being promoted. In my country a promotion would be automatic if I have not been corrected on anything. ”

What does this tell you?

Incident #1 Cultural Clues:Supervisor - “I’m not even the HR Manager, and he is demanding a promotion after only three months? Doesn’t he know how things work around here? In Canada you are on probation for three months, no promotions for at least a year and they have to be applied for. ”

What does this tell you?

Consider this incident #2:Last year, during the Chinese New Year season, you had a majority of your Chinese employees phone in sick which really caused problems. You do not want this to happen again this year.1. What is the Canadian employer’s concern and

expectation?2. What are the Chinese employees concerns and

assumptions?

Incident #2: Cultural Clues:

Manager – “What makes them think they can take time off work without making a formal request?”

What does this tell you?

Incident #2: Cultural Clues

Employees – “There is no point in asking for the holiday off because the company won’t give us time off anyway.”

What does this tell you?

Consider this incident #3:

One of your African female employees refuses to work with another African who you think is from the same country. You have no idea why they are so cold to each other.

1. What do we not know about this conflict?2. What is the Canadian confused about?

Incident #3: Cultural Clues:

Manager - “What is the matter with these people? Aren’t they from the same country? “

What does this tell you?

Incident #3: Cultural CluesEmployees - “There was a war in my country and her tribe murdered my father. But it is shameful to talk about the war and it makes our people look bad when we do. It is best if the two of us don’t work together. The manager will not understand this because his country has never been at war.”

What does this tell you?

Want to learn more? Take our course!Work and Culture Online: https://goo.gl/TzXaDU

Checkout the free module: https://goo.gl/TzXaDU

For more info: Contact Marie Gervais

Shift thinking. Drive learning. Get results.

marie@shiftworkplace.com@shiftworkplace@workandculture780 993 1062780 4545661www.shiftworkplace.com