5. AMERICAN FAMILY AND THEIR BEHAVIOUR AND WORK CULTURE

American family

The typical family unit has undergone drastic changes over the course of many years and doesn’t fit into the nuclear family paradigm that existed many years ago due to the numerous changes in the fabric of society, such as

higher divorce rates
fewer couples preferring to have children
prevalent single parenting

There are also situations where there is a blended family concept , where two individuals with kids from previous relationships come together in marriage. Adding to the mix, Americans are becoming more open to newer paradigms of what typical families look like. Some of the cultural changes include

couples who wish to live together before marriage
couples who dont want to marry
LGBTQ marriages and civil unions are accepted in 37 states of the US.

In the US, gender roles are not very fixated and, in many families, it is reversed where the female tends to be the breadwinner and males take care of the kids. In most households, both a man and a woman are working individuals.

American Behaviour

American Behaviour- Mostly Americans want to have fun and do things they enjoy whenever they have free time. To stay in shape, many individuals engage in activities like going to the gym, going for a walk, jogging, riding a bike, going trekking, etc. Most people enjoy being outdoors and being surrounded by nature. Mostly Americans are impatient, but they also know how to be disciplined.

American work culture

American work culture- Not all-American work atmospheres tend to be the same, but there are some common similarities among them, such as

Established hierarchy structure.
Punctuality for work-related events is highly expected.
Formality and dress codes vary in specific workplaces.

The job is a primary source of fulfilment and serves as an identity for many Americans, and so the younger generation tends to change jobs often to keep up with this requirement. The Americans work with competition and achievement as their core values. The employees are driven by this and try to outdo their colleagues or impress superiors by working overtime for financial gains or promotion to a higher cadre. They make sure they give it their all and put their best foot forward. However, work-driven they may be, Americans also value personal time off of work and prioritise time with family, relaxation and entertainment. Whether it’s going out with friends, spending time with family or having wine with your significant other, we do value personal space and time apart from work.