From the beginning of this study abroad, meeting in the airport, to today, arriving in Paris, I have been thrilled with my experience. The itinerary is well-thought out and planned, the faculty are understanding and very knowledgeable, and getting to meet new classmates and friends has been incredible. Upon arrival in London, I noticed a few differences between the culture in the U.K. and the United States. While everything on the trip has been incredible so far, I have especially enjoyed the company visits. We visited Design Bridge and Partners, which emphasized a very creative and collaborative environment seen in the workplace. The atmosphere was very welcoming and had an emphasis on teamwork, which felt different than some company visits that I have seen in the U.S.- often more individualistic and fast-paced.
I also noticed when we visited Lloyd’s that many of the employees went to pubs during lunch to socialize and decompress. After talking to some of the locals, I learned that they emphasize work-life balance heavily. In contrast, the American business culture glorifies longer hours and more of a “hustle” mindset.
As we continue on this trip and get to visit more European countries, I am curious to see if the emphasis on work-life balance is a consistent theme. Furthermore, I am excited to see if this is more of a cultural or a company difference. It will be interesting to see how international companies adapt their cultures across borders and whether they maintain the same values in their U.S. offices.
Through the Mays Marketing Trip, I hope to gain a deeper understanding of how cultural values influence various workplace dynamics, leadership styles, and interactions in the global marketplace. I also hope that this experience challenges my own assumptions about business success and productivity- learning how to integrate more balance and global perspective into my future career.
