Business culture in the UK

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK, or Britain) is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island nation, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of the island of Ireland, and many smaller islands. Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK with a land border with another sovereign state, sharing it with the Republic of Ireland. Apart from this land border, the UK is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the English Channel and the Irish Sea. The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy and unitary state. It is a country consisting of four countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. It is governed by a parliamentary system with its seat of government in the capital city of London. There are three devolved national administrations of varying powers in Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh, the capitals of Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland respectively. The UK has three Crown Dependencies and fourteen overseas territories that are not constitutionally part of the UK. These territories are remnants of the British Empire, which at its height in 1922 encompassed almost a quarter of the world's land surface, the largest empire in history. As a result, British influence can still be observed in the language, culture and legal systems of many of its former colonies. The UK is a developed country, with the world's sixth largest economy by nominal GDP and the sixth largest by purchasing power parity. It was the world's first industrialised country and the world's foremost power during the 19th and early 20th centuries, but the economic and social cost of two world wars and the decline of its empire in the later half of the 20th century diminuished its leading role in global affairs. The UK nevertheless remains a great power with leading economic, cultural, military, scientific and political influence. It is a recognised nuclear weapons state while its military expenditure ranks third or fourth in the world, depending on the method of calculation. It is a Member State of the European Union, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, G8, G20, NATO, OECD and the World Trade Organization. Britain has a history of small scale non-white immigration, with Liverpool having the oldest Black population in the country, dating back to at least the 1730s, and the oldest Chinesecommunity in Europe, dating to the arrival of Chinese seamen in the nineteenth century. Small numbers of African migrants are recorded as living in England during Henry VIII's reign, with one of the Tudor monarch's trumpeters recorded as being African. In 1950 there were probably fewer than 20,000 non-white residents in Britain, almost all born overseas. Since 1945, substantial immigration from Africa, the Caribbean and South Asia has been a legacy of ties forged by the British Empire. Migration from new EU member states in Central andEastern Europe since 2004 has resulted in growth in these population groups, but, as of 2008, the trend is reversing and many of these migrants are returning home, leaving the size of these groups unknown. As of 2001, 92.1% of the population identified themselves as White, leaving 7.9% of the UK population identifying themselves as mixed race or ethnic minority.

Ethnic diversity varies significantly across the UK. 30.4% of London's population and 37.4% of Leicester's was estimated to be non-white as of June 2005, whereas less than 5% of the populations of North East England, Wales and the South West were from ethnic minorities according to the 2001 census. As of 2007, 22% of primary and 17.7% of secondary pupils atstate schools in England were from ethnic minority families. The UK does not have an official language but the predominant spoken language is English, a West Germanic language descended from Old English which features a large number of borrowings from Old Norse, Norman French and Latin. Largely because of the British Empire, the English language has spread across the world, and become the international language of business as well as the most widely taught second language. Scots, a language descended from early northern Middle English, is recognised at European level, as is its regional variant in the northern counties of Ireland, Ulster Scots. There are also four Celtic languages in use in the UK: Welsh, Irish, Scottish Gaelic and Cornish. In the 2001 Census over a fifth (21%) of the population of Wales said they could speak Welsh, an increase from the 1991 Census (18%). In addition, it is estimated that about 200,000 Welsh speakers live in England. The 2001 census in Northern Ireland showed that 167,487 (10.4%) people "had some knowledge of Irish" (see Irish language in Northern Ireland), almost exclusively in the Catholic/nationalist population. Over 92,000 people in Scotland (just under 2% of the population) had some Gaelic language ability, including 72% of those living in the Outer Hebrides. The number of schoolchildren being taught in Welsh, Gaelic and Irish is increasing. Welsh and Scottish Gaelic are also spoken by small groups around the globe with some Gaelic still spoken in Nova Scotia, Canada (especially Cape Breton Island), and Welsh in Patagonia, Argentina. Across the United Kingdom, it is generally compulsory for pupils to study a second language to some extent: up to the age of 14 in England, and up to age 16 in Scotland.French and German are the two most commonly taught second languages in England and Scotland. In Wales, all pupils up to age 16 are either taught in Welsh or taught Welsh as a second language. The largest religious group in England is Christianity, with the Church of England (Anglican) the Established Church: the church retains a representation in the UK Parliament and the British monarch is a member of the church (required under Article 2 of the Treaty of Union) as well as its Supreme Governor. The Church of England also retains the right to draft legislative measures (related to religious administration) through theGeneral Synod that can then be passed into law by Parliament. The Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales is the second largest Christian church with around five million members, mainly in England. There are also growing Orthodox, Evangelical and Pentecostal churches, with Pentecostal churches in England now third after the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church in terms of church attendance. The largest religious group in Scotland is also Christianity, though the presbyterian Church of Scotland (known informally as The Kirk), is recognised as

the national church. It is not subject to state control and the British monarch is an ordinary member, required to swear an oath to "maintain and preserve the Protestant Religion and Presbyterian Church Government" upon his or her accession. The Roman Catholic Church in Scotland is Scotland's second largest Christian church, representing a sixth of the population. There is also a Scottish Episcopal Church, which is part of the Anglican Communion. The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir London is the largest Hindu Temple outsideIndia. The Church in Wales is 'disestablished' but remains in the Anglican Communion. Baptist Union of Wales, Methodism and the Presbyterian Church of Wales are present in Wales as well. The main religious groups in Northern Ireland are organised on an all-Ireland basis. Though Protestants and Anglicans are in the overall majority, the Roman Catholic Church of Ireland is the largest single church. The Presbyterian Church in Ireland is the second largest church followed by the Church of Ireland (Anglican) which was disestablished in the nineteenth century. At the 2001 census, there were 1,536,015 Muslims in England and Wales, forming 3% of the population. Muslims in Scotland numbered 42,557 representing 0.84% of the population. According to a Labour Force Survey estimate, the total number of Muslims in Great Britain in 2008 was 2,422,000, around 4% of the total population. There were a further 1,943 Muslims in Northern Ireland. Over 1 million people follow religions of Indian origin: 560,000 Hindus, 340,000 Sikhs with about 150,000 practising Buddhism. Leicester houses one of the world's few Jain temples that are outside of India. Today British Jews number around 300,000 with the UK having the fifth largest Jewish community worldwide. The Class System Although in the past few decades, people from varied backgrounds have had greater access to higher education, wealth distribution is changing and more upward/downward mobility is occurring, the British class system is still very much intact although in a more subconscious way. The playing field is levelling but the British still seem to pigeon-hole people according to class. Class is no longer simply about wealth or where one lives; the British are able to suss out someones class through a number of complex variables including demeanour, accent, manners and comportment. A Multicultural Society Formerly a very homogenous society, since World War II, Britain has become increasingly diverse as it has accommodated large immigrant populations, particularly from its former colonies such as India, Pakistan and the West Indies. The mixture of ethnic groups

and cultures make it difficult to define Britishness nowadays and a debate rages within the nation as to what now really constitutes being a Briton. The Stiff Upper Lip The British have been historically known for their stiff upper lip and blitz spirit as demonstrated during the German bombings of World War II. This grin and bear attitude in the face of adversity or embarrassment lives on today. As a nation, the Brits tend not to use superlatives and may not appear terribly animated when they speak. This does not mean that they do not have strong emotions; merely that they do not choose to put them on public display. They are generally not very openly demonstrative, and, unless you know someone well, may not appreciate it if you put your arm around their shoulder. Kissing is most often reserved for family members in the privacy of home, rather than in public. You'll see that the British prefer to maintain a few feet of distance between themselves and the person to whom they are speaking. If you have insulted someone, their facial expression may not change. The British are very reserved and private people. Privacy is extremely important. The British will not necessarily give you a tour of their home and, in fact, may keep most doors closed. They expect others to respect their privacy. This extends to not asking personal questions. The question, Where are you from? may be viewed as an attempt to place the person on the social or class scale. Even close friends do not ask pointedly personal questions, particularly pertaining to ones financial situation or relationships. There is a proper way to act in most situations and the British are sticklers for adherence to protocol. The British are a bit more contained in their body language and hand gestures while speaking. They are generally more distant and reserved than North and South Americans and Southern Europeans, and may not initially appear to be as open or friendly. Friendships take longer to build; however, once established they tend to be deep and may last over time and distance. Humour A vital element in all aspects of British life and culture is the renowned British sense of humour. The importance of humour in all situations, including business contexts, cannot be overestimated. Humour is frequently used as a defence mechanism, often in the form of selfdepreciation or irony. It can be highly implicit and in this sense is related to the British indirect communication style.

British Etiquette and Customs

Meeting and Greeting

Shaking hands is considered the polite way to greet someone you have just been introduced to and you will often hear people say How do you do, to which an appropriate reply is also How do you do. A less formal greeting is How are you? and the usual answer is Im fine, thank you. And you? Before discussing business matters, people usually make small talk (have a short chat). This is often on a topic such as the weather, transport or sport. Humour is often used!

The British might seem a little stiff and formal at first. Avoid prolonged eye contact as it makes people feel uncomfortable. There is still some protocol to follow when introducing people in a business or more formal social situation. This is often a class distinction, with the 'upper class' holding on to the long-standing traditions. Introduce a younger person to an older person also, introduce a person of lower status to a person of higher status.
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When two people are of similar age and rank, introduce the one you know better to the other person.

Gift Giving Etiquette The British exchange gifts between family members and close friends for birthdays and Christmas. The gift need not be expensive, but it should usually demonstrate an attempt to find something that related to the recipients interests. If invited to someone's home, it is normal to take along a box of good chocolates, a good bottle of wine or flowers. Gifts are opened when received. British superstitions Lucky superstitions y y y y y Lucky to meet a black cat. Black Cats are featured on many good luck greetings cards and birthday cards in England. Lucky to touch wood. We touch; knock on wood, to make something come true. Lucky to find a clover plant with four leaves. White heather is lucky. A horseshoe over the door brings good luck. But the horseshoe needs to be the right way up. The luck runs out of the horseshoe if it is upside down. Horseshoes are generally a sign of good luck and feature on many good luck cards. On the first day of the month it is lucky to say "white rabbits, white rabbits white rabbits," before uttering your first word of the day. Catch falling leaves in Autumn and you will have good luck. Every leaf means a lucky month next year. Cut your hair when the moon is waxing and you will have good luck.

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Putting money in the pocket of new clothes brings good luck.

Bad luck superstitions y y y y y y y Unlucky to walk underneath a ladder. Seven years bad luck to break a mirror. The superstition is supposed to have originated in ancient times, when mirrors were considered to be tools of the gods. Unlucky to spill salt. If you do, you must throw it over your shoulder to counteract the bad luck. Unlucky to open an umbrella in doors. The number thirteen is unlucky. Friday the thirteenth is a very unlucky day. Friday is considered to be an unlucky day because Jesus was crucified on a Friday. Unlucky to put new shoes on the table. Unlucky to pass someone on the stairs.

Table superstitions y y y If you drop a table knife expect a male visitor, if you drop a fork a female visitor. Crossed cutlery on your plate and expect a quarrel. Leave a white tablecloth on a table overnight and expect a death.

Wedding superstitions y y y y Bride and groom must not meet on the day of the wedding except at the altar. The bride should never wear her complete wedding clothes before the day. For good luck the bride should wear something borrowed, something blue, something old and something new. The husband should carry his new wife over the threshold of their home.

Business Etiquette and Protocol

Greetings A firm handshake is the norm; there are no issues over gender in the UK. People shake upon meeting and leaving. Maintain eye contact during the greeting but avoid anything prolonged. Most people use the courtesy titles or Mr, Mrs or Miss and their surname. Wait until invited before moving to a first-name basis. People under the age of 35 may make this move more rapidly than older British. Business cards are exchanged at the initial introduction

without formal ritual. The business card may be put away with only a cursory glance so dont be offended if not much attention is paid to it. Making appointments Usually: y y Meetings are normally arranged some days in advance. Meetings are within normal office working hours 09:00 am to 17:00 pm. Be aware the hour lunch break can be any time usually between 12:00 pm to 14:00 pm you will need to check if it is OK to meet during this time.

Sometimes it may be preferred: y To have a working lunch (breakfast or dinner). Remember to be clear about who is paying! y To meet in the evenings or at the weekend if the way the business works requires it. The British Communication Style The British have an interesting mix of communication styles encompassing both understatement and direct communication. Many older businesspeople or those from the 'upper class' rely heavily upon formal use of established protocol. Most British are masters of understatement and do not use effusive language. If anything, they have a marked tendency to use qualifiers such as 'perhaps', possibly or 'it could be'. When communicating with people they see as equal to themselves in rank or class, the British are direct, but modest. If communicating with someone they know well, their style may be more informal, although they will still be reserved. Written communication follows strict rules of protocol. How a letter is closed varies depending upon how well the writer knows the recipient. Written communication is always addressed using the person's title and their surname. First names are not generally used in written communication, unless you know the person well. E-mail is now much more widespread, however the communication style remains more formal, at least initially, than in many other countries. Most British will not use slang or abbreviations and will think negatively if your communication appears overly familiar. Building Relationships The British can be quite formal and sometimes prefer to work with people and companies they know or who are known to their associates. The younger generation however is very different; they do not need long-standing personal relationships before they do business with people and do not require an intermediary to make business introductions.

Nonetheless, networking and relationship building are often key to long-term business success. Most British look for long-term relationships with people they do business with and will be cautious if you appear to be going after a quick deal. Business Meetings If you plan to use an agenda, be sure to forward it to your British colleagues in sufficient time for them to review it and recommend any changes. Punctuality is important in business situations. In most cases, the people you are meeting will be on time. Scots are extremely punctual. Call if you will be even 5 minutes later than agreed. Having said that, punctuality is often a matter of personal style and emergencies do arise. If you are kept waiting a few minutes, do not make an issue of it. Likewise, if you know that you will be late it is a good idea to telephone and offer your apologies. Let the person you are meeting know if you are bringing somebody else with you, their name, role or interest in the issues. In the same way you can ask who else will be present. How meetings are conducted is often determined by the composition of people attending:
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If everyone is at the same level, there is generally a free flow of ideas and opinions. If there is a senior ranking person in the room, that person will do most of the speaking.

In general, meetings will be rather formal:

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Meetings always have a clearly defined purpose, which may include an agenda. There will be a brief amount of small talk before getting down to the business at hand. If you make a presentation, avoid making exaggerated claims. Make certain your presentation and any materials provided appear professional and well thought out. Be prepared to back up your claims with facts and figures. The British rely on facts, rather than emotions, to make decisions. Maintain eye contact and a few feet of personal space. After a meeting, send a letter summarizing what was decided and the next steps to be taken.

Written agreements Of course situations vary, but verbal agreements do not guarantee something will happen.

It is generally a good idea to write down what you (your business partner or client) have agreed, and what each of you are committed to. You should all sign, date it and each keep a copy for your records. There is a lot of paperwork used in business in the UK. Agreements are written down in the form of signed contracts or letters. These can be used in a court of law. Negotiation When negotiating a business agreement with a potential partner or client: y y y Firstly understand the areas each of you needs to agree on. Do not be afraid to ask for an explanation on any point that is being made, or of the words used. It is important you both understand exactly what is being discussed. If you do not reach a way forward in the first meeting, but may need to agree to go away and think about ways around the problem and meet again.

Personal information In the UK, many organisations and banks that support entrepreneurs often collect personal information to check your identity and credit rating. These organisations are not allowed to give your personal information to anyone else because your details are legally protected by the Data Protection Act. You have a right to ask to see the records of your personal information. Be aware asking others about their personal information is a sensitive issue and can lead to difficulties. It is advised not to ask about personal information unless you need to for business or if you know somebody well. Giving gifts There are rules and customs on giving business gifts in the UK, some formal, some informal. There is a basic law to ensure gifts cannot be given to persuade somebody to do something outside their normal job. Many businesses have a code of conduct to help their employees understand the law, for example: y y y Employees should not accept business gifts, except items of very small value such as business diaries or calendars. Employees should not accept or give hospitality which other people might think could influence a business decision. Employees should record and report any gifts received or offers of hospitality made.

Businesses in the UK often send seasonal greeting cards to clients at Christmas. You do not have to be a Christian to send a card and it does not have to have a Christian message. It is a useful way to thank business clients and partners, and to maintain valuable business contacts.

Employing family and friends Employing family and friends is common in the UK. You need to be aware that family and friends are covered by employment law. Equality of opportunity There are a number of laws that cover disability, gender, sexual orientation, race, religion and age to make sure every person has equal rights. Not only in employment, but also in the use of public services, treatment by others and in language used. Therefore you need to be aware of your rights as well as the rights of others. For example: y y y y y If your loan request is turned down by the bank it has to be for a business reason. Depending on the size of organisation and the resources it has, those who provide a service to the public have to make it as accessible as possible to disabled people. As an employer, you offer equal opportunities to all people. You are aware that with Leave to Remain you are entitled to work and contribute to the local economy and community. Be aware the language you or others use in conversation and correspondence is also covered in the above laws if it offends anyone.

Business Cards Business cards are exchanged at the initial introduction without formal ritual. The business card may be put away with only a cursory glance.

Women in Business in Britain Women make up a large percentage of the workforce - almost 50% - but are often found in low paid and part-time jobs. Statistics show that women are, on the whole, still paid less for performing the same tasks as male colleagues. On the other hand, women are more frequently found in managerial positions than in most other European countries and more and more women are reaching the very highest echelons of British business life. More female managers will be found in service and hi-tech industries than in the more traditional engineering sectors - this is largely due to the small number of women in the UK who graduate with technical degrees.

British Dress Code Traditional dark grey and dark blue suits still tend to predominate. Suits are worn with white, blue or pink shirts and reasonably sober ties. In the more senior circles in the 'City', men will often wear cufflinks. Women in management positions often mirror male attire in so far as dark suits and

blouses are worn - with little in the way of more flamboyant accessories being seen. There has, however, been a recent move away from this sober, formal appearance and many organisations have introduced a 'dress down' policy which allows employees to wear 'smart casual', as long as there are no clients to be met on that day. 'Smart casual' is difficult to describe but still tends to be on the conservative side. The climate in the UK can be very rainy, so it is always a good idea to carry a raincoat and/or an umbrella when visiting. British Teams The British like decisions to be made in a team environment and a good manager will work hard to ensure 'buy-in' from his or her team. The team environment aspires to being friendly and companionable with individuals within the team being seen to be supportive and helpful of each other. If, however, something goes wrong, it is not uncommon for the team to look for an individual within the team to blame. ('Blame culture' is something that seems to permeate working life and many organisations work hard to try to change this type of mentality.) Team members often bring with them into the team a certain level of specialisation, but are expected to take a generalist view of the project and their role within the project team. Being seen as a 'good all-rounder' is definitely positive. Conclusion Compared with other countries, the UK office can be a reasonably relaxed and informal environment. Conversations can become personal, humour is seen as a positive and relationships frequently switch between that of friends and colleagues depending on the situation. A new German or Japanese colleague may at first find this unprofessional and lacking in professionalism. Brainstorming, gaining consensus and objective criticism are all part of the British business meeting. However, in hierarchical cultures none of the above would take place. Meetings are usually the forum for decisions to be conveyed rather than made, criticising or challenging the ideas of colleagues and seniors would be completely unacceptable and would result in the loss of honour and face. These brief examples are but three of numerous illustrations of business culture that a foreigner may need to understand before working with the British. If a person came to the UK and was unaware of such issues they may very well be misunderstood if they were constantly late, never contributed in meetings or did not join in with office banter. Intercultural awareness training aims at familiarising people with a culture they (are going to) work with. The end result is stronger relationships, enhanced communication and an environment where culture becomes a vehicle to success.

Far from wanting to stereotype nationalities and offer definitive, concrete definitions of their culture and society, intercultural awareness training offers a framework that can act as a safety net for those dealing with different cultures by offering guidelines and boundaries in order to minimise the negative impact of intercultural differences.

In conlusion:
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DO respect personal space. The British value their space and keeping an acceptable distance is advised. DO remember to shake hands on first meetings. It is considered polite to do so. DO make direct eye-contact with your British counterpart, however remember to keep it to a minimum or it could be considered impolite or rude. DONT ask personal questions regarding your British counterparts background, occupation or income. DONT underestimate the importance of humour in all aspect of business in the UK. DONT forget that instructions are often disguised as polite requests.

Bibliography:
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