Here's How Work Culture Differs By City

In this day and age, people are more globally connected than ever before, which has led to tremendous shifts in productivity and business protocols. Freelancing and contract work has become increasingly popular, and give people the chance to work anywhere in the world.

But there are still millions of people who work in some of the biggest metropolitan areas in the world, including New York, Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, London and Amsterdam. You might think cities share common work practices, but they're actually vastly different. Here's a breakdown of the work culture, differences, and similarities in each of these cities.

Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California is known for its laid-back, relaxed attitude, and people who work in LA agree carries into the workspace. While downtown LA may be buttoned-up, most workers in the metro area adopt casual attire. California’s overall sunny disposition carries over into office attitudes, too -- while LA can be competitive culture, people who work there are more positive than those working in other cities, like New York. The working hours are also less than the other cities we looked into, clocking in at an average of 42.09 hours per week. But thanks to astronomical housing costs, people working in LA often take on side gigs to make ends meet, so it’s not uncommon to see someone with a unique side-hustle putting in extra hours to make ends meet.

Although Los Angeles dwellers complain about housing costs, they don’t complain about the climate, which is pleasant year-round. An incredibly diverse city with lots of different cultural influences, LA also has many types of industries—not just entertainment!

Houston

Unlike the rest of the cities discussed here, Houston’s industrial basis is pretty well defined. Although Houston’s nickname is the Space City, its economy is still tied to the energy business. However, the city is also home to a staggering number of medical professionals as well.

Thanks to the low cost of living (houses cost less than half of what people in LA pay) and plentiful jobs, young recruits gravitate to Houston. That population explosion and resulting building boom contribute to Houston’s increasingly severe floods, though. Keep an eye on the weather report, and be prepared to vacate the office if the rain comes down too quickly!

Overall, Houston workers are hard-working and unfussy. On most days, you’ll find a courteous crew of co-workers sporting jeans or khakis and (especially if it’s Rodeo season) cowboy boots. Some Houstonians are sports fanatics, but you’ll be more likely to commiserate about traffic and the weather. Houston's average hours worked clocks in at 43.44 hours per week.

Chicago

For such a big city, Chicago is well known for its relatively mild midwestern manners. It’s surprisingly friendly, something that workers say carries through to the office. Apart from that, you’ll enjoy a major city with a more relaxed pace than New York or Los Angeles and plenty of diversity. The commute to work is also usually shorter here than in comparison to most other major cities due to the prevalence of cars and comprehensive access provided by the above-ground commuter train, “the L.”

Chicago's average working hours per week clock in at 42.36, which is above LA, but below New York and Houston.

New York City

Working in the Big Apple is no walk in the park. The city offers fantastic opportunities, but NYC workers average a 49-hour work week, a couple of hours more than any other city on this list. Unfortunately, that’s on top of long commutes by public transport since only 10% of New Yorkers can afford to own cars.

Outsiders can be put off by the brusque, direct communication style that efficient New Yorkers employ, but you can’t argue with the results. This highly competitive environment is undoubtedly a global financial, cultural and entertainment hub—all against a backdrop of one of the most exciting cities in the world.

While some may find the pace too fast or the New York working climate to be almost too cutthroat, it’s important to point out that women seem to find the workplace here to be markedly egalitarian.

London

On the other side of the pond, work takes on a bit of a different, more European style. Here, make sure to mind protocol—seniority is paramount, even if it may come across as confusing to those outside of a given office. In keeping with tradition, most Londoners enjoy one (sometimes several) tea breaks a day. Since office settings can be quite close-knit, it’s not uncommon to know how your co-workers take their tea.

To further that notion of community, expect to frequent a local pub with your officemates on a regular basis, usually at least once a week. It makes sense then that the Brits prize teamwork above individual accomplishments, so don’t take all of the credit!

Finally, you’ll see that the Brits, like Europeans in general, support a better work-life balance than Americans tend to espouse. Londoners typically don’t like to stay in the office outside of the standard work week or bring work home on the weekends. They also embrace time off and would be hard pressed to give up any of their annual four weeks of vacation leave.

Amsterdam

Working in Amsterdam offers a fairly stark contrast to working in any of the previously discussed cities. Sure, it’s a smaller capital city with a progressive atmosphere, but it’s a global hub in its own right, and working the way that the Dutch do may just be what we all aspire to in the future.

The Dutch rarely work more than 40 hours a week. In fact, many employees work as few as 28 hours per week. They manage to enjoy this because the work culture is extremely efficient and autonomous. It isn’t uncommon to see workers clock extra hours to earn a Friday off or take the opportunity to work from home for a day or two each week. In addition to these flexible work weeks, the Dutch also enjoy four or more weeks of holiday leave and generous paid maternity and paternity leave.

The Dutch workplace is often full of direct, open communication that breeds a team-oriented atmosphere, which allows Dutch influence to pervade many global spheres. Due to Amsterdam’s small size, most people commute by bike or train.

At the end of the day, each of these six cities offers a unique take on the work experience that continues to evolve as we progress and connect. The primary differences between US workplaces are subtle, but there are notable differences when you cross the Atlantic. Despite this, all of these cities are vibrant places to work with opportunities galore. Hopefully, these insights prepare you for what to expect when considering a future employment offer or a career move.