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Mar 30

Top Tips for Doing Business in the USA

Cross Cultural Training, Cultural training for Relocation, Culture, Culture training for Business & Management, Culture training for Human Resources No Comments »

It has been said that Britain and the USA are two countries separated by the same language. Many assume that Brits and Americans are similar due to their colonial ties and special relationship but actually they are often more than just an ocean apart. Since independence in 1776, the United States has developed its own identity and ways of doing things. Compared to the Brits, Americans’ communication style and attitudes are more direct and open and this affects doing business in the USA.

Statue of Liberty 3 Nikada i Top Tips for Doing Business in the USA

© istockphoto.com/ Nikada

Americans tend to be very easy to deal with due to their open nature. They have a very strong work ethic and are not afraid of taking risks to succeed. Success is often measured in terms of profit, so when conducting business, they will tend to prioritise tasks over relationships. Just as former US President Calvin Coolidge once stated, “The business of America is business.”

As the world’s largest economy, America’s influence on business culture around the world is unmistakable. There are boundless opportunities for others to achieve their very own ‘American dream’. An understanding of this young diverse culture as well as knowledge of American business etiquette is essential for anyone doing business in the United States.

The following tips will help you to maximise any opportunities of doing business in the United States.

  • Be punctual. Arriving late to appointments can be considered disrespectful.
  • Meet deadlines. In the United States ‘time is money’ and Americans place great emphasis on getting the best results in the shortest period of time possible.
  • Be polite. Politeness is highly valued in the United States and Americans will expect you to match their level of politeness.
  • Participate in small talk. Americans like to create a comfortable environment before doing business by chatting for a couple of minutes.
  • Always remember to shake hands when greeting American counterparts. It is customary to begin and end business meetings or negotiations with a brief but firm handshake.
  • Americans are known for their openness and are often not afraid to share details of their personal life with you. Following up about an event they went to or a family member they told you about is appreciated and will help you build a stronger relationship with them.
  • Remember to minimise physical contact. Americans respect other people’s space and privacy and are very protective of their own ‘personal bubble’.
  • If you are working on a long-term project in the US, don’t be surprised if a colleague or counterpart invites you to their home for a meal or BBQ.
  • Address colleagues with their appropriate title at first, but don’t be surprised if you are invited to call someone by their first name soon after meeting. Colleagues will almost always refer to each other by their first name.
  • Don’t be offended if your American colleague seems frank. Americans like to get down to business and don’t like to ‘beat around the bush’ when it comes to negotiating. They are often blunt which can be perceived as rudeness by certain cultures.

Considering and respecting the top tips for doing business in the US above is the first step towards building effective relationships with your American counterparts. Participating in a cross cultural awareness training course such as Doing Business in the United States will give you a deeper insight into the cultural differences you may find in the US and it will improve your ability to anticipate and manage them effectively.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

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Mar 28

Are the French ‘Arrogant’ and the Belgians ‘Thick’? A Look at Stereotypes and Cultural Misconceptions in Film

Cross Cultural Training, Cultural training for Relocation, Culture, Culture training for Business & Management, Culture training for Human Resources No Comments »

French humorist Dany Boon, the well known film director of the French box office blockbuster “Bienvenue chez les C’htis” is attempting to repeat his success with his latest outing “Rien à Déclarer” (Nothing to Declare). This time, instead of highlighting the differences between the people of northern and southern France, he is poking fun at how the French and Belgium stereotype each other.

Business People 8 Sean Locke i Are the French ‘Arrogant’ and the Belgians ‘Thick’? A Look at Stereotypes and Cultural Misconceptions in Film

© istockphoto.com/ Sean Locke

The film takes place in a small customs office on the French/Belgium border in 1993 just before the Schengen Agreement came into force. As the border controls slowly disappear, the Belgian and French governments decide to create bi-national patrols forcing former “enemies” to work together and attempt to develop a working cross-cultural relationship.

Belgium and France make a really good setting for this type of comedy. For decades the French have made jokes about the supposed “thickness” of their Belgian neighbours. The Belgians, on the other hand, usually describe their French neighbours as arrogant and over confident. Boon’s latest film is almost entirely based on these French and Belgian stereotypes. Of course, and inevitably, everything is exaggerated to the maximum and is a succession of jokes and insults about both countries.

When the BBC interviewed Boon about his latest film he explained that he wanted to talk about racism and cultural stereotypes in a funny and enjoyable way. He views racism between the Belgians and the French as utterly ridiculous as both populations are “basically the same” and “share a large number of common points such as food, language and religion.”

Boon certainly has a point when he explains that negative stereotypes, racism and hostility between cultures are pointless and lead nowhere. Making fun of these elements can help to show that stereotypes are usually false or exaggerated and often come from a lack of cross-cultural awareness. However, films like Boon’s latest outing can sometimes encourage stereotypes and, although exaggerated, some viewers may believe what they see to be a real portrayal of attitudes between the French and Belgians.

Assuming that two cultures are identical because they share common points such as language or religious beliefs, as Boon indicated in his interview, is equally dangerous. Supporting negative stereotypes and making strong assumptions of similarity can lead to cross-cultural clashes and incidents. Believing that the French and Belgians have the same working habits or perceptions of time for instance can reflect a lack of cross-cultural awareness and risk harming relationships when doing business in France or Belgium.

Working effectively across cultures requires a high level of cross-cultural awareness and the ability to go beyond the many stereotypes that may exist about other cultures. Neighbouring countries often quickly reach for extreme stereotypical clichés due to the long and often tortuous relationship they have endured. As national borders melt away and organisations merge, acquire and integrate their operations, the need for employees and indeed organisations to become much more aware of the role that culture plays is vital. Companies are now more and more investing in cross-cultural awareness training courses such as Doing Business in Belgium or Living and Working in France to help break down these boundaries and develop a sense of common partnership.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

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Feb 28

Doing Business in Japan: What’s in a Name?

Cross Cultural Training, Cultural training for Relocation, Culture, Culture training for Business & Management, Culture training for Human Resources No Comments »

Most people associate Japanese culture with a traditional etiquette and formality that people adhere to strictly in both professional and social spheres. When doing business in Japan it’s important to understand that etiquette is an important instrument that can convey hierarchical structures and respect. Understanding business and social etiquette in Japan can be challenging, however, and many people who visit Japan are intrigued by the multitude of extremes and exceptions in Japanese etiquette.

Japan Chris Pritchard i Doing Business in Japan: What’s in a Name?

© istockphoto.com/ Chris Pritchard

One part of Japanese etiquette revolves around Japanese naming conventions. The Japanese language is comprised of an array of formal and informal terms that are used to address each other. In Japanese business people tend to prefer to be addressed with their last name. Most Japanese names end with the suffix ‘-san’ which is a rather neutral option and stands for Mr. or Ms.

The Japanese naming system is however much more elaborate and uses different suffixes to indicate the status of a person in addition to this. It is also commonplace in business to add the job title after someone’s name to show their authority and seniority. In this case the suffix ‘-san’ would then be replaced with the job title or profession of that person. For example, a head of department named Takahashi is referred to as Buchō or Takahashi-buchō.

Intercultural awareness training courses like Doing Business in Japan can help anyone working with Japanese counterparts to not only learn the words that are added to names in Japan but also to understand the meaning and values that people in Japan attach to them. Understanding these honorific naming conventions will help you to build trusting relationships with your Japanese counterparts.

Japanese naming conventions expand beyond business to the family sphere as well. Older family members can address younger family members with their name alone. Younger family members will address their elders with a referential suffix that will reveal how close they are to the person they are addressing. When addressing people outside their family, Japanese use a different word for mother, brother, sister etc which creates an even stronger sense of family in Japanese culture.

Family is a core value in Japanese culture and strongly impacts Japanese naming conventions, but attitudes towards family are changing as Japanese society becomes influenced by American and European trends. One area of Japanese naming conventions which are being influenced by these changes is marriage. A recent article in the Guardian suggests that an increasing number of women are refusing to change their family name. Traditionally the head of the Japanese family is always the man. Couples have to agree on one surname when they get married as Japanese society does not allow couples to have different or double surnames.

An increasing number of Japanese women have recently started to challenge the status quo and are fighting to keep their surname. To some this is an astonishing insight as it seems to contradict the emphasis on strict Japanese etiquette and family traditions which are so important in Japanese culture. Some fear that this new trend could negatively impact the unique concept of family and its associated traditions in Japanese culture.

Although new trends are challenging traditional Japanese culture it will take a considerable amount of time before they become completely commonplace and significantly change a whole set of elaborate etiquette. Anyone doing business in Japan will certainly find that the traditional business etiquette will prevail for some time to come. However an understanding of how Japanese society is changing and being influenced by new approaches and attitudes will help anyone doing business in Japan to respond appropriately and not make false assumptions. Taking an intercultural training course like Doing Business in Japan will ensure you are up to speed on all of the recent trends as well as traditional customs in Japanese society that impact business and social spheres enabling you to effectively respond to and harness unique aspects of Japanese culture.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

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Feb 15

Doing Business in Taiwan: Celebrating the Taiwan Lantern Festival

Cross Cultural Training, Culture training for Business & Management, Culture training for Human Resources No Comments »

The Taiwan Lantern Festival takes place every 15th day of the first month in correspondence with the lunar calendar, which translates this year into the 17th of February. People in Taiwan celebrate the New Year according to the lunar calendar, like many other Asian cultures.

So what is the Lantern Festival and how does it impact doing business in Taiwan? Do you need a different calendar when doing business in Taiwan? Or is there a special tradition you should know about to celebrate this day with your Taiwanese counterparts? Acknowledging and understanding cultural holidays such as the Lantern Festival is really important for anyone doing business in Taiwan.

Asian Lantern espion i Doing Business in Taiwan: Celebrating the Taiwan Lantern Festival

© istockphoto.com/ Espion

Although the Lantern Festival is a rather young event, celebrated only since 1990 when the Taiwan Tourism Bureau introduced it to encourage the celebration of traditional folklore, its origins are linked to the Chinese Lantern Festival which dates back to 104 BC. The Lantern Festival is highly anticipated as it is one of the main events in Taiwan which draws a lot of attention and will generate a lot of business. This year Taiwan expects to see over six million visitors.

As the name suggests the main attraction are the lanterns which are diverse in colour and form. The centrepiece is always a giant lantern that epitomises the Chinese zodiac sign of the respective year. This year the 20.5-meter tall and 30 tonne heavy lantern features a rabbit holding a gold ingot to symbolise the collection of wealth for Taiwan. It is the largest LED-lit lantern in the world.  Janice Lai, Director General of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau said: “This year’s main lantern uses only LED lighting for the first time ever. It will be illuminated with a total of 200,000 LED lamps whose colours can be altered by digital control.“

The lantern lighting is accompanied by gongs and drumming and divided into six stages. Lanterns are lit to celebrate specific events or wishes. For instance there have been lanterns for Good Fortune to Taiwan, Peace on Earth, Celebration of 100 Years (Since the Foundation of the Republic in 1911) and Halcyon Days (signifying ideals of joy and prosperity). The festival is well organised and even includes a rehearsal day on the day before the main celebrations.

The Taiwan Lantern Festival combines a traditional theme with modern artefacts in a truly spectacular display. A Doing Business in Taiwan intercultural training course will help you to be fully immersed into the spectacle and understand all its different facets from the symbolism of the lanterns to the riddles written on the lanterns. Through an understanding of special celebrations and cultural traditions like the Taiwan Lantern Festival, a Doing Business in Taiwan course will help you to build strong relationships and show an appreciation of Taiwanese cultural values, attitudes and working practices.

If you are doing business in Taiwan or working with counterparts from Taiwan, you can show your interest in their culture by mentioning the festival and asking them how and where they will be celebrating. Talking about cultural traditions like the Lantern Festival can be a great way to get to know your Taiwanese counterparts.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

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Feb 03

Impact of Stereotypes on International Business: Cross Cultural Awareness is Key

Cross Cultural Training, Cultural training for Relocation, Culture, Culture training for Business & Management, Culture training for Human Resources, Culture training for the Public sector No Comments »

Globalisation and the emergence of cross cultural business have tremendously reshaped our working environment over the last fifteen years.  People around the world are increasingly finding themselves working with colleagues and counterparts from another culture.  Dealing with such diversity is complex and requires a high level of cross cultural competence that you can develop through cross cultural awareness training.

To make sense of all these differences we tend to classify people into specific categories such as the company they work for or their own culture. This classification provides us with references about certain groups of people and helps us begin to understand their attitudes. You could say for example that Spanish people tend to speak more loudly than British do and Brazilians tend to be more affective than Finnish. While there are some relative truths to these statements, such stereotypical representations are often over-simplified and could lead to false assumptions.

Clock DNY59 i Impact of Stereotypes on International Business: Cross Cultural Awareness is Key

© istockphoto.com/ DNY59

Stereotypes, taken-for-granted beliefs about our counterparts’ habits and behaviour, can affect our own attitudes and expectations when communicating with other cultures. The main purpose of stereotypes is to help us when we are dealing with a culture we do not know and to give us the illusion of a predictable pattern we could learn and thus know how to react to any given cross cultural situation.

For instance, when doing business in Italy we might expect our Italian counterparts to be late for a meeting whereas a Swiss would always be punctual and well organised. However it would be inappropriate to assume that no Italian would ever be on time and no Swiss would ever be late. Hence, cross cultural stereotypes need to be treated carefully as they might have a negative impact on our thinking and our capacity to perceive things with discernment.

Whether stereotypes are commonly shared among society or progressively developed through our direct experience in cross cultural relations, it is crucial to keep questioning their relevance. By doing so, we would certainly prevent ourselves from judging our international counterparts on the basis of wrong assumptions leading to inappropriate cross cultural behaviour and critical incidents.

Stereotypes can however be perceived as the first stage of acknowledging the existence of cross cultural differences which is an initial step towards the development of a higher level of cross cultural awareness and competence. However stereotypes need to be questioned, mitigated and never taken for granted if they are to help us to work more effectively in a cross cultural context.

Cross cultural awareness training courses such as Developing Global Competence or Building International Teams can help you to identify and deal with cross cultural differences which will improve your capacity to develop and maintain successful cross cultural relations. By providing you with a foundation of cross cultural understanding, Communicaid’s Cross cultural awareness training courses can ensure you understand your counterparts’ behaviour without having to rely on stereotypes that could lead to cross cultural misunderstandings and negative impressions.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

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Feb 01

The Year of the Rabbit – Beliefs and Superstitions when Doing Business in China

Cross Cultural Training, Cultural training for Relocation, Culture, Culture training for Business & Management, Culture training for Human Resources, Culture training for the Public sector No Comments »

Are you doing business in China and wondering what all the interest is right now around the new year of the rabbit? Or perhaps you’ve noticed that there are good offers on Chinese foods in the supermarket this week? Maybe you’ve heard of Chinese New Year, but do you know what it is and why it’s celebrated now and not in January?

Chinese people around the world are getting ready to welcome their New Year on Thursday February 3rd. For about 15 days Chinese will celebrate, focus on certain practices and reflect on their lives. Anyone doing business in China or working with Chinese counterparts during this time should be aware of the Chinese New Year and how it might impact you.

Chinese laterns 3 tom hall i The Year of the Rabbit – Beliefs and Superstitions when Doing Business in China

© istockphoto.com/ Tom Hall

The Chinese calendar is a lunar one, just like the Western calendar, with the start of each year coinciding with a new cycle of the moon. A full cycle lasts 60 years and is divided into five further cycles, each lasting twelve years. Each year is named after an animal. Much like Western zodiac signs, each animal in the Chinese calendar has particular characteristics that many Chinese believe will influence the lives of those born under its sign.

This year 3 February will see the end of the year of the Tiger and the beginning of the year of the Rabbit. The Rabbit is considered as calm and sophisticated, a kind of classy peacemaker who likes artistic ventures as well as the tranquillity of home. Those who are born in the Year of the Rabbit are often described as strong, relaxed and friendly as well as compassionate and creative. In terms of careers, Rabbits are believed to make good philosophers, politicians or doctors.

Knowing what year it is in the zodiac calendar and what sign you are can be a nice way to start a conversation and build a relationship when doing business in China. If you’re not sure what Chinese zodiac sign you are, take a look at the following table:

Rat 1924 1936 1948 1960 1972 1984 1996 2008
Ox 1925 1937 1949 1961 1973 1985 1997 2009
Tiger 1926 1938 1950 1962 1974 1986 1998 2010
Rabbit 1927 1939 1951 1963 1975 1987 1999 2011
Dragon 1928 1940 1952 1964 1976 1988 2000 2012
Snake 1929 1941 1953 1965 1977 1989 2001 2013
Horse 1930 1942 1954 1966 1978 1990 2002 2014
Sheep 1931 1943 1955 1967 1979 1991 2003 2015
Monkey 1932 1944 1956 1968 1980 1992 2004 2016
Rooster 1933 1945 1957 1969 1981 1993 2005 2017
Dog 1934 1946 1958 1970 1982 1994 2006 2018
Pig 1935 1947 1959 1971 1983 1995 2007 2019

Someone with a Western and perhaps more scientific or rational viewpoint may be reluctant to consider such ideas as anything more than superstition. As China is home to an ever growing and modernising middle class, it is becoming increasingly difficult to measure the influence of such old traditional ideas on Chinese society. But while China’s rise is undoubtedly a modern phenomenon, Chinese society remains rich with trends and traditions that have roots going back millennia.

Understanding the intricacies of such a reality requires a clear understanding of how traditional values influence modern day Chinese behaviours, both in business and in everyday life. Anyone doing business in China should take a cultural awareness training course to develop the required understanding, skills and strategies to effectively navigate the complexities of Chinese culture. Showing an appreciation for and understanding of traditions like Chinese New Year will go a long way towards building effective and long-term relationships when doing business in New Year.

In the meantime, don’t hesitate to send a friendly greeting to your Chinese counterparts this Thursday. Or as in the traditional Chinese custom on New Year, you could give them a small gift wrapped in red paper or in a traditional Chinese red envelope.

May the year of the rabbit bring you much success and happiness!

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

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Jan 28

There’s No Place like Home…Or Is There? The Challenges of Repatriation

Cross Cultural Training, Cultural training for Relocation, Culture, Culture training for Human Resources No Comments »

According to a recent article published in The Telegraph, coming home after a long stay overseas can be just as stressful as moving to a foreign country. While expatriates expect to experience some level of culture shock when they go on an international assignment, most repatriates do not expect any reverse culture shock and therefore do not seek any support in the form of repatriation training or coaching for themselves or their family.

Airplane Maurits Vink i There’s No Place like Home…Or Is There? The Challenges of Repatriation

© istockphoto.com/ Maurits Vink

This reverse culture shock is all the more distressing because no one sees it coming. Expatriates fully expect to be confused and frustrated in a new cultural environment, but not in their home environment where they know the local customs so well. Returning to their own culture of origin can be more stressful and have more unexpected consequences than a transition into the unfamiliar.

When reality sets in and repatriates realise that things have changed, the initial excitement of returning home quickly disappears and is often replaced by feelings of anxiety, stress and a sense of loss. These negative feelings can stem from a number of different factors including :

Social Step Down
Many expatriates living in another country experience life at a higher level than they may at home. In other words, they may have a cleaner or a nanny or they may have opportunities for adventures, shopping or treatments that they would not have been able to afford at home. As such, readjusting to their normal standard of living upon repatriation may create negative emotions.

Lack of Interest from Family and Friends
Most expatriates have lots of opportunities for some really amazing adventures. They explore another part of the world and may have funny stories about what they ate or people they met. After some time the level of interest that people may have had in your adventures may decline, leaving many repatriates feeling inadequate and or irrelevant. This is especially true for those friends and family members who have no experience of cross-cultural interactions and therefore struggle to understand the true dimension of life in a foreign culture.

False Expectations
Expatriates often expect things at home to be the same as they left them so are often surprised or disappointed when they discover that things have changed. Their home culture may suddenly seem simple or unsophisticated after experiencing a wider multicultural world. Issues that previously seemed important may appear petty in comparison to the overseas experience. Repatriates need to remember that while they have changed significantly during their international experience, it is likely that their home country would have changed too.

Reverse culture shock is often exacerbated by the lack of information available to repatriates. There is a large discrepancy between the amount of information and assistance available to prospective expatriates and that available to repatriates. While there are countless books and websites devoted to giving advice to expatriates about adapting to the host culture and dealing with culture shock, there is not very much information available about reverse culture shock leaving many repatriates open to the challenges of adjusting to life back home.

Readjusting to their former way of life may take some time and returning expatriates may experience various stages of reverse culture shock as part of the readjustment process. Repatriates may go through a period of maladjustment characterised by high levels of irritability and nostalgia for their ‘new’ culture. Specialised repatriation training can provide the necessary skills repatriates need to cope with their return to their country of origin. Repatriation training will also highlight what returning expatriates can expect in terms of their own feelings as well as some of the possible scenarios they may encounter upon their return including:

  • Recognising a change in their own personal values and attitudes and how they now differ from what people are used to
  • A lack of appreciation by friends, family or colleagues for the knowledge and skills they have developed while abroad
  • The low level of interest from friends, family or colleagues in their international experiences and adventures
  • Change in status and lifestyle

It’s important that expatriates mentally prepare themselves for their international assignment, but it can be even more important for them to prepare themselves before returning home. Being aware of and expecting reverse culture shock and the time it will take to readjust to their home culture can help repatriates to develop more useful coping mechanisms. Participating in a repatriation training course will ensure that repatriates have a smoother reintegration into their local culture and a better chance of being able to apply their new knowledge and skills to their social and professional life. With the right preparation, repatriates can really feel like ‘there’s no place like home’.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

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Jan 26

‘Crazy Americans or Lazy Europeans?’ – Interpreting Different Perspectives When Working Effectively across Cultures

Cross Cultural Training, Culture, Culture training for Business & Management, Culture training for Human Resources No Comments »

“Are Europeans lazy? Or Americans crazy?” This is the rather provocative title of a conference about the perception of work on both continents organised in 2006 by Stephen Nickell, a British economist working for the Bank of England. Behind this question lies the ever lasting conflict between two opposite visions of life: do we work to live or do we live to work? The answer to that question is likely to depend on your cultural background, the country you live in and how this impacts working effectively across cultures.

Business People walking urbancow i ‘Crazy Americans or Lazy Europeans?’ – Interpreting Different Perspectives When Working Effectively across Cultures

© istockphoto.com/ Urban Cow

The way Europeans and Americans work can, of course, be explained by economical, historical or sociological traits like unemployment rates, the number of hours worked each week, worker productivity levels and the social system. But these differences also come from fundamental cultural differences that exist between the two continents. The importance of family, free time, personal development or even religion within a specific culture can influence the working practices of a country. These differences can get in the way of working effectively across cultures and they can harm the performance of multicultural teams.

Let’s look a few examples of differences in working practices and attitudes you may find when working across cultures. Many employees in Norway and Sweden have adjusted their working hours in order to spend more time with their families as this is what is important to them in life. In France, people work 35 hours per week and they take more annual leave which gives them more spare time to spend with family and friends. In Spain there are many religious celebrations that are taken as official public holidays which allow people to share the occasion with family and close relations.

Some people in the US who tend to believe that ‘time is money’ may look at these countries and feel that ‘Europeans are lazy’ due to their shorter working hours and longer holidays. This perception can be linked to the highly competitive and business oriented approach to work common in the US. On the other hand the incredibly strong work ethics and the common practice of working long hours and taking a few days off work each year can result in some Europeans thinking ‘Americans are crazy’ for not spending more time with family and friends.

Working effectively across cultures requires an understanding that every culture has its own unique approach to work ethics and time management which can have a significant impact on how working preferences are perceived and managed. An achievement and result oriented country like the US, for example, will strongly encourage workers to do their best individually every day to fulfil their goals in the most efficient and profitable way no matter how long it takes. A relationship oriented culture like Spain will encourage people to work together toward success but they be less likely to expect this to be achieved through overtime or shorter holidays.

Despite many references to Europe as a whole, there isn’t any cultural uniformity between European countries. France is completely different from the Netherlands and you cannot compare the UK to Italy as each country has its own set of core cultural values. Each European country differs greatly from the US in its own way, and the existence of false assumptions based on preconceived ideas like ‘all Europeans are lazy’ can create obstacles for an American manager or employee coming to Europe for an international assignment.

These obstacles can cause frustration and misunderstandings, preventing them from working effectively across cultures. Following a cross cultural awareness training programme such as Doing Business in the US or Working Effectively across Cultures can help multicultural teams or organisations to cope with the challenges and create their own strategies. By avoiding quick judgments and false assumptions about how lazy or crazy your counterparts are around the world, you will be able to create good relationships, harness everyone’s strengths and work more effectively across cultures.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

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Dec 20

Why Wearing the Right Kind of Underwear is Important When Doing Business in Switzerland

Cross Cultural Training, Cultural training for Relocation, Culture, Culture training for Business & Management, Culture training for Human Resources, Culture training for the Public sector No Comments »

Switzerland is known for its mountains, chocolate, cheese, watches… and now strict work dress code guidelines. According to recent reports, Swiss bank UBS has just issued a 44-page set of guidelines about what employees should and should not wear to work. The guidelines even state that women are only allowed to wear flesh-coloured underwear and a maximum of seven items of jewellery. Only grey, black and navy suits can be worn by any employees and shirt cuffs must show approximately 1.5cm and 2.5cm from under the jacket sleeves.

It is not uncommon for firms operating in the financial industry in the City, New York or elsewhere to set strict dress codes – but is there something more to this?

Is this a unique example or does this represent all Swiss based organisations and values? Anyone doing business in Switzerland should know the answer to this question so they can be prepared – whether that means wearing the right clothes or understanding how business is done.

Zurich Bogdan Lazar i Why Wearing the Right Kind of Underwear is Important When Doing Business in Switzerland

© istockphoto.com/ Bogdan Lazar

What would happen if your boss or organisation issued clothing guidelines as strict as the ones recently set forth at UBS? Would you have responded the same way as UBS employees in Switzerland who are said to have ‘reacted well’ to the guidelines? Many people in the UK or other cultures may see these rules as an unacceptable breach of their privacy and freedom of choice. Others however may welcome such strict guidelines as they eliminate uncertainty and ensure consistency in the professional image of UBS.

Most people associate Swiss culture with strict punctuality and orderliness. This is not surprising considering the fact that they are the worldwide leaders in producing precise time keeping technology. So being on time, appreciating order and having strict guidelines are the behavioural patterns that we can see when doing business in Switzerland, but where do they come from and what impact do they have on Swiss working practices?

Cross-cultural research suggests that the Swiss are not very comfortable with unknown situations or uncertainty. Having precise rules and a high level of formality helps the Swiss to create a sense of safety and security. By implementing rules and processes, the Swiss are able to ensure that there is always an acceptable or unacceptable way of doing things, therefore limiting any ‘grey areas’ or uncertainty. The recent UBS dress code guidelines aim to “procure interior peace and a feeling of security”, according to the UBS spokesperson, making this case a perfect example of this cultural value.

Despite the reported positive reaction by UBS staff members and bank customers, this rather strict dress code aroused criticisms in Switzerland. A member of the Swiss Federation of Trade Unions said in The Times that the dress code guidelines were both “unreasonable and illegal”. This reaction is a very good example of how our own individual preferences and character traits can sometimes prevail over our national cultural values.

When doing business in Switzerland it is essential to bear in mind that the Swiss business culture is heavily influenced by the country’s cultural values. Assuming that every Swiss person is the same, however, and only relying on Swiss stereotypes is bound to create cultural incidents and misunderstandings. It is therefore necessary for anyone doing business in Switzerland to develop a high level of cultural awareness and understanding of Swiss culture to be effective working there.

Participating in a Doing Business in Switzerland cross-cultural training course will help you to understand the cultural idiosyncrasies behind certain behavioural patterns in Switzerland and how they impact working practices and communication styles. A Doing Business in Switzerland cross-cultural training course will also help you to identify and harness Swiss values and attitudes around time, structure, risk and uncertainty when working extensively with Swiss counterparts. By adapting to Swiss culture, whether through following strict dress code guidelines like those introduced at UBS or by implementing more detailed policies that will eliminate any uncertainty, you can be sure that you will have a more successful experience doing business in Switzerland.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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Dec 16

Living and Working in the UK – Research Shows Brits Take Most Sick Days in Europe

Cross Cultural Training, Cultural training for Relocation, Culture, Culture training for Business & Management, Culture training for Human Resources 2 Comments »

According to a recent article published on the HR review website, British workers are the European champion when it comes to taking sick leave. Not only do they take more sick days than their European counterparts, but one out of five of these sick days are not taken for a genuine illness. A high number of British and expat employees living and working in the UK confessed that they feigned illness in order to stay at home or to take care of a relative or friend.

Westminster Graeme Purdy i1 Living and Working in the UK Research Shows Brits Take Most Sick Days in Europe

© istockphoto.com/ Graeme Purdy

This trend costs the British economy approximately £2.5 billion a year and is a main concern for HR professionals. Some describe it as the main obstacle hindering the economic recovery of the UK. When asked about this phenomenon, half of the Brits surveyed admitted they would not take so many sick days if their working hours were more flexible and if “social days” and more bank holidays were offered on a regular basis like in other Europeans countries such as France or Spain.

So, is living and working in the UK that bad? What happened to the legendary and world-renowned British ability to withstand any type of challenges and difficulties? Do international assignees sent to the UK need to worry about working in British companies?

Indeed, living and working in the UK does come with many challenges. The importance of results and performance in a highly competitive market, the flat hierarchical organisation and the strong sense of responsibility put on each individual are just a few challenges that can induce a high level of stress and make things difficult for international assignees living and working in the UK. But are these challenges really what make British workers take so many sick days?

Some suggest that another key factor leading to this high number of sick days is the “pub culture” which remains really strong in the UK. Going out with friends or colleagues after business hours is still commonplace and is a great way to build relationships with British counterparts when living and working in the UK. This pub culture can lead to hangovers however and people calling in sick to work. This particular aspect of British culture is important for someone who wishes to socialise with his/her colleagues but knowing the possible consequences of this practice is crucial for anyone living and working in the UK.

Managers living and working in the UK or preparing for their international assignment in the UK should also be aware of this trend. Knowing these figures can help them to adapt their management style and motivate their team. Setting up strategies to make the most of motivation drivers in the UK can help international managers to reduce the amount of sick leave taken and consequently improve the efficiency of their teams.

Expatriates living and working in the UK also need to be careful about stereotypes or assumptions they make about British culture. The fact that British workers take more sick leave than other Europeans does not mean that they are lazy or unproductive.

Coping with some of these cultural challenges of living and working in the UK can take time and requires the right cross cultural training and intercultural knowledge. Cross cultural training for relocation courses like Living and Working in the UK can help you to adapt to British business culture and social life. These cross cultural training courses will provide a comprehensive set of cultural tools and strategies that will help any international assignee living and working in the UK manage their team and cope with employee sick leave and any other cultural difference they face.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010

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