United Kingdom Details

• United Kingdom people - British
• United Kingdom capital / capital of United Kingdom - London
• United Kingdom language - English
• United Kingdom population / population of United Kingdom - 2016 estimate 65,110,000
• United Kingdom currency - Pound sterling

• Attitudes and values form the basis of any culture. They reflect the ways people both think and behave. Knowledge of attitudes and values can therefore be of significant importance if you wish to communicate with your counterparts effectively.
• Ignorance can result in a cultural barrier that may hinder the communication process and have a detrimental effect on the success of your activities in a given country.
• How important is the work-life balance in the UK? How do they value fairness in business? Although seemingly unimportant and often neglected during the preparation phase, an understanding of such issues may prove to be invaluable when doing business in the UK. The following section will introduce you to the essential attitudes and values you will find in the UK and highlight their implications for business practice.

UK DRESS CODE FOR JOB INTERVIEWS

• It is important to demonstrate at an interview good appearance as well as good manners.
• Dress neatly and conservatively.
• Men usually wear black, blue or gray suits and ties (avoid wearing striped ties).
• Women wear suits, dresses or conservative skirts, with simple accessories.
• Caps, bandannas, athletic shoes, sweats, unkempt clothes, jeans, singlets, open shoes and thongs are never acceptable.

• If the wind was blowing, comb your hair before making first contact at the reception.
• Do not carry a water bottle or coffee mug.
• Carry only a slim folder holding your job application documents and CVs.
• Do not chew anything.

BUSINESS DRESS CODE

• When it comes to business dress codes, classical conservative attire is the norm for both men and women in British culture and dark colours such as black, dark blue and charcoal grey are predominant. It is common for women to wear either trousers or a skirt in an office environment, and head scarves are accepted as part of religious freedom.
• Many senior managers are fond of quality and express their status through their choice of clothing. Shopping in designer boutiques is popular among British society and bespoke suits, designer shirts, silk ties and hand-made shoes are signs of affluence and status.

• Denim is not normally acceptable for professional business meetings and the Scots do not wear kilts to work. When in doubt about the dress code for a particular business event, it is adDress Codeble to be overdressed rather than risk making a poor impression. It is always relatively easy to hire suitable attire for special events; your efforts will be appreciated and you will feel that you are fitting in.

• Many organisations provide their non-professional employees with a work-based uniform, which enables everyone to look ‘corporate’ and reflects a certain image of the company. The type of uniform, whether smart or more casual, will give you a good understanding of the type of organisation and the culture to be found there. Many companies are adopting ‘informal’ smart casual uniforms, which are comfortable to wear, but still present a professional image for the company.
• Dress code inevitably varies across industries. In the creative sectors (e.g. digital marketing) a more relaxed dress code is common – just some shirt and trousers. Numerous office-based organisations have introduced Casual Friday, Casual Day or Dress-Down Friday, where a more relaxed dress code (and hopefully increased creativity) is encouraged based on the California inspired Dot Com Business Culture.
• If unsure of the dress code and what to wear, it is perfectly acceptable to ask a representative from the company. It is often better to find out in advance, so you can make any necessary changes before your introduction to the company. This will put you at ease and make you more relaxed in your encounters with the company representatives.

NATIONAL DRESS IN UK

• One of the most famous national costumes in the world is that worn in Scotland, the kilt, however some people say that the kilt is not as traditional as some would have it. Be that as it may it is certainly what people associate with Scotland, along with whisky and haggis that is.
• Some people consider it very bad luck to wear a kilt in a tartan that does not belong to your family.
• Just to remind you should you visit Scotland any time - the men do not wear skirts - they wear kilts - and don't you forget it!

• Today traditional dress for men in Scotland is a kilt with shirt, waistcoat and tweed jacket, stockings with garter flashes, brogue shoes and a sporran. A bonnet is often worn displaying the clan crest.
• Traditionally ladies don't wear kilts, they do however wear dresses or pleated skirts in a tartan material. More often though they wear a light plaid or shawl of tartan material

NATIONAL DRESS IN UK

• One of the most famous national costumes in the world is that worn in Scotland, the kilt, however some people say that the kilt is not as traditional as some would have it. Be that as it may it is certainly what people associate with Scotland, along with whisky and haggis that is.
• Some people consider it very bad luck to wear a kilt in a tartan that does not belong to your family.
• Just to remind you should you visit Scotland any time - the men do not wear skirts - they wear kilts - and don't you forget it!
• Today traditional dress for men in Scotland is a kilt with shirt, waistcoat and tweed jacket, stockings with garter flashes, brogue shoes and a sporran. A bonnet is often worn displaying the clan crest.
• Traditionally ladies don't wear kilts, they do however wear dresses or pleated skirts in a tartan material. More often though they wear a light plaid or shawl of tartan material

ENGLISH NATIONAL DRESS

• Unfortunately, the English don't really have a traditional National Dress as such. In one notorious episode during the Miss World pageant the English contestant came out wearing a Beefeater's costume, it was very embarrassing I can tell you.
• There have been calls over the years to create a costume, but as usual no-one can decide on what it should look like. Even Henry VIII got in on the act and commissioned an artist called Van Dyck to create an English National Costume, this also failed.
• So for lack of anything else I will leave you with the following picture of the nearest thing - a Beefeater costume as worn by Miss England.

DRESSING FOR THE OCCASION

• When invited to a formal/business function there is nothing worse than discovering you've dressed incorrectly. If you receive an invitation that gives no indication of dress requirements, telephone your host and ask. The following will guide you on formal wear.

• Play it safe. For the men colourful ties and cummerbunds are not businesslike. For the ladies low-cut, slinky, sexy dresses are not suitable for business functions.