I’ve been living here for a few years now and it strikes me as so bizarre not to acknowledge someone’s presence as they come into the office. Is it the norm here? I am a Northerner so this could be a reason it is so jarring to me.
This is an interesting one. I worked for a digital marketing agency several years ago who had an office in Leeds and London. In Leeds everyone would say hi, have the occasional chat over a coffee and say bye at the end of the day.
Working in the London office was so different, only greeted by the receptionist, no real pleasantries, no chats over coffee and a deadpan look when you get up to leave.
I found it a strange vibe. To be fair, in the same way I realised quickly it is every man for themselves on the tube. Leave the Yorkshire charm on the platform when heading to London.
Morning!
Was about to guess that you were talking about London, until I worked out which community you’d posted to.
I think it strongly depends on the industry you’re in, as well as the general culture within it. Some industries (I’ve worked in live events, for example) have a “work hard, play hard” culture, in which you might form strong friendships at work, whereas some places may just be “a job” for most people, and they do their time every day and leave.
Obviously jobs don’t fall only into one of these two categories, but London in particular can be a bit of a meat-grinder (rat race?) when it comes to staff turnover and impersonal workplaces.
I don’t really know what I’m talking about, but it’s a phenomenon I’ve definitely encountered, having worked in London, and worked in not-London. Hopefully with the move toward remote working, the London fixation in the UK will begin to dissipate, and we won’t need to suffer it in order to do well paid, gratifying and meaningful work.
Think it depends where you work
When I worked in a company big enough that I didn’t know anyone around me at the office, I only said hello to the receptionist
Whereas at companies where I know and work with the people in the office, of course we say hello to each other - we even hang out at each others houses sometimes
Yeah totally depends on the environment, but if you sit with the same people day after day it’s a bit strange imho.
I’ve always said good morning to everyone when I’ve arrived, but then I always offer to make colleagues a cup of tea too, or ask them if they want anything when I go out - I can’t see the point in not trying to make things just a bit better - but maybe I’m weird.
I think it’s entirely down to the person. At my office, it’s generally a “morning” as you walk in, then any other interactions are just when you meet someone at the kettle.
I’ve never really experienced this, but then I would walk in and say a general good morning/hello/how was everyones weekend to everyone in my row of desks. I try to make a point of being sociable for my own well being.
Not everyone was receptive, some just politely said it back, some we ended up having a chat. It was generally quite a sociable company though.
My new place is a different experience. I dont actually know anyone at my new place, as I work from home and have only been in to the office 3 times. I still said Hello as I sat down at a desk of strangers and I only got some meek replies…
I just think it depends on the company culture. I also think younger people tend to be more reserved though? I’m not sure.
I’m at a remote first company and it definitely feels more awkward between folks in the office than at my previous fully in the office company.
I still say hello etc to people have have colleagues I get along with but not as many people I’d consider actual friends as where I worked before.
Do you have regular video calls with the folks you work with remote?
Yeah, usually at least one a day.
Yeah same. I’ve been here a year now, and wouldn’t say I have any friends or mates. I find it much harder to get casual chit chat into interactions over Slack.
Strange to see these other replies. In 8 years of working in London I’ve never worked somewhere that people don’t say good morning to each other and chat in the office
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Most of the places I’ve worked, yes.
Sometimes though, only in your team. (E.g. walking through a big open plan area, don’t interrupt 15 people on your way past to say hello).
In London? Totally. People keep to themselves to avoid upsetting people or getting tackled on other stuff.
A quick “morning” and a quick “cheers” at the end of the day isn’t required in London but I’ve always done it and found it has been reasonably well received.
In all the places I’ve worked (currently working in corporate\office) we’ve always acknowledged each other. Weird not to. But some people are strangely reserved I guess or maybe won’t say hi unless you instigate it?
