Work cultures are wildly different in the world's biggest economies- USA, China & India

Today, more than ever, the borders of the world (for business) are porous. A ‘Yogi’ sipping oat milk can be found giving a $100/ hour session in the West Coast to ‘expand consciousness’. An Indian can be seen paying a 3 lakh concert ticket to fly off and attend a Taylor Swift’s concert in Nashville. A worker in China controls the ropes of a business in the Netherlands. Alibaba, Tata Group and Amazon, all three companies have offices in over 100 countries. What I mean to imply is this- Business has gone global.

For example- If you are in a conference in China and interject a senior after giving a presentation? They will look at you like a petulant child that needs a lesson or two. In America however, it may be seen as being ‘gutsy, pioneering and innovative’. In India, the senior will smile at you while the rest of the coworkers will have ‘Oh no, you didn’t’ plastered on their face.?

According to a culture analytics firm Hofstede, there are five pillars of a work culture- Power distance, individualism, Motivation towards achievement and success, uncertainty avoidance, long-term orientation and indulgence. For the sake of this article, I will compare three major economies of the world and their work culture- India, United States and China.?

High power distance in China, loyalty to boss rewarded in India

For both economies China and India, high power distance between the boss and subordinate in the workplace is acceptable, even encouraged. Abuse of power in these economies is rampant. The power distance almost reflects a paternal bond. “Real power is centralised even though it may not appear to be” the study says about Indian attitude at work. In India, attitude towards leadership is formal with a ‘no one is really your friend here’ mindset.

The Indian work attitude is dependent on the boss or the power holder for direction, acceptance of unequal rights between the power-privileged and those who are lesser down in the pecking order. Immediate superiors accessible but one layer above less so, paternalistic leader, management directs, gives reason / meaning to one's work life and rewards in exchange for loyalty from employees.?

In the United States, both managers and employees expect to be consulted and information is shared frequently. Communication is informal, direct and participative. Hierarchy is established for convenience.?

American work culture highly individualistic, Chinese value work relationships more

Simply put, if an American is not satisfied with the perks they are being offered in a company, they won’t think twice before switching ‘loyalties’. For them, their own well-being is a priority. In China, relationships with colleagues are cooperative for in-groups; they are cold or even hostile to out-groups. Personal relationships prevail over tasks and company.

In India however, it's a mix of individualism and collectivism. The worker will assert their rights only to the level of not pushing outside their family's approval. The actions of the individual are influenced by family, extended family, neighbors, work group, and other such wider social networks that one has some affiliation toward.

The work attitude in India is also influenced by ‘karma’ or the fruit of your actions. If one is rejected by their peers, Indians feel it more deeply than other cultures. In India, the employer almost takes the role of the protector and the employee that of a child that needs nurturing. Thus banishment from a workplace feels extra difficult to cope with.

Achievements over family in China, India’s spiritualism saves it from being a workaholic

In China, even with its high emphasis on the structure of family, there is high motivation for visible signs of success and achievement. This can lead to working long hours, staying away from the family to provide for them and putting up sufficient reserves for their children to enjoy.?

Even India is a highly motivated country but the study found out that since the country is also intensely spiritual, they may be more tempted to practice humility and abstinence later in life. This may make Indians seem frugal, with a comparatively lesser inclination to persevere towards success consistently.?

Americans however, are less kumbaya about motivation towards success. They want to work hard and play harder. They enjoy the finer things in life and are highly materialistic, having no qualms in letting the world know about it. Americans are also unashamed of talking about their ‘hustle’, are more flashy about their success, their ‘grind to come to the top’ and making it big.?

Imperfection accepted in India, Chinese entrepreneurs also more adaptable

Next up is ‘uncertainty avoidance’ in work attitudes. This helps us understand how a culture deals with uncertainty and anxiety at workplaces and businesses. Among the three economies, China deals with uncertainty the best. China’s adherence to “laws and rules may be flexible to suit the actual situation and pragmatism is a fact of life. The Chinese are comfortable with ambiguity. They are adaptable and entrepreneurial.?

The same is with India where the attitude of the work is- let the rules be in place and we will ‘adjust’ accordingly if the need calls for it. This ‘adjustment’ is also called ‘jugaad’, a way one can work around the rules. In India, uncertainty is even expected and a welcome break for monotony. Indians are better prepared for adversity. Imperfection is also better accepted. The Indian attitude is- it's better done imperfectly than having made no attempts at all.?

The States also fares similarly to the two economies with slightly higher uncertainty avoidance. Americans are more vigilant and anxious about uncertainty as compared to Indians and Chinese.?

It is what it is: The Indian & American business mindset Vs China’s ‘plan for the future’

How good is planning for the future? The Chinese attitude is extremely practical and saves for the future, has a high long-term orientation and spends thriftly. Indian society is driven by the concept of many truths and is comfortable with going with the flow in life as well as business. Yes, they also have a set long-term plan for their business but they also have a general comfort with discovering ‘the fated path’ as one goes along rather than playing to an exact plan.

In this particular aspect, Indians and Americans are similar. The study claims, “American businesses measure their performance on a short-term basis, with profit and loss statements being issued every quarter, driving individuals to strive for quick results within the workplace.” They plan for the future but are okay with not achieving the exact numbers every quarter, and are comfortable going back to the drawing board if needed.?

Chinese and Indians more pessimistic towards leisure time while Americans score high on indulgence

For every hour they spend relaxing and away from their laptops and workspaces, Indians and the Chinese ask themselves: Do I deserve this? The next work parameter is ‘indulgence’. Both societies feel guilty when they enjoy the fruits of their labour as compared to their American counterparts. Both China and India come under ‘restrained societies’ where attitudes are generally more pessimistic and cynical towards enjoyment.?

“Restrained societies do not put much emphasis on leisure time and control the gratification of their desires,” the study claims.?

In the States, it's work hard, and play hard. This means the American society is even more social than the rest of the two economies with enjoyment of the fruits of your labor being seen as not just normal but necessary part of life. This rings true for even overindulgence in food, addictions as well.?

There is an Indian philosophy concept called ‘Vasudeva Kutumbhakam’ meaning the world is a family. But all of us know how each family member, coven or clan are influenced by the environment they grew up in. How different, individualistic they are. Hofstede’s Insights thus helps us understand working cultures better.