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> The company also scrapped the staff warm-up sessions scheduled at the start of every day, on the grounds that German employees found them ridiculous. Ah, Ger

> The company also scrapped the staff warm-up sessions scheduled at the start of every day, on the grounds that German employees found them ridiculous. Ah, Germans. Gotta love the directness of the culture. Keeps things real.

joezydeco 11y ago
Germans I've asked about this say "why do you need to perform a cheer to begin your work?" It's not just the directness, it's the attitude that you show up on time and work. No screwing around, no hand-holding needed.
buster 11y ago
Just wondering.. i never heard of this (I'm german) but i have seen a documentary about Japan, where employees (in this case salesmen) gathered in the morning, did some kind of sports and some motivational speech and things like that. Is that also something i'd find in the US? I must admit, i smiled at it and found it ridiculous. I'd think all the time "stop wasting time with this shit and get some work done"...
zer00eyz 11y ago
As an american I find this kind of thing "ridiculous" as well. I think a lot of folks share that sentiment. The question is why are we still doing it. I also have to ask what they entail at walmart? Ya for no heath insurance, Ya for working but having to be on food stamps, Ya for not enough hours to support my family?
Oletros 11y ago
> Ah, Germans. Gotta love the directness of the culture. I don't know any Spanish, Portuguese, French or Italian that doesn't find that ridiculous
woodpanel 11y ago
When Walmart came to Germany I've actually kinda hoped, they would succeed with that warm-up thing. But as most (if not all) stores were just bought up from other German chains - their employees were bought with those stores and remained as unmotivated, bored and sometimes aggressive as they were before :-) When you write about "the directness of the culture" I find it telling, that Wal-Mart sees its methods as "people-centered" while the competitor's German CEO sees them as "all about budgets, not customers"

joezydeco 11y ago

Germans I've asked about this say "why do you need to perform a cheer to begin your work?" It's not just the directness, it's the attitude that you show up on time and work. No screwing around, no hand-holding needed.

buster 11y ago

Just wondering.. i never heard of this (I'm german) but i have seen a documentary about Japan, where employees (in this case salesmen) gathered in the morning, did some kind of sports and some motivational speech and things like that. Is that also something i'd find in the US? I must admit, i smiled at it and found it ridiculous. I'd think all the time "stop wasting time with this shit and get some work done"...

zer00eyz 11y ago

As an american I find this kind of thing "ridiculous" as well. I think a lot of folks share that sentiment. The question is why are we still doing it. I also have to ask what they entail at walmart? Ya for no heath insurance, Ya for working but having to be on food stamps, Ya for not enough hours to support my family?

Oletros 11y ago

> Ah, Germans. Gotta love the directness of the culture. I don't know any Spanish, Portuguese, French or Italian that doesn't find that ridiculous

woodpanel 11y ago

When Walmart came to Germany I've actually kinda hoped, they would succeed with that warm-up thing. But as most (if not all) stores were just bought up from other German chains - their employees were bought with those stores and remained as unmotivated, bored and sometimes aggressive as they were before :-) When you write about "the directness of the culture" I find it telling, that Wal-Mart sees its methods as "people-centered" while the competitor's German CEO sees them as "all about budgets, not customers"