Do you know the work culture in Canada is quite different from other countries? Canada is nicknamed “a country of immigrants” because its population comes from all over the world. With new immigrants coming, it’s home to more foreign cultures, customs and habits, including some applied to workplaces. Though employers and employees in Canada are both striving to learn about different cultures, there are some standards which should be respected. Our blog will help you to explore the world of Canadian workplace culture.
Foundation of Work Culture in Canada
In Canadian work culture, collaboration and cooperation often take the first position. Thanks to egalitarianism and flat hierarchies, supervisors and managers are approachable. Regardless of the positions, everyone’s efforts are cherished, and you are encouraged to express your ideas. In addition, work-life balance is advocated in Canada. With typical work hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., they greatly respect personal time and some companies provides the employees with flexible arrangements.
Introduction of Canadian Workplace Culture
There are various of Canadian rules and standards different from those of other societies. If you are a newcomer to Canada or unfamiliar with the work culture in Canada, you can consult the following part. The introduction will help you explore the workplace culture in Canada and transition from one cultural environment to another.
Body Language
As a significant part of Canadian work culture, body language is the starting point at a workplace, like the first outfit you wear, the first handshake you give, the first contact you have.
- Personal space: People in Canada greatly care about their personal space. For instance, they hardly ever touch each other when meeting or talking in the workplace except for the first time. When communicating face to face, keeping an arm’s length of space between the speakers is acceptable, and being too close seems invasive while being too far looks indifferent.
- Eye contact: During a conversation, having eye contact shows respect. Specifically, direct eye contact signifies interest and attention. Those avoiding eye contact can be considered impolite, unkind, unreliable or timid. And you need to remember not to stare at others for a long time.
- Dress code: Choosing a suitable dress code may depend on the type of Job. Generally speaking, you should dress up as formally as possible when attending an interview, and ask about the appropriate costumes for the workplace. Moreover, you should avoid shorts, jeans or revealing clothes, and in many companies, scented products, like perfume and cologne, are strictly prohibited.
- Handshake: Shaking hands symbolizes etiquette and politeness when you first meet others. People usually have a handshake for two or three seconds, during which they make eye contact and smile to greet.
Communications Basics
In Canadian work culture, communication plays an important role. Due to the different regions and and cultural backgrounds, there is a unique environment for communication. Here are some tips for communication basics.
- Socializing: Socializing is indispensable in Canadian workplace culture. In fact, small talks are expected in the workplace, and it shows a positive attitude. However, some topics are not allowed to talk in the workplace, such as religion, age or income. There are some acceptable and unacceptable socializing. The former includes talking during breaks, chatting for a while before starting work or after finishing your tasks, and waiting for others before a meeting. On the other hand, unacceptable socializing includes chatting on the phone frequently at work, joining a long conversation during work time, gossiping about colleagues, and speaking insulting languages.
- Greetings: It’s polite to greet others, no matter who they are, and have eye contact when you pass them in the office or the hallway. And before leaving for home, you’d better say “bye”.
- Forms of address: In Canada, workplaces are relatively casual, and it’s acceptable to call your colleagues, partners and even managers or supervisors by their first name. But it’s necessary to use their full name when you introduce them.
- Tool use: Work email accounts and phone lines are only for work purposes, so remember not to use them for personal reasons. Besides, you can’t use personal emails to cope with business issues. Social media are recognized as professional tools. If Facebook and Twitter are used for work, it’s nice, but if they are for chatting with friends, it’s unacceptable.
- Asking questions: In Canada, you are encouraged to speak up when you don’t understand. And if you have comprehended, you can try to paraphrase to show you’ve completely understood. Asking questions is a good way to show your ambition to learn and grow.
- Communication Style: Canadians attach importance to politeness, though they tend to communicate in a direct way. You need to express your opinions and feedbacks respectfully, listening to others actively, considering others’ opinions genuinely.
Other Etiquettes
Except for the above two parts, there are also other etiquettes in Canadian workplace culture. You can look through the following words to get more details.
- Teamwork: Teamwork and cooperation are rather important dimensions in Canadian work culture. We’ll offer you some suggestions on demonstrating teamwork in the workplace, such as greeting everyone with the same enthusiasm, treating everybody with respect, giving others time to share their thoughts, offering support for your colleagues, and considering the needs of team as a priority.
- Punctuality: In Canadian workplace, punctuality is used for evaluate the performance of the workers, so it’s necessary to reach your company or organization on time. In other words, if you have a meeting at 9 a.m., you’d better get to the meeting room ahead of time to start on schedule. For us, being late is acceptable but you should tell us if you can’t arrive on time.
- Courtesy: Showing respect to other is a crucial part of etiquettes. If someone opens the door for you, you’re expected to say “thanks”; you should knock the door before entering others’ offices. That is to say, you need to develop a habit of speaking courtesy words when talking with your colleagues, supervisors and clients.
- Hierarchy: In Canada, most companies are run in a top-down system, and employees need to follow the instructions of their managers. When making decisions or coping with difficulties, you should communicate with the right person based on their level of authority.
- Inclusiveness: Equality and inclusivity are both encouraged in Canadian workplace culture, asking you to respect diversity and cultural differences. You should treat all people around you without discriminations.
- Professionalism: The work culture in Canada is featured by professionalism and formality. Keeping polite and respectful in all written and verbal interactions, as well as using professional language is significant.
Expectations in Canadian Workplace Culture
It’s common to make mistakes after you get a new job, so nobody will blame you or expect you to finish your work perfectly if you make mistakes, even though there are some expectations from the managers for you. You’re expected to do as follows:
- Get to the office on time.
- Keep a professional appearance.
- Focus on your work.
- Finish tasks within the deadline.
- Offer support for the company.
- Provide excellent customer service.
- Show positivity and enthusiasm.
- Respect your managers.
Additionally, there is something that you’re not expected. For instance, you’re not expected to keep quiet when facing problems or know every detail about your job. In most cases, some employees began to break rules after getting comfortable, though behaving well at first. If you can’t meet these expectations, you may lose your job. Therefore, you need to improve yourself occasionally.
Rights in Canadian Workplace Culture
The Worker’s Action Centre is an advocacy organization for improving the rights of workers. It provides simple fact sheets of diverse language versions on your rights at work such as The Basics: Employment Standards in Ontario, Minimum Wage Fact Sheet, What are my rights if I am injured or get sick from work, Temp Agency Workers, Working for Cash, and Checklist for Workers.
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Conclusion about Work Culture in Canada
Adapting to the work culture in Canada requires a good comprehension of many aspects, like its opinions of egalitarianism, cooperation, and diversity. After understanding and embracing these principles, you’ll be ready to grow in the new workplace. You must have mastered these cultural details, which will help you succeed in profession. Hence, you need to bear the facts of Canadian work culture in mind and avoid make mistakes in the future.
FAQ about Work Culture in Canada
What is work culture in Canada like?
You’re expected to know the etiquette of working with co-workers, colleagues and supervisors, to be good at speaking, listening and socializing with other people, and to well understand many cross cultural differences in the workplace.
What is the work style in Canada?
In Canadian work culture, you can expect a professional, inclusive, and collaborative environment that emphasizes work-life balance and mutual respect. Meanwhile, punctuality, reliability, and direct communication are praised in Canada.
What are the work habits in Canada?
As an employee in Canadian workplace culture, you’re expected to do as follows:
- Get to the office on time.
- Keep a professional appearance.
- Focus on your work.
- Finish tasks within the deadline.
- Offer support for the company.
- Provide excellent customer service.
- Show positivity and enthusiasm.
- Respect your managers.
Is Canada a good place to work in?
Yes. It’s widely believed that Canada is a good country for job opportunities due to several factors, such as strong economy, technology, healthcare, natural resources, and finance, providing a wide range of job opportunities.
