Flexible and Linear Time Orientation- How Is Time Perceived in Different Cultures?
Are you one of those people who arrive at the meeting ten minutes early? Do you get annoyed if your colleague is five minutes late for lunch and hasn’t told you they’re late? Do you feel that time is money?
These thoughts and attitudes towards time are common in many Western cultures. Workdays are typically structured around specific schedules, and delays or appointments that go beyond their scheduled time can cause difficulties for the rest of the day’s tasks.
It’s not uncommon for people to apologize if they’ve taken someone else’s time even just 15 minutes longer than planned. Efficiency at work is often measured by how quickly tasks are completed, and you may feel a sense of satisfaction in checking off items from their to-do list throughout the day.
It is also noteworthy that in the West, every effort is made to stick to schedules agreed; if a friend asks us for lunch at the same time we have an appointment with a colleague, few of us would postpone the appointment because of this.
Linear time orientation and its influence on work culture
In Western cultures like Finland and the United States, there is a focus on the past, present, and future. It is common to schedule events or plan trips months in advance.
Schedules are a way of coordinating life, which is why deadlines are important. Most Western cultures value punctuality because it means we respect another person’s time. By respecting the other person’s time, we are able to more easily balance work and leisure and distinguish between the two.
Flexible or polychronic time orientation
However, in many cultures, such as Italy, Brazil, Egypt, Africa, and South Asia, time is understood in a completely different way. The key idea is that life is unpredictable and anything can happen during the day, which makes it impossible to schedule events in the long run.
In cultures with a flexible or polychronic time orientation, time is perceived as more fluid. Meetings and appointments are scheduled with flexibility, often taking into account religious practices or daily routines such as midday siestas.
It is not uncommon for the other party to arrive 30–90 minutes after the arranged meeting time, which can be challenging for those from cultures with a linear time orientation. In these polychronic cultures, relationships are highly valued and the boundaries between work and leisure time are less defined. This can be difficult for those from cultures that prioritize productivity and efficiency to understand.
If you have arranged a meeting, and you happen to meet your childhood friend on the street, in a flexible time culture, you will prioritize this event and skip or postpone the meeting.
In polychronic cultures, therefore, a relationship with another person means more than a previously scheduled meeting. Often, the very idea of agreeing on a date for a meeting several weeks ahead seems odd; how can you know what life situation you are in weeks from now? For this reason, being late is also relative, which can cause some stress to Westerners who are keen on sticking to deadlines and timetables.
How to reconcile a flexible time orientation with a linear work culture?
If you are interacting with someone from a polychronic culture, it is important to recognize that there is no correct or incorrect time orientation, and that time is experienced differently across cultures. For instance, my Indian friend explained to me that she requires some level of disorder to work in an orderly fashion.
Depending on the culture, we may experience stress that we are running late, or we may experience stress that we need to be on time.
So keep in mind:
- It is important to explain that in your culture, punctuality is a sign of respect for another person’s time. This often opens up the importance of punctuality for the other person, as it is important for them to nurture interpersonal relationships.
- However, be sure to come in halfway and prepare yourself for the fact that, especially at the beginning, the other person may be a little late.
- You can send him a friendly reminder the day before and plan tasks for yourself while you wait for the other person to arrive for the appointment.
Adapting to a new culture, including understanding different time orientations, can be a challenging process, and it takes time. Improving communication skills across cultures and avoiding common mistakes in intercultural communication can be beneficial.