People work hard in China. To the majority, work is the number one priority. Most workers will get up at 6.30am, have a 1½-2 hour journey to the office, and start work around 8 or 9am. They would be lucky to leave the office at 6pm every day, and this would be almost impossible in the service industry. Although everyone is entitled to 5–15 days annual leave by law, few employees actually take advantage of this right. Very few Chinese think it is their right to automatically take a holiday. It is only during the Chinese New Year that everybody stops working and goes back to their hometown for a family reunion. This always results in massive queues in train stations and an enormous population movement across the entire country.

Although working overtime many Chinese employees do have opportunities to take part in various leisure activities and courses organised by the company. These include different kinds of ball games (such as football or table tennis), yoga, tai-chi, swimming, dancing, etc. Classes are usually free or heavily subsidised. From time to time Friday evening outings or short trips are organised for the workers.

On the first day at the office, new employees are expected to be extremely punctual and to keep a low profile. Most companies have a formal dress code. Even if people seem to be dressed casually in the office, one should still dress formally on the first day. The Head of Human Resources might introduce the new employee to his or her colleagues, but the new colleague should not be proactive in doing this by him/herself. If one is invited to lunch by a colleague, the invitation should always be accepted.

There are many foreign people working in China now and more and more foreigners can speak some Chinese! Being able to speak Chinese demonstrates a high desire to communicate as well as showing respect for the Chinese culture. On the other hand, more and more Chinese, especially in business and in big cities, can and want to speak English. Be prepared to be complimented on your Chinese and make sure that you receive the compliment in a modest way!