A World’s Difference in the American Workplace

Let’s cut to the chase. Many of us live the corporate lifestyle every day, so hearing about office furniture in America may sound like a ho-hum topic. What we don’t realize is that our office designs and work culture are extremely diverse compared to other countries.

First off, America is commonly viewed by other countries as a relentless corporate bunch that simply doesn’t get enough sleep. Other countries highlight on New York’s work culture. “No sleep ‘til Brooklyn” certainly sings truth as everyone is constantly on the move, and many stores and businesses stay open literally 24/7. Referring back to a previous post, perhaps this is why our sleepless society has incorporated this unusual room in office designs. On the other hand, countries like Sweden are currently experimenting with shorter workdays for employees, believing fewer hours of work increases productivity.

When technology comes into play, America also refuses to be in sleep mode. Somewhat unsurprising to us, surveys show that around 80% of Americans check their email outside of work hours. America’s tech driven addiction carries over into the office furniture world, as countless products like this one from National Office Furniture have gained popularity for tech accessibility. In contrast, corporate cultures in France strongly encourage workers to completely disconnect from technology after work hours as they believe these technologies could potentially get in the way of employees’ personal lives.

Last and not least, in Starbucks we trust! Rather than hosting meetings around conference tables and working at office desks, it’s very common to see employees hovered over laptops in cafes sipping on a cappuccino. This seems quite taboo in countries like Europe. Cafes commonly serve beer and wine, and are seen as a social hangout with friends.

One great aspect to our country’s workplace culture boils down to the main roots of our country in general – our freedom. At OstermanCron alone, we offer products from over 100 different manufacturers, all completely different from one another. Although you may love or hate it, many embrace the ways that our land of the free is home to some brave and unique styles and designs.