‘Culture shock’: Indian professional shares 5 things US workplaces ‘get remarkably right’

The first was a simple one: respecting people’s time. He said punctuality in American workplaces is closely linked to professionalism, with meetings generally starting as scheduled and deadlines being taken seriously.

“People respect your time, and they expect you to respect theirs. Meetings begin on time, deadlines mean something, and being late is rarely treated casually,” Anushk wrote.

Preparation was another major difference he noticed. According to him, the familiar Indian attitude of “dekh lenge (we will figure it out)” does not always work in American workplaces. Employees are often expected to come prepared, understand the subject beforehand, anticipate questions, and think about possible problems before a meeting even begins.

He also pointed to the emphasis on ownership. In his experience, responsibilities are usually clearly assigned, making it easier to understand who is responsible for a particular task, who has the authority to make a decision, and who ultimately has to deliver the result.

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The way feedback is given was another aspect he appreciated. Rather than turning criticism into a public confrontation, he said feedback is often specific and constructive, with difficult conversations handled privately.

“Good feedback here is usually specific, constructive and often delivered one-on-one. The focus is on improving the work, not humiliating the person,” he wrote.

His final observation was about taking action. Anushk said American workplaces can be more comfortable with starting a project before every detail has been figured out. Instead of waiting for a plan to become perfect, people may begin with a strong idea and refine it along the way.

“A strong idea, a clear vision and the ability to convince the right people can be enough to begin,” he wrote, adding that plans often evolve as work progresses.

However, Anushk said his experience in the US did not make him overlook what India had taught him. He credited India with helping him develop “resilience, adaptability and how to create opportunities with limited resources”.

For him, the real lesson lies in bringing the strengths of both experiences together.

He concluded that these qualities become even more powerful when combined with “preparation, ownership, honest feedback, respect for time and the courage to move early.”