In week four of my internship with the Hertie School Centre for Fundamental Rights, I realized that there is more to a change in environment. When it comes to adaptability, it does not just involve adjusting schedules, expectations, or tasks. It is about immersing yourself in a completely new part of the world. When starting my internship, I knew that it would be challenging. I did not take into account how many times I would have to adjust my methods of doing work.
One of the adjustments I had to take into consideration was how feedback is given to you. In the United States, with past work experience, employers are not direct or very critical when it comes to feedback. In contrast, German work culture is very critical and direct. I have been given an assignment and then received heavy criticism when I completed the task. It does not mean that Germans are rude people. It’s just a more direct and quicker way to the point. There were times when I felt nervous when I received the critical feedback. I would spend hours polishing up my previous work. I remember reading about this before coming out, and I had a general idea. It was an adjustment, but it has now become a normal thing in the workplace.
Another cultural difference that I had to adjust to was the work-life balance. I found it very interesting during my first week to experience how Germans view work hours. During work, there are structured meetings with an agenda. The meetings always start and end at the times provided. When it comes to work assignments, there is an expectation that you will have them done by the end of the working day. If the assignments require additional work outside of the office, it is viewed as efficient. At the end of working hours, co-workers will not respond to or pick up calls outside of the office. I had to get used to not responding to emails outside of people’s work hours. When I first started, I got criticized for responding to people in the evenings or on the weekends.
I found this approach to working hours interesting as it made me change my habits around time management. I would be given a few tasks for the day to complete. I would need to review all the tasks and see which ones would take longer. If there was a certain person I needed to get assistance from, I had to do it within working hours. This structure made me focus and work more efficiently during the day. I would usually be able to complete all my tasks with very little to no additional work outside of the office. This is a skill that I could incorporate in my academic habits.
The work culture regarding hierarchical structure is quite similar to the United States. Given that the Herite School research centre is an academic institution, the level of formality is higher. Business dress wear is to cultural norm, and people take it very seriously. When it comes to authority in the office, it is very noticeable. If there is a question or issue, it must be addressed with the higher-level staff. Titles for people are very important to note. When you address someone depending on their educational status. If there is a work question or issue that you feel needs to be addressed with a senior worker. There is a process that you have to follow to work up the latter.
As an intern who is only staying for a very short amount of time. I do not usually speak during meetings or express opinions. The people that I work have years of experience and know what they are doing. I am just listening in on how they handle or address situations and learn from it. When I am offered the chance to work on a project or attend a meeting I make sure to take the opportunity.
When it comes to professional and personal relationships during the program, I noticed that professional relationships are difficult. People do not like to talk about their personal life during work and are not able to be reached outside of working hours. There have been social events I have attended, allowing me to meet other co-workers. I noticed when talking to other people, the conversation is mainly about work. People rarely like to talk about their background or family life. This made it challenging to find a way to connect with people. Outside of work life, I have been able to meet and socialize with other peers in my program.
Agrawal A #01