Disclaimer: sweeping generalisation so obviously not true for all. Also, basing a lot of this on my friends and what they do.
I work in the office of a factory where I regularly go down to the factory floor. We have approx 95% Eastern European workers. They work shockingly hard and some of them are my friends who I love. There's a slight issue of communication but we have translators so not a problem.
We rarely get British people through our agency and when we do I always think 'brilliant, they'll be easy to tell what's what' rather than guessing, doing strange hand gestures, calling another person off their shift or google translate.
The problem is, they're no where near as nice as our current workers (the last pair felt the need to tell me they thought my DP was my son when he pulled up one day) and they work at snails pace. And run off screaming 'yay break time' at break. They also stand back doing nothing while regulars set up the shift. Though that may be a communication issue as the regulars aren't telling them what to grab from where as they can't. Basically, they are never called back.
Looking at my Polish friends, not one is unemployed or lazy. My English friends... They either work in some fancy role and work hard or Most popped a baby out not long after school and saw it as a means of staying at home. They feel they are entitled to benefits. They talk a good talk about wanting to work but when I ask how many jobs they've applied for I get excuse after excuse.
It's all very well saying British jobs for British people but I feel like younger people don't push themselves.
For the record I'm 26
Do we have less drive than our Eastern European counterparts???
AIBU?
To think the British youth of today is a bit lazy??
TwittyMcTwitterson · 07/03/2014 06:24
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There's lazy and hardworking in every age group imo.
I can think of 3 young people I know off of the top of my head who are all 22 years old.
Person A works full time, but has a lot of time off work, usually because they are hungover or tired. They readily admit this and being the owners grandchild means their job is as secure as can be.
Person B works full time, and works hard. Starts very early, always stays late. Has very few ideas about what to do when not working apart from socialising with friends, which isn't easy when on holiday because their friends work too. Always itching to get back to work. Would work 365 days a year if possible.
Person C will do anything to get out of doing any work. Their favourite 3 phrases which they come out with every single day in rotation are 'I can't be arsed.' 'I can't be bothered.' and 'Oh good, that'll get me out of doing any work for a while.'
I know all 3 very well. I work with person C. It is annoying when this person is always saying they cba accompanied by a huge grin. Why anyone would be proud of not being arsed I do not understand. If person C actually just got on with their work instead of complaining about how they cba, they would be finished early, yet they cannot seem to get motivated to start and spend hours every day loitering around trying to strike up conversations with other people who just want to get their work done. 
Mind you, I have never understood the attraction of doing nothing.
Obviously I am British. I have 2 jobs, just stopped my third as it wasn't worth it.
I'm simply saying, in all my experience however hardworking any British person is I will find a harder working polish. Or I for every one hardworking Brit there is 5 hardworking poles. I spoke to my friend about it as obv this thread was on my mind. He's polish. He said there is a different mentality here. If the English people in my factory worked in Poland they would not last. They would simply be sacked.
He will stay here til he is bored. He and his wife, who also works there, are very educated, have worked here for a pretty long time. They haven't saved money but they like the adventure. If you can say England is that, ha!
I'm simply saying in my work English people say it whatever for an easy ride and polish people make sure they do it well. At home it's the same. Even socially, polish people are welcoming and friendly. My polish family are incredible, nothing like my English family. Everyone bitches but generally English people are more stand offish, possibly even to be described as colder. I love my nation, I love English or British people but we could learn a thing or two 
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