Topic 1 Cultural dimensions of Lithuanian workplace
Today, the country is facing a steadily increasing flow of third-country nationals coming to live and work in Lithuania. In 2021, more than 100,000 foreigners lived in Lithuania.
In general, about 55% of migrants arriving to Lithuania are job seekers.
In 2021, the number of migrant workers in Lithuania had increased significantly: during the year almost 40,5 thousand temporary residence permits and 34 thousand visas on the ground of employment were issued.
The majority of migrants are from Ukraine, Belarus and Russia, with an increasing number of Indian nationals. Most of them face not only language barriers but also cultural differences.
Lithuanians may seem reserved or even cold at first. But behind the rough facade are friendly and welcoming people who are surprisingly social. This means that most Lithuanian offices have a relaxed but respectful atmosphere. Conversations over the coffee machine are common, as are lunches and after-work drinks with colleagues. And most companies organise team building, so you can expect opportunities to network with colleagues both inside and outside the office.
Some tips for meeting new colleagues in Lithuania:
- Avoid kisses, when greeting a stranger, a handshake is much more common and appropriate. Greetings are usually greeted with a handshake, direct eye contact and a smile.
- People in Lithuania tend to be very private and are likely not to discuss their family with you until they get to know you better.
- It is not usually acceptable in Lithuania to ask about a person’s income or financial situation.
Source of photo: https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-women-talking-while-sitting-3182808/
One of the main obstacles faced by migrants is not knowing the local language. It is quite difficult to learn Lithuanian, but if you want to stay in Lithuania for a longer period of time, it is worth learning it. There are several institutions offering Lithuanian language courses, most of which are located in Lithuania’s major cities.
Online classes
You can also learn basic Lithuanian online, for example at loescen.com, surfacelanguages.com or flyent.online.
There is also a free interactive tool called Let’s be Friends, which teaches how to read, listen, understand, speak and write Lithuanian. The course is designed to work with a teacher who creates a group of enrolled students, assigns virtual meetings, communicates directly and checks open-ended tasks.
To find out more about Lithuanian language courses check the following link: https://www.renkuosilietuva.lt/en/lithuanian-language-classes/
In Lithuania you can expect 20 days of paid leave, fixed working hours and generous parental leave which is guaranteed and protected by law.
The country’s business environment is full of global companies, so if you choose international enterprise, you are likely to work with colleagues from all over the world. There is also an increasing number of expatriates moving to Lithuania and companies are looking for talent abroad. So you can expect to find work in many companies with international teams working in English.
More and more Lithuanian companies offer flexible working hours, giving employees the freedom to start the day earlier or later. Remote working is also becoming more popular. And there are many laptop-friendly spaces to go to when the home office gets boring. No matter when or where you work, the key is the same – be productive and get results! In addition, some Lithuanian companies are piloting a four-day working week, which is expected to lead to a broader change in work culture in Lithuania.
Source of photo: https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-female-freelancer-using-laptop-and-drinking-coffee-near-dog-5256140/