Real World 101

Hi all,

I have been discussing about fitting in workplace during the placements with one of my friends lately. I am from Malaysia and finding it difficult to fit in, however I wasn’t aware of the cultural difference at work until my friend pointed it out for me.

From where I come, the ‘students’, ‘newbies’ or ‘lower level employees’ would see the seniors as superior. We may show either respect or feel intimidated depending on the attitude displayed by the superior, and the superior rarely speaks to the rest of the employee as a friend. Over there, we’re expected to do exactly as told, whereas the superior here will guide you towards the direction or indirectly hint what they expect of you and they expect you to be proactive or even take initiative to do more than as told. Of course, not all Asian employees are like what I have just described (or maybe it's just me).

So initially when I have been marked down in assessment form on those areas, I could not comprehend why I have been marked down when I have done my job. I am being told that I’m not proactive enough in seeking feedback etc. Only after my friend has advised me about how to behave in the ‘western’ workplace, then I had that ‘oh my god I have been so silly’, there I was, been feeling like an alien, and not knowing the most basic thing about how to behave at a workplace.

It would have very helpful if someone has told me about what to do and what not to do before I got thrown into the deep end from a completely naïve, unrealistic university environment to a big intimidating real hospital with a huge team to work with. It has been too often that most people take it for granted that it’s common sense or it’s something that ‘u should have it built-in’. If the school can include that into health communication 101 or other similar units, I feel that a lot of students who are not familiar with the workplace culture will be thankful for that.