Using first names at work
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What it really means
In most British workplaces everyone uses first names, including for managers and directors. "Mr Smith" at work sounds old-fashioned or overly formal in many offices. Follow how colleagues address someone — if everyone says "Dave" to the CEO, you can too. Job titles are for email signatures, not conversation.
Chinese explanation
在大多数英国职场，所有人都互称名字（first name），包括对经理和总监。在很多办公室里叫"Mr Smith"反而显得过时或过于拘谨。观察同事怎么称呼——如果大家都叫CEO"Dave"，你也可以。职位头衔是写在邮件签名里的，不是用来当面称呼的。
Example conversation
A: Should I call the director Mr Harrison?
B: Just call him Tom — everyone does. He'd find Mr Harrison a bit odd.
A：我该称呼总监Harrison先生吗？
B：直接叫他Tom就行——大家都这么叫。叫他Harrison先生他反而会觉得怪。
What you could say back
No spoken reply needed for this one.
Related phrases
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All Customs & Etiquette
Reviewed by the UK Decoded editorial team
· Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake