Things That Surprised Me About Working in Corporate in Spain Vs the US

I grew up in Barcelona in a bicultural household — my mother’s from the United States and my father’s from Spain.

I mostly lived in Spain but visited the US regularly and never felt I fully belonged to one culture or the other.

For many years, I worked in corporate communications in Spain. In 2019, I moved to the United States and continued my corporate career.

I’ve now spent about a decade working for several American and Spanish companies, but I’m still surprised by how different the two places’ corporate cultures and office environments can feel.

Forming personal connections at work felt more important than networking in Spain

In Spain, it felt fairly natural and easy to connect with coworkers on a personal level and become friends.

I’m still in touch with about a dozen people I met at my first job, plus many colleagues from my other previous roles back home. We still attend each other’s birthday parties and weddings.

However, at the three companies I’ve worked at in the United States, I’ve found it harder to form strong connections with my coworkers.

In the office, it’s rare to have conversations that aren’t related to the job or that go any deeper than the weekly “How was your weekend?” small talk.

Instead, it seems the best and most important way to form relationships with other professionals here is by networking. The US workplace can feel competitive, so maybe the motivation to get ahead makes it easier for people to connect that way.

Lunch breaks feel so different

While working in Spain, it was common to regularly grab lunch with colleagues or my boss and enjoy a full one-hour break.

One company I worked at gave employees a daily stipend for lunch, which covered meals from set menus that included an appetizer, entrée, and a dessert or coffee.

I felt encouraged to eat a full midday meal, which helped me take a much-needed break from the office each day.

In the US, lunch breaks feel shorter and like they should be optimized. Many of my American colleagues spend their lunch breaks running errands or eating in front of their computers.

It feels more common to have lunch in solitude than with a big group of coworkers here, and people tend to eat cold sandwiches and salads instead of hot meals.

Job titles seem to have more variety here

When I moved, I quickly noticed just how much importance many Americans place on corporate hierarchical titles.

In Spain, I felt job titles were fairly simple and straightforward and the companies I worked at seemed to have fewer tiers.

At big American companies, though, it’s common to find several titles and tiers related to just one role. For example, assistant vice president, executive vice president, vice president, and senior vice president.

With so many levels and roles available, it almost feels easier to move up quicker in the US corporate world than in Spain.

Lastly, I miss the PTO policies in Spain

Paid vacation day policies vary around the world, but Spain definitely seems to prioritize work-life balance more than the US.

In Spain, employees get at least 30 days of paid time off a year. In the US, workers aren’t guaranteed PTO — it’s up to the employers to decide how much they’ll offer (if any).

Many Americans have to work for months to earn less than half of the paid vacation days I automatically received in Spain.

With my wedding coming up, I especially miss Spain’s policy that gives employees up to 15 extra days of paid leave when they get legally married.