Offsite Culture- The differences between work offsites in the US vs India for NRIs
Google had the custom of an annual, company-wide ski trip during spring. My first ski trip was to Vermont in 2008— a combined offsite with the Atlanta and NYC office. But that’s not why I remember it. I remember it because my mouth froze in the frigid snowboarding air, and I had to plier my mouth open to speak! Next years’ ski trips, I opted for ice skating. At least I could talk! :)
I had the privilege of attending many many offsites in the US, and offsites in India, and I want to tell you about the differences and the commonalities. I am not saying one is better than the other-- they are all great! I would love to hear your experiences in the comments
1) The Bus Transit Journey
The bus ride to the Vermont resort was memorable because it was like being in a fairy tale-- the big bouncy bus gilded between fluffy snow on trees. The bus was filled with a soft chatter— the engineers were whispering to each other. Transit to offsite locations in the US is about being polite and courteous and pleasant. Which is really nice! That’s why people love working in the US— boundaries, politeness, and a witty comment here and there is always a welcome environment to be in.
Compare transit bug journeys in India. In any desi offsite bus, there HAS to be Antakshari. No? Ok, there’s dumb charades. Or contact. Or Mafia. I have never been in any desi bus where Antakshari or dumb charades were not played. It goes like this:
The bus is sectioned for Dumb charades, mostly towards the backbenchers. It is started with a quick argument over Hindi or English and someone says “arrey no yaar, only Hindi” and there is always going to be “Matru ki Bijlee ka Mandola” or “Shawshank redemption” to guess. I have never looked outside the window.
2) Food Is Friendlier, Guess Where?
Vegetarians usually have a "not agaaaain" moment at offsites and conferences in the US. Food is limited to Coleslaw & shapely potatoes— if there are other oft-repeated foods I’m blanking out now :D So memorable heh. But hey, the coffee is always lovely and sharp and gives you a great wakey-wakey!
Food in India's offsites is heaven for vegetarians. Guaranteed 3 types of sabzi (usually so mashed that you can’t tell which subzi it is exactly, but at least they look different from each other), tadka daal & an expressionless employee making fresh naan and flopping it into a chromium tub, (and people hovering there with a plate in hand, unknowingly pressurizing the roti baker employee.)
Point is, India scores an easy sixer in the food department anywhere, not just offsite.
3) Coworker upgrades to Aquiantence or Friend
American workplace behaviour is boundaried by the need to be professional and diplomatic. The US offsite helped me know my colleagues beyond those boundaries, via their hobbies and stories about their kids. A select few upgraded from being colleagues to acquaintances. Here are pictures of my colleages
My colleagues catching the sun at the lake Tahoe resort, over
With the lovely netops ladies - it's a world tour with this! Egyptian-Canadaian, and from China and Italy. SPOT ME!
In India, normal interaction starts at the acquaintance level. The offsite was a chance to upgrade to level:friend! It was like a college reunion where we danced un-worried, cracked loud jokes, played on the beach, walked with flowers in our hair.
Morning coffee in shorts with colleagues. Spot me
Hellow!!
4) Dancing
Parties in the US don't revolve around dancing. If there *is* dancing, 100% chance the stepping song is played (where the DJ plays "step right wit me now, to the left wit me now. cha cha cha"), and evening parties have a background score, and maybe an ambiance for a couples dance. I remember only one instance of wild dancing at an offsite— 7-8 ladies (all of them young moms!) in the supply chain team enjoyed a little jiggle to a weak DJs music on the dance floor of the cruise ship.
In India, dancing is a riot! In our Goa offsite, we were dancing to Bollywood tunes, screaming so loud at the live band-- many of us lost our voices the next day. Imagine this in the US-- Haha! Heck in one small scale offsite a bunch of colleagues were dancing beside the swimming pool in the public shower :D. Check out this video of us at 2am dancing to chaiiya chaiiya.
5) US offsite is about experiences, India is fun + experiences
All the offsites in the US have given a chance to try something new— actually, something we wouldn’t pay from our own pocket otherwise (hahaha so desi :P). Opportunities I had were:
1. Visited San Diego. Saw a military parade
2. Visited Chicago. Boat architecture tour
3. Visited Las Vegas. Saw the blue man show
6. Visited Dublin. Women offsite-- went to the Guinness beer factory
4. Lots of Ski trips (where I never skied) —Bonfire, Beautiful landscapes, snow, road trip, Ice skating
5. BaseBall game offsite, Go-Karting offsite, Shooting offsite, Gaming offsite, 3 hr Cruise offsite
7. TCHO chocolate factory— sweet!
Blue man show at Las Vegas with hardware ops folks
Chicago offsite
Tahoe Ski resort
We got these dog-tags at the las vegas offsite. "HWOPS-SSP MTV Vegas 2009"
At the San Diego offsite
Womens mini offsite to TCHO chocolate factory
Indian offices also have great experiences. For example, Google office has a budget that gets people to go international. Good for them! I once did a trek and rappelling in the monsoon—we all stood under a raging waterfall! Fun and experience! The Goa offsite I went to had paragliding, and beach games but the goal was less on the side of trying new places or things, and way up there on the FUN scale. Take a look at everyone dancing away to the live band
6) Alcohol: It’s the same everywhere
US offsites were kinda like conversations around drinking. Same in India. It's all drinker's paradise. The only difference I see is :there are a LOT more non-drinkers in India.
Alcohol at the dinner table, at the Las Vegas offsite
Mixology session at the goa offsite
I have enjoyed all these offsites. I really was very comfortable with my US co-workers, and I got to try so many new things. India offsite was about dancing, laughing, and making friends. If you are lucky to be in a company, (India or abroad), where you’re getting the best of both --, exploration and friends, my suggestion is, don’t leave :).
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