Australians might share many cultural traits with our British and American friends, but a new survey has revealed that Australian business people travelling abroad are more likely to offend while doing business in America and the UK than any other country.

The Servcorp International Business Etiquette Index ^[1], based on feedback from 700 business people across 13 countries, found that Americans and Britons are more likely to get their noses out of joint by Aussie informality than business people in cultures that are traditionally considered more conservative and hierarchical, such as Japan, China and the Middle East.

The top five most hated business behaviours globally are:

1. People arriving at work and not acknowledging fellow workmates
2. Not offering office guests a beverage
3. Speaking loudly across the room
4. Using swear words
5. Taking calls on speakerphone