Jaywalking
To start with jaywalking as a concept in both the countries differs fundamentally.
While one is free to cross the road whenever you decide it’s safe, green man or no green man, Australia is a little stricter.
While crossing a clear junction on the red man, a police car may appear from nowhere, and might even yell at you saying, “Stop jaywalking!â€
Street Lights
You would imagine, a difference over street lights? Truth is there exists a demarcation in this too.
As compared to UK, lamp posts in Australia are really far apart out.
If a person is walking home after dark they often have to pass through areas of complete darkness.
This is the last thing you expect from a first world country, right?
Newspaper delivery
Newspapers in Australia are rolled up, wrapped in either a plastic bag or cling film, and chucked vaguely towards people’s properties.
A newspaper guy delivers them by throwing them as hard as he could towards the pavements on both sides of him whilst slowly riding a motorbike.
While in UK, newspapers are folded in half and pushed through letterboxes, causing the flyers to scatter all over.
It is a much more exciting way to start the day, as if one goes on a treasure hunt searching for said paper under wet foliage etc.
Hierarchy
Hierarchies in British companies can at times be really steeper especially if one compares them with Australia.
Australians on the other hand may find Brits rigid and inflexible in business.
Structures in Australian companies tend to be much flatter and the business environment is pretty casual where employees are encouraged to speak their minds freely in front of their superiors.
Although in both countries, there are many different styles of management. Generally, though, Australians don't believe in living by the authority and make decisions by consensus.
Brits use consensus but pride themselves on autonomy and empowerment when it comes to decision making.
Nepotism
Both the UK and Australia consider themselves to be meritocracies. In Australia, this is more of a reality than in Britain.
While the UK’s ‘old boy network’ is far less relevant now than it used to be, there are many pockets of old school connections in business, particularly in the City.
Australians, on the other hand, prefer to do business with ‘mates’ and will focus on building business relationships rather than merely focusing on the bottom line.
Mailboxes
Australian houses don’t have letter boxes on their front doors unlike UK homes
What they have rather is a freestanding mail box in the front garden, next to the pavement
Pavements
Another one of the fundamental difference between the two nations is pavements.
For a country like Australia, where are strict jaywalking laws there sure is a lack of pavements to walk on too
In Australia, once you are re out in the suburbs it’s quite common for people’s front lawns to continue all the way down to the road.
No jaywalking, no pavements, its pretty tough you see.
Railway crossing
Another one of the differences between Australia and the UK is the amount of level crossings.
While the UK does have them, it’s more usual to cross train-lines via bridges and underpasses.
In Australian cities one can frequently walk right across the tracks, often with no barrier at all.
Communication
While both cultures use fairly direct communication style, Brits have a tendency to understate what they mean and sometimes, say exactly the opposite of what they mean.
Sarcasm is a very British thing to do
In a meeting, if a British person says ‘That’s an interesting idea’, they are probably saying they don’t like the idea at all.
Australians tend to be more straightforward and say exactly what they mean, which Brits can find both startling and refreshing.
Lifestyle
Australians generally like to spill their work life onto their social life, with regular team bonding exercises, work barbecues and a few drinks too.
Many companies have drinks in the office on Friday afternoons.
Since, a lot of Australians drive to work so the after-work heavy drinking culture that’s prevalent in Britain is lacking in Australia.
Office culture in Australia focuses on wellness and ‘mateship’, while in Britain, the focus is on competition and productivity.
