5 Ways to be Culturally Competent in the German Workplace

Practicing cultural competency is key when showing respect in another culture. The workplace is one of the environments where this plays a huge role. There are few countries that operate business in the same way, so it is important to never just assume something is handled as it is in your own country.

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This post provides a brief overview on certain areas that differ greatly from the United States.

Email Etiquette

Besides the fact that the overall layout of a German email is different, there are a few other things you should note.

• No Small talk: Germans are very direct people and do not care how your weekend was. If you have a question, simply ask it without the fluff. While including details like, "I trust you had a nice weekend?" or "How about that game last night?" before getting to the point, is customary in the North American workplace, it would be seen as unnecessary in Germany.

• Answering emails after work or on weekends is never expected: Germans have no problem drawing the line between work life and personal life. It would never be expected for you to answer an email when not in the office or on holiday. It is actually against the law for your boss to try to reach you on a personal vacation. The government has even been playing around with the idea of an "anti-stress law" that would prohibit employees from opening emails outside the office.

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Small Talk

Much like in emails, Germans tend to not partake in too much small talk in real life either. It is viewed as a waste of time and time is precious in German society. If you ask a German, "How are you?", be prepared for a very honest answer. In the English language this phrase has become less of a question and more of a greeting with a predetermined answer of "Fine, and you?". This is not true in the German language and you should not ask it unless you are actually interested in the person's current feelings.

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Dress Code

Given that commutes to work typically involve public transit and walking, your work outfit should be rather practical. Women often wear sneakers (not the same ones for the gym though) or flats to the office. Hair is typically pulled back or clipped up and makeup is light. Skirts are fine, but short sleeves are often a no-go. Men wear jeans or dress pants with a button-down. The rest of the outfit varies depending on the office. Younger, more hip firms will encourage business casual, meaning no blazer. Everyone wears a watch, always.

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Titles & Siezen

If someone has their doctorate, it is important to remember that when addressing them: Herr Professor Doktor Müller. This is more common in emails or other forms of writing. No matter how long you have been working with someone, refer to them by their full name and with the proper Sie form unless directly told otherwise.

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Days Off

As I stated before, Germans take their holidays very seriously. A workweek will probably be something around 40 hours and will close early on Fridays (Feierabend). Firms legally have to give you 20 paid vacations days, but many have more than that. In addition, you also get 42 paid sick days. This is very cultural as Germans are inherently worried about getting sick. You can even apply to get more than this is you are out for a longer period of time. This is not seen as too big of a deal and more of an investment, since Germans are often with the same company for life.

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This does not even begin to cover the many workplace differences between the US and Germany. One should always remember to appreciate such differences, in any culture, and try to understand them as a courtesy to those around you.

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I attended the symposium event about CVs and how they differ in the US and in Europe, specifically in Germany. I decided to expand upon that and talk about the German workplace and how it differs from the US.