What Values are Desired in Brussels v. USA? - Jack Smith

The skillset required for a position varies greatly position to position. Obviously a physician has a much different skillset than a real estate agent. However, similar skillsets are needed in the same positions company to company. For example, a cardiologist in the US is required to have nearly the same skills as a cardiologist in Europe. The skills I needed to function in a European consultancy do not differ greatly from the skillset I would need in order to work for an American consultancy. However, what is desired out of an employee in Brussels vs the United States does slightly differ.

As stated before, the same basic research abilities, Microsoft office abilities, and design abilities associated with consulting is desired and required around the globe. Brussels differs from the United States in that employees are not expected to work in the same manner as in the US. In the US, I found myself working hard from 8am until 5 pm with little time for breaks. I was expected to be focused and working throughout that entire period as I was working hourly.

In Brussels, I was not expected to as hard throughout the workday. I had more time to complete the tasks and I was not expected to work continuously throughout the day. I was able to take many coffee breaks, about one every hour, and lunch breaks were anywhere between one and two hours. My supervisor did not hang over me like a helicopter mom. She focused on her own work and she left me alone, as long as I completed my assigned tasks on time.

The major difference between Brussels and the USA is that in the USA, I felt that I had to be working hard throughout the day, even if I finished my tasks. In Brussels, they were not concerned about how hard I seemed to be working, they just cared about me finishing the projects on time.

The laxer work environment has its pros and cons. Some of the pros I noticed include a more relaxed working environment, the employees, including myself, seemed to be happier at work, and the employees respected their bosses more since the bosses respected and trusted them more. Some cons include a possibility of a lackadaisical work environment for clients to walk in on, less productivity is possible, and ____

In conclusion, the skills desired by companies in Belgium and companies in the USA do not vary greatly. However, companies in Belgium care much more about the finished product and less about how it is achieved whereas in the USA, companies are concerned with not only the finished product, but how hard one seems to be working as well.