HR: We lost the new hire today.
CEO: What happened?
HR: He resigned after his first week.
CEO: That makes no sense. We doubled his previous salary.
HR: Yes, but salary was not the issue.
CEO: Then what was?
HR: You asked him why he left at exactly 5:00 p.m. And why he left the office before you did.
CEO: I was just trying to understand his mindset.
HR: He understood it clearly. He felt the company was not paying for his work, but for control over his time.
CEO: But commitment matters.
HR: So do boundaries. He finished his work, met expectations, and left on time. But instead of that being seen as professionalism, it was treated like a lack of loyalty.
CEO: People should not rush out of the office.
HR: He was not rushing out. He was simply leaving when the workday ended.
CEO: Still, it did not look right.
HR: That is exactly why he left. He realized very quickly that even with better pay, the culture expected presenteeism over performance.
CEO: That is unfortunate.
HR: Yes. We offered him double the salary, but also gave him a preview of a workplace where leaving on time becomes a character issue.
CEO: So what are you saying?
HR: If employees are judged for having boundaries, then no amount of money will make them stay.
A higher salary can attract people. But if respect for time is missing, it will not keep them.
As someone who has worked in three of the Big 4 firms, four times in total (two in Nigeria and two in Canada), I can tell you that what is considered normal in Nigeria should be a crime.
When I moved to the UK π¬π§ some years back, I thought my biggest advantage was my work ethic.
Turns outβ¦ it wasnβt enough.
Not because I wasnβt skilled. Not because I wasnβt qualified. But because I was playing by rules that worked back home, in a completely different system.
UK corporate has its own language. Itβs own politics. Its own unspoken expectations. And no one hands you the manual.
I had to unlearn:
β’ Waiting to be noticed
β’ Staying silent in meetings
β’ Thinking hard work guarantees promotion
β’ Avoiding self-advocacy
β’ Oversharing with colleagues too quickly
Growth in a new country isnβt just about upgrading your CV. Sometimes itβs about upgrading your awareness.
So here are 10 things you need to unlearn to survive UK Corporate π¬π§
If youβre navigating UK corporate as an immigrant, this post is particularly for you. ππ