Working in Rome (and South of Italy)

next post Tuesday January 10th 2012


Merry Christmas and a cloudless new year 

Let’s get to Rome, the Eternal City, the center of the Old World, of the Roman Empire. The cradle of the western culture, of course together with Athens.

What time means here and in the south of Italy?

For sure it flows much slower than in Milan. I mean people are not such in rush like in Milan, they tend to live slower and some way happier.

Forget about afternoon meetings. Usually afternoon starts very late (early afternoon here could mean 3.30 pm) and ends much earlier (4.00 pm could be a good guess).

This does not mean that people are not working, but that they are used to a very different working schedule.

Rome is the seat of the Italian Government: institutions, ministries, bureaucracy (you can name more) are based here. And their daily working hours are not like working hours of large multinational companies based in the North.  Just consider morning, a short morning: from 10 to 12 to avoid any mistake.

And south of Rome?

Of course much closer to this than to the northern habits.

9.00 am is a good starting hour up to 1.00 pm. Then consider a long break and the evening closure could be around 6.00 pm.

Cultural differences are a true reality in Italy. Even in time schedule.