Would you mind sharing your experience working with this client? With lighter intonation, the person will feel like youre truly interested in their answer. Its natural to feel frustrated at work, but try to keep these conversations out of the office. If thats the case, dont forget to say, Nice talking to you! or See you later.. You didnt usually go into your next meeting without the social lubricant of small talk first. It takes at least 15 minutes talking about sports or beer until someone finally says, "OK, so the deal we are here to talk about". Am I required to make small talk? www.executivecoachny.com/small-talk-workplace/, Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; Win64; x64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/103.0.0.0 Safari/537.36. Graham Jackson, CEO of Fluent Retail. The good news is that the virtual landscape presents a surprising opportunity to enhance the value of small talk. Hi, very nice article. During election season, you will probably hear people mention their preferred candidates, but its usually best to avoid topics that can cause strong emotions, especially if you dont know your coworkers very well. Asking your coworker whats been inspiring them is great if you work in a more creative or artistic field, or in a field where new technologies and ideas are constantly being developed and discussed. Though these encounters probably lasted only minutes, they played a crucial role in making us feel emotionally connected at work. It also isnt an in-depth or sensitive conversation about someones personal problems. Im sorry to hear that youre concerned about offending someone. Cookies allow us to record important information about how you arrive at, use, and move through this website. Can you help, Hi Hina. Cultural diversity takes on a new meaning when you work in Australia. In fact, it doesnt even have to be related to work. Stick to the script. Despite the "give it a go" image, I'm always surprised that we tend to reward safe-playing mediocrity when we should be hugely more optimistic and competitive as a nation. When youre asked a version of this question, simply say, Im happy to share! and then give some details. I teach in a small tech business college with lots of interactional students. Learn four levels of intimacy. They place value on their personal wellness in the workplace including the relationships they have with the people around them. These brief, casual conversations are a great way to get to know new people, but they can be even more important in the workplace. Im happy to hear youre feeling more confident making small talk now! 2. I am really hopeful, however, that we can resolve some of these challenges and increase our ability to innovate and claim our spot in the global landscape. There is a sense of camaraderie and community and, in turn, these have been shown to support productivity. You're much more likely to text your boss when you're 10 minutes late from lunch elsewhere in the world than you would in good old 'Straya! Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies. Remember, its veryimportant to practice small talk small talkis a skill, and all speaking skills take practice! Read on to find out how to small talk like an expert! Managers should also steer teams away from potentially controversial topics like religion, politics, and romantic relationships. (On a Monday morning) what's for dinner tonight (say you and a colleague are walking out of the office of an evening together) what are you up to this weekend (any time on a Friday) the weather, and although this is a cliche, you have a different perspective, like 'it's so cold this week! Your perspective was really helpful. Sport and television are usually fairly safe topics of conversation. It's pleasant to have overseeing structures in place that ensure processes run smoothly and support, instead of hinder, deal making. Yeah, no problems. Im going to try some of these tips. What channels are you watching on YouTube? Required fields are marked *. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. This also opens up the conversation so that you can swap stories and share your own experience. Many critiques of small talk reference a demonstration organized by Duke University Psychologist Dan Ariely as evidence that there might be some real advantages from banishing small talk from our daily lives. In the Anglo-Australian context, individuals are more loosely connected and interact on a basis of equality than the Chinese. Making Small Talk in the Workplace with Colleagues and Coworkers Its on route to my sisters house. Hierarchy and leadership styles australian workplace - Course Hero I'd say Australia as a whole has a better work-life balance. But please never ask a married coworker if they plan to have children! In Asia it is the done thing to hang out with colleagues at the weekend, but here people seem to have many different friendship groups outside of work which is refreshing. A managing director of the Australian arm of a global firm. We exchanged hellos with colleagues on our way in from the parking lot, chatted about our weekends while waiting for meetings to begin, and swapped stories about our families with our cube mates. When brief social routines are included during each working day, everyone reaps the big rewards of small talk! That place where people share a joke, a coffee, lunch, Friday arvo drinks and really connect with each other. Small talk describes all those brief, social conversations that often occur at transition points during the typical working day when people are physically together in the office. I think this comes down to Australians' desire for balance in their life. Multiculturalism is very common in Australian workplace and diversity specific employee networks designed for staff to communicate, express their ideas, views and share information. I had to call my sister (in recruitment in Sydney) to confirm! The same goes for securing a deal, it's a straight-up-and-down process: lawyer, office, papers signed and you're done. Small talk and the hybrid workplace Before Covid, you probably chatted casually with your colleagues for a few minutes as you all arrived in a meeting room and settled down for a team catch up. Many people suggest that footy talk is a good option at an interview, which is probably true. Try to use friendly, happy intonation so they feel like youre actually glad to see them. This website uses Google Analytics to collect anonymous information, such as the number of visitors to the site, the most popular pages, how users find this website, and how they move through the website. In both cases, people are signaling a desire to establish a mutually comfortable level of involvement in the conversation. You probably know by now that making small talk is an essential communication skill. The Australian Tourism PR campaign works wonders on us Brits we see sun, beaches and a vibrant city. You can slightly tweak the question: Would you mind telling me about your experience working on this project? I moved to Australia from the US in 2012. The other thing that does continue to surprise me is that despite a reputation for "calling it as you see it", some Australians can be remarkably shy about saying what they think. Generally, the interviewer will try to break the ice; its your job to keep the conversation flowing. Workplace Small Talk - OBP Australia Workplace Small Talk How do you enter the workplace social inner sanctum? Why Is It That Some People Can Never Be Satisfied? The data from this comment form will only be used to respond to your comment. Small talk is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as Polite conversation about unimportant or uncontroversial matters, especially as engaged in on social occasions.. At the same time, they felt less focused on and less engaged in their work tasks, which limited their ability to assist others. Cookie Policy |Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy. A light-hearted moan or whinge can be misunderstood as a genuine complaint. We also use cookies to analyze visitors to help us improve the structure and content of our website. Hi there! Before Covid-19 and social distancing, small talk was a daily workplace ritual for most of us. [Originally from Israel and] having worked in London and Hong Kong, what surprised me most about the Australian working culture is that its people are very genuine and straightforward. It also shows that you value their opinion in the workplace. Your intention should be to get to know your colleagues so you can have meaningful conversations about common interests. (Please note that during a global pandemic such as COVID-19, the way people feel about health-related questions will change. My son is doing Year 12 this year and you wouldnt believe how much homework he gets.. Workplace Small Talk - OBP Australia I grew up in the UK and started working as a management consultant in Sydney 12 years ago. If someone asks you this question, you can respond enthusiastically, saying, Ive gotten into or I love. There are also consistent gender differences in how small talk plays out. Ice-breakers at the interview are even more difficult because most often it is the first time youve met the interviewers. Teens Who Dont Date: Socially Behind or Socially Skilled? Yet not everyone is a fan; some think small talk is inauthentic and a waste of time. The other thing that continues to surprise me is that despite the conservative business environment, Australians are, in fact, early adopters. Everyone is given a fair go. In this video, youll learn how to start small talk in the office. For example, we don't mind the use of profanity in the office. Hopefully, it wont be a problem for the interview., I think theyre doing a completely new fit out., It was, but apparently an orthodontist is moving in.. I want to remind you to be careful when discussing work. While you can ask, How are you? or How are you doing?, I suggest trying to get a little more specific. Ready to express your meaning through how you use your voice? Yes, of course, you are bound to be disappointed if all of your conversations are nothing more than superficial loops of chatter about things that no one really cares about; but the skilled conversationalist knows how to use small talk as a social lubricant and as a segue to deeper topics. You'll find Aussies all over the world doing the same thing. This is not necessarily desirable in the sense of work-life balance, but I would say the biggest change for me is in terms of productivity during working hours. . Im really looking forward to it. In the work context, it means projects that will begin shortly. You may want to sign up for my email list to get more insights: https://englishwithkim.com/stayintouch . You should also avoid talking about religion. I have Autism and am 22 years old. Please send some ideas to be nicer and help my colleagues on their last day of work on Fridays. With the exception of Melbourne or Canberra, Australians like to drive even when there is a public transport alternative - and cities are designed to suit cars, not bikes, particularly Sydney. Dont be afraid to reveal a little about yourself; if you open up, others will too. We should be competing on the global stage on a much more regular basis. We definitely behave and speak differently around colleagues context is key to communicating well. (For examples of questions to ask and how to answer, be sure to check out this article where I break it down.). If you feel uncomfortable with the subject matter, its probably a good idea to wait until the topic changes. In some countries, its pretty normal to ask someone if theyre married, but you should avoid asking this question in the American workplace. However, if you feel uncomfortable, or youre not sure what to ask, dont worry about it! By asking a question like this, you give your coworker a chance to share any recent successes that have led to these new projects or these new clients. That place where people share a joke, a coffee, lunch, Friday arvo drinks and really connect with each other. To resolve these views, we surveyed 151 full-time working adults three times a day for 15 consecutive workdays before the pandemic. A great workplace culture promotes productivity because it motivates employees to work harder. Even in the winter all these pubs are full of people out on the pavement having after-work drinks. Gemma Labadini, business development director at Allure Media. We use cookies to make our website easier to use and to make the content you see more relevant to your needs. This small talk at the margins of a work conversation was probably something you scarcely even noticed. Heres another great question to ask at work. His participants completed a battery of questionnaires designed to measure happiness and well-being, and it turned out that higher levels of well-being were associated with less small talk and more substantive conversation. "The main difference I have noticed is that everyone will meet you for a coffee in Sydney and Melbourne even if they have no intention of doing business with you," says a British expat. If youve ever avoided a conversation with a colleague, or felt like you were strangely silent when your coworker tried to engage you in a conversation, this video will help. This morning has been pretty, but I like it that way. In this context, it is important to note that video meetings encourage stronger personal connection than phone calls. 2. Cool apps or useful websites, especially if they help you do work better. Remote Workers Need Small Talk, Too - Harvard Business Review But proceed with courage. Knowing when to initiate small talk and also knowing when to move on and escalate the level of discourse beyond the mundane will make you a popular conversational partner. Small talk is a perfect topic to study whether you're advanced or just starting to learn English for beginners. Most taxi drivers love to have a chat so it's the perfect opportunity to practise your conversation skills in small talk. Small talk is a skill that gets better with practice, and if you have fun meeting new people and getting to know them! Even though youre in the office, you may not feel like talking about work while youre on your break or just interacting in this brief, casual conversation. Naturally, the first thing you should do is greet your coworker with an enthusiastic Hey Jim! or Hi Carrie!.