CGP Posted August 23, 2016 Report Share Posted August 23, 2016 I had to laugh - my wife has worked in customer service type jobs for years (both in SA and the UK) and she did really well. We've been in Aus for almost 3.5 years now and she is keen to get back to work. An opportunity came up with an insurer which required her to do an on-line assessment. The result - they say she has got zero empathy... I could only say that they didn't need an assessment for that - I could have told them that for free. Seriously though, it's something to remember when you get here. The Aussies like to think that they 'say it like it is', but South Africans seem to come across as very direct, and apparently un-empathetic. (Or at least one does ) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HadEnoughofJuju Posted August 23, 2016 Report Share Posted August 23, 2016 (edited) @CGP, I so agree. Aussies think they are direct and speak their minds BUT they tend to do it when no one can hear them or the people they are being direct about aren't present. You wifey's not alone mate. I did an online assessment for Coles and also scored a 0 for empathy. Guess I'm just too direct for some Aussies. Edited August 23, 2016 by HadEnoughofJuju Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deezo Posted August 23, 2016 Report Share Posted August 23, 2016 Thanks for the heads-up Hope your wife finds something soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alchemist Posted August 23, 2016 Report Share Posted August 23, 2016 OMG thats hysterical and scary (as part of my job is to give people facts they dont want to hear).....damn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisH Posted August 23, 2016 Report Share Posted August 23, 2016 Haha I wonder what sort of answers they are expecting to show empathy? Another thing I've heard is that South Africans are considered pretty rude by foreigners, what is it that we do that makes us seem rude? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deezo Posted August 23, 2016 Report Share Posted August 23, 2016 @ChrisH its probably because we come from such a highly stressed country where its an everyday fight to survive! Im pretty sure that we may be somewhat "rude" or "forward" but this is part of our survival skills in SA...lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rozellem Posted August 23, 2016 Report Share Posted August 23, 2016 32 minutes ago, ChrisH said: Haha I wonder what sort of answers they are expecting to show empathy? Another thing I've heard is that South Africans are considered pretty rude by foreigners, what is it that we do that makes us seem rude? Its partly the Germanic "melody" in our language delivery. Even South African English adopted it. Rat tat tat tat. Think German, Russian, Eastern European. Its half about how we sound, not the words we use. Thats why the French sound sexy even though they are telling you to go jump in the lake and even the friendliest German is seen as abrupt and rude. Then the other half of the problem is that in Aus they use the British way of saying "May I have the steak..." or "Can I have the book....." rather than the RSA "give me the steak with salad on the side". We simply end up sounding like we are commanding, not asking nicely. Not the best way of going about making friends and influencing people. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyebrow Posted August 24, 2016 Report Share Posted August 24, 2016 I seem to find that I cant give people working for me a direct instruction. They dont like it. I have to put it as a question. Even though it is their job. Eg Please scan this and make sure it is in the post today. I have to say: Do you think it is at all possible for you to scan this document? I would really appreciate it if it could be posted today. (obviously with my tone of voice going up towards the end of the latter sentence to make it sound like a question too...) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RYLC Posted August 24, 2016 Report Share Posted August 24, 2016 That's exactly right Eyebrow. You have adapted well. I've had to use a similar tactic with teachers at the school. I requested a meeting with my youngest's teacher. I was not happy with him being given the role of helping others all the time in maths because he was bored senseless. I really wanted to march in there and tell her off. What I had to do instead was go in and "ask for her advice" on what I could do for my child to stretch him. So I started the conversation with "asking for advice" but through the meeting ended up just telling her what my child needed (in the most tactful way possible). I find that using the "asking for advice" pretext makes people open and amenable whereas stating that "i need to talk to you about son's maths cos he's bored" would get a very defensive response. Softly softly works really well. The typical Saffa way is what gives us the reputation for being aggressive and arrogant. And for those feeling defensive or irritated reading this last bit: remember that it's up to newbies to adapt to how Ozzies do things (not the other way round). 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyberJoe Posted August 25, 2016 Report Share Posted August 25, 2016 O boy, I will really have to work hard on this, thank you for the heads up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riekie Posted August 26, 2016 Report Share Posted August 26, 2016 The secret is to criticize someone in such a way, they see it as a compliment!.... You can't call a spade a spade... Everyone is so politically correct, it sometimes leave you speechless! For instance, you can't say "hey guys" in the office anymore when you informally address a group of people, as the women "may feel" excluded or less important, even though this way of casually addressing people have been used for decades and is widely accepted as not being gender specific or intentionally excluding or labelling, by both men and women. This is now because ONE person took offence and went crazy with it. Before you could say "sexist", the human rights commission had their say, every news channel had a story on it and the know-it-all social commentators all jumped on the band-wagon with their 2c worth. Total waste of time and nothing but a storm in a teacup... Until the next person gets offended by something totally ridiculous... Teachers aren't allowed to say NO to kids anymore... So can you imagine the future generation of offendeds?... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pell Posted August 26, 2016 Report Share Posted August 26, 2016 Actually, people say 'hey guys' all the time where I work, and some also call me 'mate'. I don't mind. I'm often not politically correct, and could care less about it. I don't see the need to walk on eggshells around anyone. As long as everyone behaves professionally and there's good humour going around, no one holds anyone else to much ceremony in my workplace. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RYLC Posted August 26, 2016 Report Share Posted August 26, 2016 Each state is very different too though. The MOST politically correct (and litigious) are NSW and VIC. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riekie Posted August 26, 2016 Report Share Posted August 26, 2016 27 minutes ago, Pell said: Actually, people say 'hey guys' all the time where I work, and some also call me 'mate'. I don't mind. I'm often not politically correct, and could care less about it. I don't see the need to walk on eggshells around anyone. As long as everyone behaves professionally and there's good humour going around, no one holds anyone else to much ceremony in my workplace. Where I work too. We actually discussed the ridiciouslessness of it in the office and we pretty much ignore all the nonsense. Thing is, getting offended is becoming a national sport and some people would even get offended on behalf of others and cause a huge uproar in the media! In America and Canada, if you can't fit into your airline seat with both armrests down without spilling into the seat next to you, you have to purchase a 2nd ticket or you're taken off the flight. In Australia, if you're the unlucky bugger who have half a person on your lap on a 6 hour flight, you have no recourse. They're now considering making the middle seats wider to accommodate bigger people (which essentially would only make the seats on either side smaller). If any airline in Australia would ask a person to buy another ticket because they don't fit into their seat, there will be war! This is just one example of how real issues aren't addressed because someone will take offence and make a big deal out of it. It's madness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushlovers Posted October 4, 2016 Report Share Posted October 4, 2016 Weird, but in my two-ish years I haven't experienced any of this in the work place. Maybe I'm just oblivious? Maybe drillers aren't the sensitive souls the rest of Australians are? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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