Values at work

America is known for its diverse heritage. People of all races and nationalities
come together in the United States, leading many individuals to wonder about
American business culture. When it comes to American business culture, however,
there is less diversity. The United States is built on the American dream. In fact,
the entire American culture revolves around the idea that hard work leads to
financial prosperity and success. Let's have a look at a few basic concepts.

1. Equality and fairness

Americans value equality and fairness, but this is a bit ironic. Although the
U.S. has more than its share of problems with racism, homophobia, sexism,
etc., the U.S. is a society that does not recognize hierarchies as much as
other countries. If you are a member of the upper class in your home country
and you visit the U.S., you will most likely be spoken to just like everyone
else by taxi drivers, or hotel staff, etc.
2. Directness
Americans are often very direct. This means they often tell you what they
think and they will be assertive about what they want. Being assertive is
generally seen as a good thing in America. For instance, the idea of “losing
face” is not the same in America. The translation for “losing face” would be
“embarrassed,” which is less serious. Americans may be embarrassed if they
are criticized or make a mistake, for example. So Americans may point out
mistakes or criticize you, simply intending it as a correction or useful
information. It is never rude to ask for help. If a colleague asks you if you
need anything, they truly want to help. So feel free to ask for any favour you
need at the workplace.
3. Competition
Americans can be competitive and often work hard to achieve their goals.
Competition often leads Americans to be very busy. Many Americans view
competition is a good thing. Competition in business is due in large part to
the capitalist economy. America’s business model is to compete for
customers and for the best prices. Americans may also “compete” with
themselves. They work hard to keep improving at what they do. For
example, they may want to sell more items at their job than they did the year
before.
4. Work ethic
Americans can be very focused on their work. Sometimes people from other
cultures think Americans “live-to-work” or are “workaholics.” Part of the
reason Americans are work-oriented is because being busy and active is
often seen as a good thing. People also tend to identify strongly with their
 jobs. For example, when you first meet someone, one of the first questions
they might ask you is “What do you do?” They mean, “What kind of work
do you do?”
5. Time and efficiency
Americans place a lot of value on their time. Americans may feel frustrated
if they think someone or something has wasted their time. Some Americans
plan out their time carefully, using daily calendars for both their personal
lives and their work lives. There is a saying in America: time is money. This
means many Americans like to use their time “efficiently” – they want to get
the most done in the shortest amount of time. Having a meeting, especially
for work Americans are on time – probably even 5 minutes early. Some
cultures attend an event until it comes to a natural end. Americans attend an
event such as a meeting until the clock indicates that the meeting is over and
they move on to the next thing.
6. Informality
In the workplace, many bosses or managers like to be addressed by their first
name. However, you should wait until you are invited to do this. The
informality that is so common in American culture is probably related to
their sense of equality, fairness and belief in treating everyone the same way.
7. Americans are practice-oriented so practice in everything is another value
in American culture at work.
There is sometimes a rejection of things that are "overly theoretical" and are
not immediately applicable or useful. Being objective and less emotional is
encouraged when forming an opinion about something.
8. The U.S., which values hard work, also values acquisition of material
things as a reward for the hard work.
People buy cars every two to three years. Americans place a higher priority
on acquiring material wealth than on building interpersonal relationships and
bonds with other people. But it is worth mentioning that this trend is still
changing and perhaps in 20 years it will not be such a value.
9. Personal space
Close physical contact is discouraged in the business world. Stay a minimum
of 18 to 24 inches (45-60 cm) away from others when conducting business.
This can also be viewed metaphorically Americans do not necessarily seek
to build personal relationships with business partners. Depending on the
industry, business is seen as strictly professional with little association to
one’s personal life.

To conclude, we’d like to state that the work values mentioned above are not
stereotypes but merely generalizations (patterns that are rooted in data and
research). Thus, not every American you meet would follow these patterns, but still
it is important to be aware of them.