Anyone from Poland (international business - related...)

[KillahBee]

A good friend of mine from Grad school, who is originally from Poland and lived in Cyprus for a long time, recently went back home to Poland after being in the US for about 4-5 years. Very well spoken (in English) and a pretty bright kid. Definitely had the American work ethic also. He began work in sales for a large hotel ownership company and just sent me an email telling me how he doesn't work there anymore. I guess his co-workers felt that he was "too competitive" and "Americanized" for their liking. He knew going into it that it would be an obstacle, as I guess Poland has an extremely laid back mentality about work. It's pretty amazing that a work ethic over here (US) that would get you to the top and is actually expected of people could actually hurt you in another business setting.

 

[manny78]

Ulter is polish I think.

 

[SC4EVA]

Have yet to go but would love to see the homeland =/

 

[Becoming]

I have a good bro that is from there (moved here at 11-12) and goes back quite a bit... he is probably there now... I never heard this from him, but there does seem to be quite a bit more leasure time over there from what he tells me...

I definitely am going sometime with him to check it out...

 

[KillahBee]

I have a good bro that is from there (moved here at 11-12) and goes back quite a bit... he is probably there now... I never heard this from him, but there does seem to be quite a bit more leasure time over there from what he tells me...

I definitely am going sometime with him to check it out...

From what I understand, vacation time is much longer than over here, and an 8 hour work day is considered long.

 

[Becoming]

From what I understand, vacation time is much longer than over here, and an 8 hour work day is considered long.

Yeah from what I hear it is just like a big party over there... (almost serious)

That is why I want to go check it out for myself sometime....

 

[Ulter]

I am not Polish, French Canadian. I owned a delivery service in Chicago for many years. I hired Polish exclusively the last 7 years I was in business (9/11 killed it) because they will work American's into the ground. After 12 years of hiring Americans exclusively a Polish driver applied and got a job driving for us. He was so much more motivated to work it was like finding the Holy Grail for an employer. I hired more Polish and by the end of that year I was running all my help wanted ads in the Polish newspaper in Chicago, even secretaries. When 9/11 started to affect the business the 3 Americans I had left quit and the Polish kept the company alive for another year before we had to call it quits. I actually ended up selling what was left to some of them because they had the cash put away. My guess is the American's had about what they'd made the week before in the bank.

In Poland they have the same work week we do. They average $350/month. I don't know you're friend bro but there is more to his story than he's telling you. It's more likely that HE didn't want to do the work than it is that THEY didn't and felt threatened by him. But I wasn't there so I don't know.

 

[KillahBee]

I am not Polish, French Canadian. I owned a delivery service in Chicago for many years. I hired Polish exclusively the last 7 years I was in business (9/11 killed it) because they will work American's into the ground. After 12 years of hiring Americans exclusively a Polish driver applied and got a job driving for us. He was so much more motivated to work it was like finding the Holy Grail for an employer. I hired more Polish and by the end of that year I was running all my help wanted ads in the Polish newspaper in Chicago, even secretaries. When 9/11 started to affect the business the 3 Americans I had left quit and the Polish kept the company alive for another year before we had to call it quits. I actually ended up selling what was left to some of them because they had the cash put away. My guess is the American's had about what they'd made the week before in the bank.

In Poland they have the same work week we do. They average $350/month. I don't know you're friend bro but there is more to his story than he's telling you. It's more likely that HE didn't want to do the work than it is that THEY didn't and felt threatened by him. But I wasn't there so I don't know.

A) My friend was talking more about Poland, not Polish people in America, so that could be the difference.

B) I am pretty confident that he is not hiding some other part of the story. I worked with this kid on my senior thesis and the only reason we are friends is because he shares the work ethic that I have.

I am not talking down on Poland or saying that, because another country doesn't have our "work ethic", that they are worse off. It is all part of business culture.

 

[Ulter]

Jobs are too scarce for people in business in Poland to be unmotivated. I have dealt with several companies and Polish TV where the people are government employees of sorts since 1990. In 14 years I have not found anyone there who I would characterize as lazy. They don't have the business skill levels we have in many areas but it's not for lack of trying. I can't imagine a scenario like your friend describes within the companies I have dealth with. But obviously I haven't dealt with them all.