A Mixed bag of experiences
Twisha Chandra has been working at the headquarters of Microsoft Corporation in Redmond, USA, for the last four years as a Trade Compliance Officer. The mother of two reveals some interesting facts about the work culture in the country, while also dispelling some myths about it...
Twisha, who has been working in the USA for several years, worked at Amazon.com for a year before she made the big switch to Microsoft. Thus, she was well-acquainted with the work culture in the country. However, the two workplaces varied in their workstyle in many ways, “Culture wise, Amazon and Microsoft vary a lot hence, I had to start on a clean state when I changed roles. Amazon is known for its aggressive work style whereas Microsoft’s culture is defined by empathy,” she states.
Working in the US versus India
Since she has already tasted the professional culture in India during her tenure at ICICI Bank and spent a few years working in the USA, Twisha draws comparisons and parallels between the two countries on various grounds. The first factor, of course, is the pay package, which compels most Indians to look for a job in the USA, “The pay package depends on the company. Microsoft, however, gives competitive salaries in both India and the US,” she says while adding that researching about the organisation that one is keen to join in the USA is of utmost importance and cannot be neglected. At the same time, getting into the nitty gritties of an offer is equally important. She herself invested her energy and time into it when joining Microsoft, “I did a lot of research on the founding principles of the company, its culture and values. There was a ton of information available on the company’s website and tech blogs like GeekWire. My husband joined the company before I did so I had met and known a lot of people from Microsoft beforehand. I also reached out to my would be colleagues on LinkedIn for an informal chat before taking up the offer.”
A staunch feminist, who believes firmly in equality at work-place between men and women, she adds that as per her experience, India is very fair in its treatment towards women workforce, “I think conversation around gender parity has picked up pace in the world after “me too” movement. I personally found the Indian company that I worked for fair in its treatment of women employees.”
If you are looking to strike a healthy work-life balance, then moving to the USA is a good decision, Twisha advises, “There is more respect for personal time in the US vs. India. I rarely work on weekends here and it is not expected that I will log in post my working hours to reply to official mails.” At the same time, there is more flexibility over how work is delivered, “There is more flexibility when it comes to working from home. It could also be another difference in sector-finance vs. technical. Technical is more open and finance is still conservative. Again, it depends on the team as well but in my current role, my manager allows me the freedom to work from anywhere as long as the work gets done.”
Another factor in which the USA takes the cake over India is the equation with superiors, “US is less hierarchical than India. I can refer to my superiors by their first name without adding a suffix or a prefix to show respect. This reflects the general dignity of labour that people firmly believe in,” she shares while revealing that technology is a good place to be in the USA if you prefer wearing jeans to work over a business suit, “Since I am in tech, I never feel underdressed even when I am wearing shorts and flip flops! Of course, it was way more formal in India but again it could be a difference between industries.”
However, there are other areas, where India is as competitive for professionals and Twisha sheds light on them, “In big corporations, benefits are competitive. Indian companies too give good benefits since attracting good talent is a challenge worldwide. When it comes to climbing up the hierarchical ladder, or promotions, I do not find any major differences in the two cultures except that forming personal relationships at work is not are crucial in the US as it is in India.”
“I think conversation around gender parity has picked up pace in the world after “me too” movement. I personally found the Indian company that I worked for fair in its treatment of women employees”
Twisha with her colleaguesOpenness in acceptance
“US is a big country and states have a lot of power to shape culture. I am lucky to be in Seattle, in the Pacific Northwest Region of the nation known for its progressiveness. People in general and in Microsoft, in particular, are willing to embrace and celebrate diversity. India, being a large country differs from one region to another, one city to the other but very broadly speaking, I think we have a long way to go as far as accepting diversity is concerned. On the cultural diversity front, we are still all right but when it comes to gender diversity like employing people from LGBTQ community or physical diversity like hiring differently abled people we seriously lag behind the US,” Twisha is fair and square when she compares the two countries on acceptance of people from various sections of society.
Pink slips in the USA
It is widely believed in India that pink slips are given to professionals in the USA at the drop of a hat. Twisha sets the record straight about the haunting question that can prove to be discouraging for anyone looking to fuel their ambition dreams in the USA, “This is certainly a myth. The US is one of the largest economies and flourishing. Hence, attracting and retaining good talent is crucial. Pink slips are occasioned basis consistent poor performance and reviews or when business is generally going down like in a failing company but otherwise it is not ‘at the drop of a hat’. Yes, it is true that one is not given a notice period, but one is warned sufficiently.” “Firing process is defined by local regulations which leads to immediate hire and fire policies in the US. In my opinion, I much prefer the Indian system of “notice period” for both recruiting and laying off people”, she concludes.
USA- Perfect for new learners
“What I love about the US work culture is their ability to trust new talent with an important responsibility. I came from a finance background and I did not expect to be hired by two of the world’s biggest tech firms when my experience in the sector was zero. But they saw my potential to deliver irrespective of that,” Twisha states. The process of hiring is not limited to factors such as “age, degree and experience”, she maintains, “These are not stringent prerequisites for hiring in US, attitude and willingness to learn are more crucial. ‘Respect for all jobs’ is a principle followed through and this exceeded my expectations as a newcomer. I am one of the youngest persons in my team today and I do not feel disadvantaged in any way,”
Indians in the USA
“The general perception about Indian employees is that we are hardworking, committed and good at mathematics! There are very few Indians in the compliance sector, where I work, and I am always mistaken for an engineer given my nationality. It’s not a bad stereotype but it is one!” Twisha smiles.
The missing pieces
When asked about the biggest challenge that she is facing as a professional in the USA, she answers emphatically, “I am not facing any big challenges workwise or culturewise, but I do miss easy access to Indian food and chai breaks! I also miss the warmth I shared with my colleagues back in India where my team was an extension of my family. I miss the informality of relationships, from sharing my dabba to inviting them for family functions, I crave for those easy conversations in my native tongue, ‘Hindi’. Associations at work are strictly formal here.”
The three mantras
Visa requirement: “I have realised that visa status leads to a lot of uncertainty and heartburn so please speak with your company HR about the visa and set your expectations accordingly.”
Indulge yourself, but be socially conscientious: “Once here, please immerse yourself in the local community and culture. Join a club or follow a local sport or explore local cuisines or volunteer for a local charity, there are plenty of options to choose from but make sure you do not restrict yourself to people and activities within your own community. Going abroad is a great learning opportunity, so understand the new place completely and contribute towards enriching it. For example, I have been volunteering for a grassroots based gun safety group for last five years. I also participated in political campaigns for Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton. My local volunteering experience has been most valuable in helping me understand the current issues at play, the dominant sentiments and in befriending local folks outside the Indian diaspora.”
Be aware: “Read up a little on the history of the US to know what is acceptable and what is not, there are some topics in every society which are off-limits or too sensitive, ensure that you are fully aware and conscious of those in both speech and action. Race, religion and politics are all sensitive subjects and one prefers not to engage much in these themes at work. So even while I love and participate in local politics, I make it a point not to discuss these at work.”