Instead, they employ coercive techniques to persuade us to do their bidding. Before Covid-19 and social distancing, small talk was a daily workplace ritual for most of us. This will help quieter colleagues or those from diverse backgrounds to feel included. "Snitching" can be thought of as a form of "good gossip" that serves the interests of a group. Kim, In London it's a free-for-all and loads of buses are so busy they don't even stop. It's about being able to be your real, authentic self at work. Gemma Labadini, business development director at Allure Media. This small talk at the margins of a work conversation was probably something you scarcely even noticed. While such social transactions focus on inconsequential topics, they serve as important ways to build rapport, connection, and relationships. Also, be sensitive to the nature of the conversation. This website uses cookies in order to understand how you use the site so you have the best experience. When the meeting begins after this small episode of warmth, inclusion and collegiality, then conversations are generally more productive and creative, than meetings which have a cold start. which can prove beneficial in improving socialization between employees . Managers should also steer teams away from potentially controversial topics like religion, politics, and romantic relationships. While you can ask, How are you? or How are you doing?, I suggest trying to get a little more specific. I've found that it's like this across all industries here. Spicemas Launch 28th April, 2023 - Facebook They found that though small talk was both uplifting and distracting to employees, the positives outweighed the negatives, and the negatives could be managed. Im happy to hear that this article helped you understand how small talk changes inside the workplace. Many people suggest that footy talk is a good option at an interview, which is probably true. The evidence from our clients aligns with other research. The expression on the horizon means something thats approaching, or something thats coming your way. Sarah Thompson, Emma Rapaport and Kanika Sood. To resolve these views, the authors did a 15-day study of the impact that small talk had on 151 workers. This also gives you something to talk about the next time you see each other. Learn four levels of intimacy. But please never ask a married coworker if they plan to have children! She does not need her job but our employer needs her. Tammy Law. But these apparently straightforward issues can be extremely challenging for migrants. My son has just got braces, but Im the one feeling the pain (humorous reference to the cost of braces). Rena Phuah, Advertising product specialist at Allure Media. "The main difference I have noticed is that everyone will meet you for a coffee in Sydney and Melbourne even if they have no intention of doing business with you," says a British expat. 7 English Small Talk Topics for Starting Friendly Conversations Youre trying to find solutions! A superficial or light-hearted question can be taken at face value. However, its still related to work. Frank: My God, Cheryl! Psychology Today 2023 Sussex Publishers, LLC. Capture your audience's attention with smarter emails, Slacks, memos, and reports. To resolve these views, we surveyed 151 full-time working adults three times a day for 15 consecutive workdays before the pandemic. Ready to express your meaning through how you use your voice? Even though youre in the office, you may not feel like talking about work while youre on your break or just interacting in this brief, casual conversation. Great Britain = Similar to Australia, the British tend to prefer conservative, classic clothes and aim for darker colours like black, dark blue, and grey. All Rights Reserved. It can even help you get access to more job opportunities because your coworkers will have a chance to get to know you. Thanks for this article, hopefully it will help me. Heres a slightly more positive sounding version of the same question: What worked well when dealing with this client? Drawing on our research, we offer managers and employees the following advice: Encourage new social rituals. How you feel about small talk depends to some extent on where you are from. We should be competing on the global stage on a much more regular basis. Australians seem to appreciate that they spend more time with their colleagues than anyone else. If you feel comfortable with your coworker, this question can help you get a valuable opinion from them. What surprised me initially was that Australia's reputation for hitting the beach, beer and barbecue with the thinnest excuse proved to be true. Think of small talk as a tool that negotiates and defines a relationship. The key to emotional connection in a marriage is responding to each other's emotional needs. 10 Best Small Talk Topics & Conversation Starters (+ Examples) 24 things expats find surprising about Australian working culture You didnt usually go into your next meeting without the social lubricant of small talk first. Small talk should be polite, surface level, and focused on neutral topics, like the weather, sports, and TV shows. Thank you so much for sharing. I still find the wearing of thongs (Aussie version, clearly) and the occasional bare feet a tad confronting, but I'm getting over it. Over time, I learned how to subtly talk about my background and achievements but learnt that I needed to first add value and build a lot of trust along the way within my community. How can you segue from small talk to the substance of the formal agenda? Although these might seem counterintuitive when youre under deadline pressure, our research suggests that they are restorative and reduce burnout. Our guide to Aussie slang: they say what? Walk My World Similar to the previous question, this is a good one to ask when you want potential solutions to your problem. Religion is a very personal belief for many people, and its considered to be part of your private life. But its also worth stating what small talk is not. The workplace culture in Australia allows people to socialise during their working hours. Relationship Uncertainty. However, it can be a little unnatural if you try to introduce it into the conversation. Shucking 600 oysters all in a day's work for Suvi Selenge as she - ABC I get up early and it's just late morning for them, so I take calls during my commute. Australia is shockingly expensive. This question is great when making small talk, because it enables you to talk about something that youre engaged in right now. In addition, even among native speakers of English, some people are more socially adroit than others. Introductions. If someone asks you about your day, try to focus on being positive and productive: These types of responses give you and your coworkers something in common to talk about, especially if you work on similar projects. Wouldn't change that for the world. Of course, I wouldnt rather kill myself). Discover Why and What It Requires. For example, post-work drinks, team outings, lunch BBQs etc which is a mega plus! This question enables you to talk about something more creative, and not focus so much on work projects. It takes at least 15 minutes talking about sports or beer until someone finally says, "OK, so the deal we are here to talk about". 7 Inappropriate Conversation Topics in the Workplace In this post 1. A client meeting may be over lunchtime drinks versus sitting in a board room. The other thing that continues to surprise me is that despite the conservative business environment, Australians are, in fact, early adopters. The positive effect of these small regular exchanges builds working trust and good relations. Thankfully, Aussies have a great sense of humour and I've found they love it when you show that you're a little bit human. Traffic or the daily commute, especially in major cities, Recent viral YouTube videos making the rounds, Local sporting events, especially if the team is having a good season, Major television or entertainment events, like the Super Bowl, the Oscars and the Grammys, but only if theyve happened recently, Popular TV programs, Netflix, and Amazon series, Local tourist attractions, especially if youre new to the area, Weekend plans, if its Thursday or Friday, Upcoming holiday plans, especially if a long weekend or a major holiday is approaching, Upcoming vacation plans, if its a high travel season like the summer or school vacations, Recent weekend trips or vacations, if you know theyve come back from one, Compliments on a new hairstyle, especially if it was a major change, Compliments on an article of clothing or an accessory, Questions about where to buy specialty items that you know your coworker is interested in, such as gourmet food, cool shoes or jewelry, Food, especially if youre at a meeting where food is provided or its breakfast or lunchtime. You never know if a more senior colleague is listening to what youre saying. Charlie Wood, managing director for ANZ, Dropbox. How do you know what to share or ask other people about during these short episodes of social talk? Another topic to avoid is health. Very polite! Benefit from top class thought leadership, ugm consulting based in sydney, australia - operating in australia and internationally, well established by researchers such as Amy Edmondson. As organizations consider their optimal post-pandemic remote-work strategy, theyll need practices to integrate small talk into their work ecosystems. This was a side benefit of the face-to-face office. You have dinners, go to traditional events, meet the family, it's like you're getting married. For this reason, the hybrid workplace benefits from shared interaction scripts that capture typical small talk sequences. Knowing when to initiate small talk and also knowing when to move on and escalate the level of discourse beyond the mundane will make you a popular conversational partner. How Blame and Shame Can Fuel Depression in Rape Victims, Getting More Hugs Is Linked to Fewer Symptoms of Depression, Interacting With Outgroup Members Reduces Prejudice, Practice Improves the Potential for Future Plasticity, How Financial Infidelity Can Affect Your Gray Divorce, a waste of time and as an impediment to a meaningful conversation, a study by psychologist Mathias Mehl and his colleagues, studies indicate that people are happier when they talk to others, Why We Are Suckers for Conspiracy Theories, Why "Snitching" Makes Us So Uncomfortable. Try using one of the following work-related questions to show interest in your coworkers responsibilities. Use these 85 strategies and reflection questions to clarify your next steps. If youd like to take this opportunity to learn a little more about your coworkers experience, try this question: Tell me about your experience working with this client / on this project. One Spark client at a global law firm explained, During the pandemic it was important to us to make sure employees were still making the random connections you might find in a shared office space to help with innovation, building networks, and collaboration. Now that you understand how to start a conversation in the office and how to make small talk with your coworkers and colleagues, its time to practice. You agree to share your name and email address with Kim in order to leave a comment. 2. Hierarchy and leadership styles australian workplace - Course Hero Lets be honest: sometimes work can be repetitive or mundane, so asking about what inspires them is a little more interesting. Xander Addington, research & insights analyst at Allure Media. Ive been focused on the presentation for my biggest client later this week. With a more senior colleague, you may want to use more polite language. Whereas here it's a lot of "if I don't go now, my next ferry is an hour". And how many times a week do you begin with "I love this weather, what do you think?" Find out more information about how we use cookies and other personal information in the Privacy Policy. Help keep family & friends informed by sharing this article. 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! Im going to try that with my client. Frank McAndrew, Ph.D., is the Cornelia H. Dudley Professor of Psychology at Knox College. Multiculturalism is very common in Australian workplace and diversity specific employee networks designed for staff to communicate, express their ideas, views and share information. Small talk describes all those brief, social conversations that often occur at transition points during the typical working day when people are physically together in the office. Lets get started! At work i am struggling to come up with small conversations and now i feel more confident because of what you have provided. When it's done right small talk can help create a golden workplace culture where people feel safe, secure, and at home. If you have a challenging client, situation, or problem in the office, this may be your opportunity to get some insight from your coworker. However, I also noticed that it didn't come at the cost of hours put in at work. It also shows that you value their opinion. I think one of the biggest differences is the out of work culture between London and Sydney. The feedback from women who took part in the think tanks suggests that STEM careers are no longer considered "nerdy" or "unpopular", but they remain . Its loss matters a great deal and savvy managers are realising they need to take action. Some people hate small talk because they perceive it as a waste of time and as an impediment to a meaningful conversation; others may hate it simply because they are not good at it. 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. Self-identified cat people have more unusual personality traits than dog people. Can You Spot a Narcissist by Their Eyebrows? They reduce the uncertainty and sense of personal risk that any new behaviour initially carries, especially for those from under-represented groups. 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. Weight and Physical Appearance Published on July 8, 2019 7 Inappropriate Conversation Topics in the Workplace Claudia Reiners In this post Show What a great way to approach work and life! However, the same principles apply the conversation should be a series of natural extensions. Although this mandatory fun might have felt a little awkward at first, the teams that didnt engage in such rituals struggled to adapt to the new normal and reported feeling less connected. The smooth management of small talk is an important marker of successful integration into the organisation. Use it if it is your interest. You could pretty much turn up on your own to your local knowing that there would be a ton of people you knew there. Learning what is appropriate to say in certain situations will come with time, but you need to work at it and challenge yourself by stepping out of your social comfort zone. Jocular banter can be misinterpreted. Using the word manage shows that youre not complaining; youre trying to adapt. Its normal to avoid the topic. It's a little awkward, but over the years I've had many conversations with fellow expats about how Australians are prone to laziness, at least compared with other countries like Britain, Ireland, and the US. A light-hearted moan or whinge can be misunderstood as a genuine complaint. After some weeks of using a script, team members find that they begin to naturally embed it within their everyday routines for themselves. A script is a pattern of interaction that clearly articulates the target behaviour. How to make small talk in Australia - LinkedIn [Originally from Israel and] having worked in London and Hong Kong, what surprised me most about the Australian working culture is that its people are very genuine and straightforward. The small personal disclosures that characterise social chitchat among co-workers show goodwill towards each other. Work-life balance here is better obviously, and it is normal to pull longer hours in Malaysia. Certain key factors make the Australian work culture unique. I usually work in accounting department and there everybody is quiet and concentrated. In this video, youll learn how to start small talk in the office. Your role, previously more defined or sectorised, is much broader here. Thats why its a good idea to build in time at the start of every meeting for members to greet one another, exchange pleasantries, and ask playful questions. If they do go out after work, they could just as easily go out on a Wednesday as a Friday. 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. So well explained loved it. my video on Hows your day been? and all its variations, thoughtful questions you can ask in a crisis. To us Poms it felt like a, somewhat warmer, home away from home. You could also ask: The question you choose will depend on your coworker and your work environment. Having been in media sales for seven years in London where it's only ever 9 or 9.30am to 5.30pm, it was quite a stinger! That means the specialist resources you used to have to get things done fall away. | The party turned out to be a rousing success, and those in attendance confirmed that it was one of the most interesting and stimulating social events that they had ever attended. May 1, 2023 - 12.21pm. I'm from the UK and worked in London for eight years before moving to Sydney. The problem with many previous discussions of small talk was a framing of the issue as a contest between the benefits of small talk versus the benefits of deeper conversation as if people must be forced to engage in only one or the other. Invite each person to take a minute or so to share just a little about whats been happening in their lives professionally and personally. I think it's based on our collective capacity for improvisation a story that stretches back more than 40,000 years. Thanks. Angela Wylie. Graham Jackson, CEO of Fluent Retail. Whats been inspiring you recently? Humour can be good, if it comes easily for you. A sales division in the UK would have 2000 people here, maybe 10 per cent of that number. Otherwise, you may have heard about your coworkers excellent work with a client or project, so this is your opportunity to find out more. That place where people share a joke, a coffee, lunch, Friday arvo drinks and really connect with each other. Australians have a unique set of business etiquette rules in comparison with other business cultures. Make Small Talk an intentional item on your agenda at the start or end of a meeting. I'm originally British and lived and worked in London for 12 years. If thats the case, dont forget to say, Nice talking to you! or See you later.. It sounds super interesting. I moved to Australia from the US in 2012. Candid to the core, Australians get straight to the point and I love them for it. In Australia, only 16% of the STEM skilled workforce are women while 90% of women with a STEM qualification work in non-STEM related fields, according to the Australian Academy of Science. Ignoring a person communicates power over them. You could eat lunch together once a week, as an example.