Eller International Experience ? Getting down to business

My previous post dealt with the lifestyle here in Spain, specifically how lax it is compared to America. That laidback lifestyle doesn?t just exist during people?s freetime either. After having worked roughly a month already in a small, downtown apartment converted into an office, I can tell you that that lifestyle is apparent even in the workplace.

I am working for Expat Financial Advice Spain, a company that offers financial advice for foreigners living in Spain, as well as a smaller company called Barcelona Flats, which allows travelers to rent out apartments throughout the city. I work everyday for 4 hours, mostly doing little IT tasks that my employer assigns me. There are a few Spainards in the office and their work habits differ tremendously from everyone else?s. For example, they love to converse all the time during work, sometimes in Spanish and sometimes in broken English. Also, they are out of the office by 2 on the dot, no questions asked. Given the time they take for lunch and smoking breaks, I say they work a total of about 3 hours a day.

I know it?s unfair to generalize all of Barcelona?s working culture based on one month?s experience with a few Spainards, but from what I?ve heard from others on this program, it?s fairly accurate. Is this business culture the best thing for the country, given it?s current economic state? Probably not. Hell, it might even be a significant reason for Spain?s recession in the first place. The Spainards that I?ve had the pleasure working with don?t work much, but when they do, they get what?s needed to be done, done.

Source: http://blogs.eller.arizona.edu/international/2012/07/getting-down-to-business/

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