Moving to a new country often means adjusting to a different way of working. For many Indians living abroad, workplace culture can be one of the biggest surprises. A Germany-based engineer recently sparked a discussion online after sharing 5 things that shocked him about working in Germany.The techie said that he was surprised by how different German workplaces are from what many Indians are used to. (Representational image/Unsplash)Taking to X, Sushant said that he was surprised by how different German workplaces are from what many Indians are used to. He wrote that employees do not use titles like “sir” or “madam” and instead call everyone by their first name, even the CEO. He also said that meetings end as soon as the agenda is completed, lunch breaks are respected, and employees are not expected to work during that time.Another thing that stood out to him was how seriously vacations are treated. Sushant said that people on leave are considered completely unavailable and are not expected to reply to work messages. He also noted that employees who take sick leave do not face questions or guilt for staying away from work.“5 years later - I still say ‘sir’ by accident sometimes. Old habits. Deep roots,” he wrote.(Also Read: NRI urges Indian students to avoid ‘scammy’ private universities in Germany: 'Don't sell family land to fall for a scam')Social media reactionsThe post quickly gained attention online, with many users sharing their views on the differences between Indian and European workplaces.One user wrote, “True because we belong to ‘sir’ culture from childhood and this is the form of respect ofcourse but many people find it more overwhelming that' why in corporate they prefer called out by thier first name.”Another commented, “We should realise these are basic things but we Indians are lacking.”A third user pointed out that workers in many European countries are legally protected while on vacation. “Employers' right to disconnect while on vacation is actually part of labour law and you cannot be penalized for being completely unreachable,” the user wrote.One user even posted a screenshot of a work email that said that, “Please note that due to my working pattern and work-life balance you may sometimes get emails from me outside of normal working hours. Please do not feel obligated to respond outside of your own unusual working hours.” Sharing the screenshot, the user wrote, “Yes, most European countries follow this rule. It’s appreciable.”