Workplace culture is where many expats hit their biggest surprises, because the rules are unwritten and everyone local assumes they are obvious. The big axes to watch: hierarchy, whether juniors challenge bosses openly or decisions flow strictly top-down; communication, whether feedback is blunt and direct or wrapped in politeness you must learn to decode; and meetings, whether they are for debate or for confirming decisions already made in side conversations.
Work-life balance norms diverge just as sharply. In some countries leaving on time is respected and after-hours email is frowned upon; in others visible long hours signal commitment, and socializing with colleagues after work is a real part of the job. Attitudes to deadlines, punctuality, and pre-business small talk vary too.
Spend your first months observing more than asserting. Find a culturally fluent colleague who will decode situations honestly for you, and ask your manager explicitly how feedback works there. Most friction comes not from the differences themselves but from interpreting local behavior through your home country's lens.