May 1, 2023 - 12.21pm. (Please note that during a global pandemic such as COVID-19, the way people feel about health-related questions will change. Although these might seem counterintuitive when youre under deadline pressure, our research suggests that they are restorative and reduce burnout. That place where people share a joke, a coffee, lunch, Friday arvo drinks and really connect with each other. You never know if a more senior colleague is listening to what youre saying. In other words, socio-pragmatic insights and skills are needed to manage good social relationships in the hybrid workplace. Please enable Strictly Necessary Cookies first so that we can save your preferences! How much detail should you give, if someone asks you a question? Its natural to feel frustrated at work, but try to keep these conversations out of the office. I think this is epitomised by so many companies closing for a week or more over the holidays to ensure their staff has down time to spend with family and enjoy the summer. People in business here are straight-talking. Nice to meet you, Alicia! Im really looking forward to it. You need to get use to the Aussie office slang. Despite the "give it a go" image, I'm always surprised that we tend to reward safe-playing mediocrity when we should be hugely more optimistic and competitive as a nation. I like to receive more!! I arrived here as an expat 20 years ago originally on a working visa with Ernst & Young. Other things I noticed are: There aren't as many big corporates, so lots of other business people I meet are in small businesses or start-ups. However, managers can find ways to integrate it into virtual settings and use new tools to make it more inclusive and productive. Thanks for the kind words about this article and video. Do you dread trading niceties with retail clerks and assorted other strangers when you are out in public? These brief, casual conversations are a great way to get to know new people, but they can be even more important in the workplace. Sure, working across a global business can have its challenges for leadership meetings but on the whole I've worked for US California-based companies for a while and it works well for me. His participants completed a battery of questionnaires designed to measure happiness and well-being, and it turned out that higher levels of well-being were associated with less small talk and more substantive conversation. While some may fall prey to conspiracy theories more easily, anyone can fall for the "right" one due to biases in how they process information. 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. Your intention should be to get to know your colleagues so you can have meaningful conversations about common interests. One probable upside is that these exchanges, though less spontaneous, are more inclusive giving everyone the opportunity to connect rather than leaving it to chance. Not having to justify early/ late lunches is very pleasant! If someone asks you this question, you can respond enthusiastically, saying, Ive gotten into or I love. 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. They found that though small talk was both uplifting and distracting to employees, the positives outweighed the negatives, and the negatives could be managed. But please never ask a married coworker if they plan to have children! As well as fostering trust, networks and connection, small talk also helps people transition from activity to activity throughout the working day. Asking about their childrens interests or hobbies is a neutral conversation topic. How you feel about small talk depends to some extent on where you are from. This was a side benefit of the face-to-face office. My son has just got braces, but Im the one feeling the pain (humorous reference to the cost of braces). This is because scripts conserve cognitive capacity by supporting desired behaviours. Jessica Arrowsmith, beauty editor of Popsugar Australia. 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. This is a small but meaningful gesture in a world that's wholly connected over a digital network. In fact, they may be more important than ever to help us seize daily opportunities to connect across the virtual divide. Multiculturalism is very common in Australian workplace and diversity specific employee networks designed for staff to communicate, express their ideas, views and share information. Work-life balance here is better obviously, and it is normal to pull longer hours in Malaysia. To resolve these views, we surveyed 151 full-time working adults three times a day for 15 consecutive workdays before the pandemic. For this reason, the hybrid workplace benefits from shared interaction scripts that capture typical small talk sequences. showing interest in your coworkers can really help you in your career. While such social transactions focus on inconsequential topics, they serve as important ways to build rapport, connection, and relationships. A refresher on how to nail office small talk - The Sydney Morning Herald It also isnt an in-depth or sensitive conversation about someones personal problems. They say it makes them anxious, spreads gossip, wastes time, and isinauthentic and awkward. Many people say that small talk energizes them and makes them feel seen. As one employee of a midsize accounting firm told us, Your coworkers dont necessarily need to know every detail of your life, but it certainly helps everyone feel like a real person. No wonder so many of us are mourning the loss of small talkduring the pandemic-driven work-from-home boom. But these apparently straightforward issues can be extremely challenging for migrants. Cultural diversity takes on a new meaning when you work in Australia. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Whereas here it's a lot of "if I don't go now, my next ferry is an hour". I really liked your blog and I hope I can improve my english with you. People have their own lives in both places, but more rubbish transport here limits their ability to "hang back" like you can in London where tubes and buses come every two minutes and take you everywhere. To us Poms it felt like a, somewhat warmer, home away from home. Emphasize the upside. Importance Of Small Talk in The Australian Office We don't dance in the Nordics! You won't be living by the beach because you won't be able to afford it. We use cookies to make our website easier to use and to make the content you see more relevant to your needs. This contrasts with South-east Asia, where a lot of people do very specific jobs to the bare minimum and don't aspire to progress much further in their careers. Good day! For those of you from the sub-continent, cricket is an excellent conversation topic. This small talk at the margins of a work conversation was probably something you scarcely even noticed. Even if your religion is important to you, you should try to avoid talking about it at work. How do you know what to share or ask other people about during these short episodes of social talk? I always get a sense of calm when I hear it spoken as I know I can rely on the individual to do what he or she has promised. Any exciting new projects/clients on the horizon? Dwelling on weather is one of the most common small conversation topics for almost any event in Great Britain. One of the reasons I wanted to move here [from the UK] was the embrace the work-life balance culture The other thing is the time zone. This website also uses a tracking cookie from ActiveCampaign, our email communication provider. The interviewer, commenting on some renovations being done in the adjacent office, says, Sorry about the noise. When youre asked a version of this question, simply say, Im happy to share! and then give some details. With practice, you will feel more confident that what you say will be received the way you intend. You didnt usually go into your next meeting without the social lubricant of small talk first. In Asia and other places I've worked, final deals are almost always made culturally. Fund managers are assessing two capital raisings on Monday as Aura Energy . It is critical for the success of todays hybrid workplace that everyone acquires the sociolinguistic skills that underpin trust, well-being, good relations and productivity. Frank McAndrew, Ph.D., is the Cornelia H. Dudley Professor of Psychology at Knox College. Being friendly and showing interest in your coworkers can really help you in your career. The tidbits we learn about our colleagues for instance, that they play guitar orlove dogs build rapport and deepen trust. Psychological safety, put simply, is the belief that you can speak up and speak your mind without the risk of punishment of humiliation. Shucking 600 oysters all in a day's work for Suvi Selenge as she - ABC While these 'conversations about nothing. A client meeting may be over lunchtime drinks versus sitting in a board room. Stuart Allinson, managing director of BidEnergy. Otherwise, you may have heard about your coworkers excellent work with a client or project, so this is your opportunity to find out more. I work as a receptionist on Fridays. I have Autism and am 22 years old. All Rights Reserved. When jobs are as secure as they are in Australia, there is less of an incentive to be a star performer, to come in every day and smash it out of the park. What are you currently watching on Netflix? Here are some neutral topics that you can use to make small talk in the workplace: As you can see, there are a lot of potential topics, they just take practice. Dont mention orthodontists. A common small talk topic is the weather. 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. Read on to find out how to small talk like an expert! "Small talk is not just a fluffy part of business - it has this real world outcome." "From a mental health perspective, anxiety and depression can be lessened through interaction with people and that sense of belonging and community," she says. This video will give you some foundational language to make small talk and connect more with your. 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. Even in the winter all these pubs are full of people out on the pavement having after-work drinks. Of course, there are some topics that you should avoid in the American workplace, especially if youre new and dont know your coworkers well. There are companies likeSpark Collaborationthathelp employers organize office video-chat roulettes that pair up employees who dont already know one another for real-time social interactions. Originally from Estonia, and having worked in Finland before coming to Australia, what surprised me is how similar Australia is compared to the Nordics in terms of mentality: quality over quantity; education and wellbeing are the highest priorities; and work-life balance is sacred. Well talk about both job-related and neutral conversation topics so that youll feel more confident asking polite, work-appropriate questions. That was one of the great myths put to rest I had never worked harder or longer hours in my life. Before you can get to know someone, it's a good idea to introduce yourself. This vital interlude of social talk helps people to make a key mindset shift, leaving behind the issues they have just been dealing with in their previous meeting and preparing them to focus on the different challenges theyre about to tackle in this next meeting. You probably know by now that making small talk is an essential communication skill. Money 3. She is 56 years old and a self-absorbed narcissist. Angela Wylie. The budget contains $2 million planning money for further widening of the Monash Freeway. Teens Who Dont Date: Socially Behind or Socially Skilled? However, it can be a little unnatural if you try to introduce it into the conversation. Conflicts with Coworkers 2. Stick to the script. Key Differences Between Australian, American and British Work Culture Then I came to Australia, and everyone was so direct. Pay attention to your tone of voice! Thanks. Try to use friendly, happy intonation so they feel like youre actually glad to see them. During election season, you will probably hear people mention their preferred candidates, but its usually best to avoid topics that can cause strong emotions, especially if you dont know your coworkers very well. It has been invaluable for relationship building. Platforms like Airmeet set up virtual speed networking for employees. I am quite new at the job and want to improve the skill and your tips are really doable and realistic. Im sorry to hear that youre concerned about offending someone. Instead, they employ coercive techniques to persuade us to do their bidding. The issue today is that the move to remote work environment is cutting many people off from workplace small talk. You should avoid talking about your coworkers family, unless youre 100% sure that they have children. Once again, it shows youre forward thinking. Read it here or follow BusinessInsider Australia on Facebook. In this way, the powerful but subtle skills of small talk can be widely shared to benefit every hybrid team. In a taxi. Four ways to encourage casual conversations in a virtual setting. It sounds like you need to have an additional conversation with your employer about their specific expectations for your interactions and the small talk topics you feel comfortable discussing. Industry networks are smaller and so you can get to build stronger, deeper relationships more quickly. Can You Spot a Narcissist by Their Eyebrows? These cookies dont collect any personal information. Jokes, banter is commonplace, giving nicknames is sign of acceptance, occasional swearing is common. You agree to share your name and email address with Kim in order to leave a comment. Small talk is important to us in other ways, putting us at ease and helping us transition to more serious topics like negotiations, job interviews, sales pitches, and performance evaluations. Next, lets talk about responding to questions about work. The reality is that if you come from working across markets such as Europe or the US, the size of organisations and industry is much smaller here. We're lucky enough to have a culture that encourages early adoption, so why don't we see more risk being taken? There's also much less hierarchy in workplaces here, compared with Asia for example. Try using one of the following work-related questions to show interest in your coworkers responsibilities. Anything youd like to share? We should all have techniques to break the ice, so everyone can feel relaxed and be themselves. Help keep family & friends informed by sharing this article. Hello, Im studying applied linguistic and in this carees sometimes talk about how is the language in differents places, so in this moment we are talking about the workplace and I feel that this information help me to undertand more the antology that I read. In the Anglo-Australian context, individuals are more loosely connected and interact on a basis of equality than the Chinese. Learn more and adjust your preferences in Cookie Settings. Remember, its veryimportant to practice small talk small talkis a skill, and all speaking skills take practice! That place where people share a joke, a coffee, lunch, Friday arvo drinks and really connect with each other. But its also worth stating what small talk is not. (For examples of questions to ask and how to answer, be sure to check out this article where I break it down.). Of course, make sure its not a private conversation between two people. If you feel comfortable with your coworker, this question can help you get a valuable opinion from them. I think it's a combination of more than two decades of steady job creation and an industrial relations environment that makes it extremely difficult to sack people. And how many times a week do you begin with "I love this weather, what do you think?" 2. Australian workplace is quite an informal. We also saw that conversations didnt have to be intimate or lengthy to deliver benefits. Once again, I encourage you to keep it positive, but you may be able to ask the other person for some help or some advice. Another great question that works really well in the workplace is: You can use any verb that seems like it makes sense for your workplace. In this case, you have two options for continuing the conversation: Lets talk about some more engaging work-related questions first. thoughtful questions to check-in during a crisis, Small Talk and Conversations in American English, Four Tips for a More Natural American Accent. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Hey there Im Kim. Functionality cookies:these cookies provide functionality that makes using our service more convenient and makes providing more personalized features possible. It's part of Australia's DNA and I see it reflected in our own business agile, diverse, innovative with speed to market as a key point of difference here and internationally. At the same time, it enables them to show their wisdom from their past experiences, so once again, you show that you value their work. The volume of the conversation will usually indicate how open it is for interjections. I moved from the UK to Australia eight years ago. Your role, previously more defined or sectorised, is much broader here. The same goes for securing a deal, it's a straight-up-and-down process: lawyer, office, papers signed and you're done. And each night they reported their levels of well-being and prosocial behaviors. Kit Young, head of photography at Vinomofo. Using the word manage shows that youre not complaining; youre trying to adapt. The one thing that stands out for me is, more than I have seen in other parts of the world including the US, Australians are prepared to go the extra mile. Xander Addington, research & insights analyst at Allure Media. I have to say work is as equally social here as in London and NYC, but there's much more of a "work culture" in Australia. As a Brit, who has spent many years living in the US, workplaces to me were often places where people tried to avoid confrontation; skating around awkward conversations and hiding behind emails. If someone asks you the question, you can respond with, Im working on and mention how things are going. 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. Here are. Making Small Talk in the Workplace with Colleagues and Coworkers Small talk haters are also quick to cite a study by psychologist Mathias Mehl and his colleagues, published in Psychological Science in 2010. There are also consistent gender differences in how small talk plays out. Maybe it's because everyone in Sydney loves coffee so much, but I have managed to get in front of some really senior people just for a coffee. The guests were required to police their conversations by sounding the alarm and changing direction if they perceived that the conversation was drifting in the direction of small talk. You see this person every day, so you probably already know how theyre doing, without even asking the question. Making Small Talk in the Workplace with Colleagues and Coworkers You probably know by now that making small talk is an essential communication skill. Small caps Aura Energy, IperionX chasing equity
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