问答题 In British working culture, it’s important to use the right words in the right situations, she says. " Set phrases that signal that ’ I’m doing this the right, polite way’ are more important in British culture" than in the US, she says. For example, Brits use the phrase ’ please find attached’ at 10 times the rate of Americans. But Murphy found Americans are more likely to say please when they feel there’s a power imbalance—for example, between parents and children. It’s likely to make someone feel like you’re begging or feeling superior, she says. Instead, Americans place more value on saying ’ thank you’ . "That goes along with the idea that American politeness culture is very solidarity oriented—it’s a-bout making people feel good about themselves and about each other," she says. While Brits were similar in this sense, Murphy says it has been more important historically for Brits to acknowledge the distance and the roles between people though, she notes, this has been changing in the 21st Century. So what to do as a newcomer? Be super, super aware that any time that anyone’s doing something that makes you uncomfortable, there’s a very good chance that’s not their intention. " A lot of times, it’s little things about how people communicate. British politeness doesn’t just cover please and thank you—there is also a complicated dance of small talk and conflict resolution that newcomers have to learn to avoid confusion in the office. The quirks of politeness can even have a price tag. One 2015 survey of 1, 000 managers found that over-politeness could be costing British businesses millions, for example ,20% of those polled felt they had not challenged a fraudulent expense claim.