Colourful Australia

A foreigner’s view of Australia is always either very romantic and laid back because of the surfer mentality, or that of a constant fear of death by wildlife, blistering heat, and an unexplainable love for the Eurovision Song Contest. But how does this translate to the office? Well, it’s about the same. The heat brings some unexpected benefits, as well as the surfing mentality. The wildlife or the Eurovision won’t really bother you all that much, except for maybe some drop bears or colleagues taking a day off when they pull an all-nighter to watch the  Song Contest

Down under

So the heat does have its benefits. Wearing a full suit under the Australian sun would probably cause uncontrollable heat rash and sweat stains. Luckily, the country has seen a lot of its companies relax their dress codes. This means you can leave the suit unpacked when going to most places. For most offices it’s acceptable to wear a t-shirt and shorts to work, and to top it off, some employers even accept wearing thongs to work. And by thongs I meant flip-flops.

No worries

Having a society as laid back as that of Australia can only mean positive things for the workplace, and it absolutely does. The surfer mentality is everywhere, and that is a good thing. Most Australians take the time to do things, don’t worry unnecessarily, and enjoy the good things in life. This includes having fun at work and having lots of drinks, combine this with the warm climate and you’ve got a little piece of heaven. Of course all this doesn’t mean the working culture is a lazy one, Australians do work very hard. They won’t refuse work, or be late, just to give some examples.

If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em

For those who are faint at heart, you might want to cover your ears when working in Australia. Cursing at the workplace is just about as accepted as the t-shirt, so be prepared. Taking no offence to this is key, as swearing is just about as much part of Australian culture as the boomerang, kangaroos, and koala bears. In stead, consider cursing as normal language, as long as it’s not meant to be aggressive, demeaning, or an actual insult.

Living and working in Australia sounds pretty good, it’s warm, laid back, and just very relaxed all around. Combining these with working, and everything just becomes a whole lot better. Having an office available Down Under doesn’t sound too bad either, so don’t miss out on our locations in Melbourne and Sydney.