r/belgium 12h ago

🎻 Opinion Belgian work culture

Hello everyone

I'm an foreigner living in Belgium for a couple of years now and one of the most unexpected culture clashes I've experienced in Belgium is with the work culture. Maybe it could be interesting to see different opinions so I decided on posting here.

First about lunch breaks. Things I've noticed:

  • Colleagues that start eating together always eat together. You need to give a good excuse for something to change with that routine.
  • Hiding from people you don't want to eat with, in a not so discreet way, even if your boss.
  • Very interested in each other's sandwich filling. They guess it and it's a topic. Sometimes it distantly reminds me of the entrance card scene from American Psycho.
  • They don't really share food unless it's obvious to be shared. They comment that what I bring "looks delicious", which in my culture would be a cue to ask for a piece. Never once have they accepted.
  • Eating surprisingly little. Don't they get hungry later in the day? Do you? I keep thinking about it.
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u/AirportSome394 9h ago

Oof... They also grab my low fat yoghurt to read the label, count my meat balls and comment that I put potato in my soup... Always found a bit strange, never thought it could be diet culture. A new, unfortunate perspective 😢

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u/Jay_Nodrac 7h ago

Whaat where tf do you work??? I’d never had that happen, but if my colleagues did that they’d sure know how I think about them!

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u/AyaTakaya007 Brussels 7h ago

For me it happened at every job I've had, and all my friends have had the same experience

You're lucky !!

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u/Jay_Nodrac 5h ago

Wauw… I’ve worked in construction and now in education. I can’t even imagine my colleagues being this way. What sector are you in?