How I see Russian Business after 3 Years in Europe

Russian business culture after 3 years in the Netherlands - let's talk.
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Hi there 👋🏻 I’m Elena, manager, mentor and KZbinr based in the Netherlands and originally from Russia. On this channel we explore what makes successful modern managers and create feel good leadership career. I popularize healthy working culture, empathetic leadership and being true to your authentic self.
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⌚️Timestamps:
0:00 - intro
0:38 - fair warning
1:07 - hierarchy & power dynamic
2:46 - “strong leader” culture
3:53 - paternalism
5:03 - non-transparency
5:58 - risk-avoidance
6:15 - ressentiment
8:07 - seriousness & formalism
9:15 - job enjoyment
9:44 - protocols & rules
10:48 - dress code etc.
11:18 - camaraderie

[@creativeartbyluvensky]

Such a great topic Elena. First of all business culture is usually based on culture of the people. I believe it’s base on family and cultural values that reflect on business aspects. Keep up and improve yourself on the topics!🌟

[@root_pierre]

Unfortunately I've seen this in Netherlands companies too over the past years. It really depends on in which context you work. Such as in which sectors, small or big companies, governmental or private. The larger and more governmental ones normally exhibit more of these problematic cultures. This is also particularly true for ones operating internationally.

[@pimenovaelena]

I get what you mean - I bet some elements of that will be present in other countries, just the extent will be different.

[@vladmoldovan5202]

I've worked in quite a few corporations from The Netherlands, USA etc and what I can say about a small group of people making the decisions is that it's not that far away in Western world from what you described being the case in Russia. You get the illusion that you can affect things and sometimes you can to a small degree, but it's still the very top management that hire and fire (directly or indirectly), give the direction, have the last say. And don't get me wrong, I think it's the better alternative, but what I don't like is that they present it as being flat management/ you have the power/bottom up style while in reality it's just sugarcoating to attract employees.

[@pimenovaelena]

This is a very interesting take. I also observe this pattern in decision making in the Netherlands, just the degree of it is different in Russia. But the sugarcoating factor in interesting, did you observe that often? How about US?

[@FitLovejoy]

You're basically describing macho/conservative society. This is true also in the West, but to emphasise this, in the East, it's *much* stronger. If you think that your corporate culture in central and western Europe is hierarchical, don't even contemplate trying to work in an Eastern European country (to some extent also Southern European). You'll see what 'hierarchical' really means.

[@pimenovaelena]

Totally get your point about macho society. When you say "countries in Eastern Europe", which ones do you mean? Cause Russia/Moscow is in Eastern Europe, this is where I worked the most.

[@unconventionalideas5683]

@@pimenovaelena With the exception of the Baltic Countries, most Eastern European Countries are substantially more hierarchical than the West, says Hofstede's 6 dimensions of culture. Russia is one of the most extreme Power Distance Scores in the world, according to this culture.

[@pimenovaelena]

@@unconventionalideas5683 share this observation! And I think I've also noticed that Baltic countries are not that hierarchical 👍🏻

[@RandallSlick]

Fascinating to hear these contrasts from someone who's experienced both. BTW Everyone has a Bob. Never trust Bob. It's a universal truth,

[@pimenovaelena]

Yep, I always knew he's a suspicious one

[@stigcc]

Bob made that component that everyone relies on, though.

[@michadybczak4862]

This camaraderie you are talking about happens in Poland too, but not everywhere, and it depends mostly on people, not a place of work. Meaning, it takes some special kind of people to loosen up others and start creating a bond. There are persons who initiate that (strong extraverts that are loud, unapologetic, expressive, honest and fun), but those also need other, receptive people too. So when both meet, it's a matter of time to have fun at work and create strong relationships. Because this combination is not as likely to happen, in most jobs relations are on a business basis and only few become your friend outside of it. Cultural difference may also play a role here. I heard that Scandinavian and West European countries are more reserved when it comes to building relationships, while Slavic countries are more direct, more confrontational, more prone to this camaraderie. In a way, western countries are more loose and less serious, but on the other hand, they are more reserved and don't form deeper connection so easily.

[@pimenovaelena]

Wow, that's interesting! I also saw many times how a few rather introverted people get along at work because of their similarities in how they handle social situations. Maybe it's because it's tech, and it used to be more introvert-heavy.

[@nirfz]

Can only talk from a central european perspective (austria) and i agree, it depends on the people and envirement you work. I worked in our capitol and in a place close to the second largest city of my country. All within the same company, with in two different teams and with people from other federal states on occasions. And the bonding depends on each individual, and it takes time. Sometimes more sometimes less (depending on the individuals) For me at least it usually takes some time. (i am not an extrovert). Bonding comes over shared experiences and spending time together. Can be entirely at work and not knowing their family (the bond with a person can be with just that person and not necessarily with their whole family) or via time spend outside work. And with some people there will never be a bond, no matter how much time you spend or "common enemy" you have. With some people one is just incompatible (or vice versa)

[@JO-nh6mo]

What about differences in general efficiency btwn russian and Western European work culture ? korporativnaya ? The number of employees and staff in lower positions like drivers, ochrana, etcc ?

I worked in Russia bout 10 years ago, by that experience the efficiency in Russia is much lower. They lack all initiative and require orders to do stuff. There are separate people doing stuff because someone cannot do something because of position, even when it's super inefficient. Let's say there is "fire" in workplace, something has gone wrong, people won't do anything about it if it is not their job to put out the fire, even if they were capable/in position of putting the "fire" out.

[@pimenovaelena]

I totally agree on lack of initiative part. There is actually a reason for that - in Russia many people have what is called "learned helplessness" - maybe they tried to change something in the past but did not succeed, and everyone is telling them "no matter what you do nothing will change". It creates this feeling of apathy and kills all the initiative in them.

[@EvgenyUskov]

"ochrana" you say? this phenomenon consumes so much russian workforce! i live in japan, and there are so few security guards that the difference with russia is striking.

[@nerdlife206]

I'm surpised how many expressions and words are shared between Russian and English ("camraderie", "on a pedestal"). If you haven't noticed, English stole so many words from the French it's practially a hobby ("touche", "avant garde", "piece de resistance", "liberty" and so on) I'm amused that "I've got nothing better to do" is a phrase in both languages but means the exact opposite in American English and Russian.

[@pimenovaelena]

Are you telling me "I've got nothing better to do" in English has a positive connotation? Well now a few awkward moments of my life make more sense

[@michadybczak4862]

Please, explain. This caught my attention too. I would also understand it more literally, like in my language, meaning, that what I am doing is boring or not important at all (at least in this very moment), so it's nice to do anything else.

[@YvBernard]

Vous ne nous volez pas notre vocabulaire. L'Angleterre a parlé français pendant plusieurs siècles à la suite de la bataille de Hastings en 1066 et la victoire de Guillaume le Conquérant. Il y a des livres passionnants sur le destin croisé de l'anglais et du français.

[@Siranoxz]

No we dont make friends at work in the west, that's the dumbest thing to do at so many levels. You are still in competition with these people and people tend to snitch on you if you're telling too much. You can have amazing social gathering and laughs, but making friends is not one of them, keep your job and your personal life separate. colleges are colleges and friends are friends. But what do you hope to see change in Russia regarding corporate jobs and jobs in general, every culture has its customs and norms

[@ciprian9116]

who gives a f about what happens In Moskalia. find something better to youtube about

[@marcelmercure]

@pimenovaelena please pin this fool's comment to the top so the people can have a good laugh

[@michadybczak4862]

Then why are you wasting your time watching and commenting it? Find something better to comment about.

[@EvgenyUskov]

as it happens "Moskalia" is the biggest country on earth, has biggest nuclear force, and is a permanent member of the UNSC - all of them combined making it one of the three superpowers on the planet (together with the us and china)

[@pimenovaelena]

Well, to answer your question - I do, and not because Russia is good or bad. There are phenomenal people there who slowly transform business culture, and once we have better times to collaborate with the world I hope it will get more visible.

[@robbar42]

her content is very good, so you need to youtube off somewhere else