Using first names at work
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.
Context, tips & common mistakes
British workplaces run on first names at every level — you will call the CEO 'Sarah', and 'Mr/Mrs + surname' in an office sounds either extremely old-fashioned or like a telesales script. The informality is real but shallow: hierarchy persists, expressed through who defers to whom, whose calendar bends and the softened-command language ('you might want to…'), rather than titles. Do not mistake first names for equality.
Exception zones: schools (teachers are Mr/Miss/Sir), medicine (Dr until invited otherwise), academia initially (Professor/Dr in first emails — many will sign back with their first name, which is the invitation), courts and very formal correspondence. When unsure, open with the title once; the reply's signature tells you what they prefer, and matching it is the whole etiquette.
Example conversation
What you could say back
No spoken reply needed for this one.