Which Axis is north?

Level designers and artists are your emplyees/contractors.

They work how they are told to work.

There is 0 reason to make any BS consideration based on what you think others do.
Make them do what you want them to do instead.

If that means defining +X and +Y, then that’s what work works for you and your project.
Doesn’t mean it has to be the same for anyone else.