Scheduling meetings and cultural differences
When I first moved to Canada (originally, the first Anglo-saxon country I called home). I noticed a marked difference in the work patterns with respect to Mexican (and other countries like Spain) standards. For example, in Canada, it is usually traditional to work from 9 am to 4 pm, with lunch usually happening around 12 (noon). Thus, I have observed how people schedule meetings at 2pm (something you’d rarely do in Mexico)
Unless it was a lunch meeting, you almost never would organize a meeting at 2pm in Mexico. But I’ve grown used to this system. As a matter of fact, I changed my eating habits when I moved to Mexico for a couple of years. I went to have lunch usually at 1pm (at the latest) and I would often organize meetings with colleagues abroad (e.g. phone or Skype meetings) around 2:30pm (when most Mexican people would be having their lunch). It’s funny how one adopts social norms and customs from the culture where you are most immersed.
Who do you know that only has to work from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.? Aren’t most workdays at least 8 hours?
Also, I don’t think it’s really that funny that you’d take on t
Weird! Your blog just posted my comment as I was typing it! The rest of the comment should read:
…that you’d take on the customary lunch hour here. I mean, if people you are working with book meetings at 2 p.m., you just have to go to them, no?
More importantly, what are the customary work hours in Mexico?