Employee Benefits Are Cultural Too.

Dr. Elke Framson
Apr 25
3 min read

What counts as "normal" depends on where you are.

In this week's blog, I'm pleased to share a short article that was recently published on the Austrian HR platform HRweb. It's based on an interview with a millennial who moved from Austria to the U.S. for work. In our conversation, we explored the question,"What's different in the U.S.?" The original article is in German. What follows is the English translation.

Benefits

We all know that size is one major difference between Austria and the United States. The U.S. has nearly forty times as many inhabitants as Austria. But what else sets the two countries apart? “A lot!” says my interview partner. Here are some of her observations on employee benefits and the U.S. workplace in general:

In the U.S., work benefits are not standardized. In many states, including her new home state of Florida, small and medium-sized companies are not legally required to offer any employee benefits. It's entirely up to the employer.

When looking for a job in Austria, you don't have to worry about vacation or health insurance, let alone negotiate to receive benefits. Vacation and health insurance are part of the package. In the U.S., none of this can be taken for granted. PTO - short for "paid time off" - is often part of salary negotiations.

Choosing the right health insurance can be extremely complicated too, even if your employer offers coverage. There may be several plans to choose from, each with different levels of coverage, monthly costs, and co-payments at the doctor's office.

As someone who has worked on both sides of the Atlantic, she also noted that, with an average of only two or three weeks of PTO per year – and that means vacation and sick leave combined – there is relatively little understanding in the U.S. for European out-of-office notifications that span two or three weeks and may not even provide an alternative contact person.

Workplace Culture

She gives American workplace culture a positive review and notes that people like to share personal things in the office. The line between work and private life is often blurred. Nevertheless, a friendly “How are you?” in the morning does not necessarily mean that people want to engage in deep conversation. It's just a bit of small talk – light, positive, and short.

At the office, it's best to stay away from topics that polarize, such as politics or religion. Salary is also not something you talk about. And criticizing the U.S. should definitely be left to Americans.

Feedback and "Gradeflation"

An interesting term that came up in our conversation is “gradeflation,” short for grade inflation: giving someone a better grade than they actually deserve in order not to hurt their self-esteem. Grade inflation exists in U.S. schools, universities, and even in the workplace.

Generally, negative feedback is toned down, sometimes to the point where it can be difficult to filter out the core message. Criticism definitely has to be packaged a little differently here.

Communication Style

The egalitarian and informal communication style is a positive and constructive aspect of U.S. workplace culture. It is easier than in Austria to communicate with people at different levels and ranks. At the same time, however, being on a first-name-basis with superiors does not mean that there are no hierarchies.

Overall, communication requires cultural awareness and tact, regardless of the person you are talking to and the situation. It is more nuanced than one might think coming from Europe.

A Big Step

Many things are overwhelming when you take such a big step, but the friendliness and helpfulness of the people she has met in the U.S. definitely make things easier. It's okay to ask questions. Not knowing something is not treated condescendingly but often met with a willingness to help. As a popular American saying goes, “there's no such thing as a stupid question.”

Thank you, Miriam, for your valuable input!

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