"Professional boundaries" and culture (lawyer, home, employment)

[tvdxer]

In the U.S., there are "professional boundaries" that apply to several professions and those associated with them. Not respecting these boundaries can lead to consequences, including termination. For example:

- A personal care attendant in an adult foster home could be fired for giving one cigarette to a resident who is out of cigarettes (or buying the resident a pop, giving them one dollar to make up a short, etc.)
- A mental health professional could be fired for helping a client out
- Romantic relationships between co-workers in the U.S. are generally frowned upon.
- A lawyer in a law firm could be fired for making a "sexual" comment to his paralegal
- A nurse or doctor crying with their patients' family upon delivering a fatal prognosis is a shunned behavior
- Mixing one's personal life with their work can be taboo, and supervisors are expected to keep a distance from their workers ( http://www.slowdownfast.com/how-to-m...al-boundaries/ ) .

These are often viewed as "ethical" topics, because they are claimed to protect all parties. However, many laboring under them consider them as sometimes being unduly intrusive into their relationships and working to the detriment of both parties, and occasionally (often) violate them out of their superiors' or co-workers' sight, or even with their tacit approval.

How does this concept of "professional boundaries" manifest itself in different cultures, if it even exists?

There was supposed to be some responses for this. I guess I’ll start and say something informative to contribute for this topic and other valuable responses coming after that.

Why did a part of the topic make it seem that only the USA has professional boundaries?

I am sure at least 50 other countries have a significant amount of Professional Boundaries in Employment.

I see a correlation for this and another topic that was about Relatively Free Economic Markets in Countries/Personal Freedom/Best Work-Life Balance:First World Countries with (relatively) Free Markets AND good Work-Life Balance

Here is some countries that probably have the most professional boundaries in employment, to the extent of maybe going too far/too much boundaries/some economic tension and vulnerability to individuals: Japan, South Korea, China, USA, UK.

Some countries that probably have the least professional boundaries in employment, to the extent of maybe being too laid back easygoing/needing a few more professional boundaries/causing some economic stagnancy: Italy, Spain, Thailand, Brazil, Portugal, Turkey.

The exact kind of employment also matters a lot. Careers in Law, Politics, Economics, Healthcare, and Education have a tendency to have more professional boundaries related to this compared to most other careers.