Cultural Differences in Germany

 

1) Germany is a low-context country! This means that everything should be said straight, without “between the lines” words. Most of the Germans are reacting only to the direct expressions. That’s why, many people from other countries say that Germans are rude. After reading our post about cultural differences in Germany, they would not think so 🙂

 

2) “1 minute is not late” – not in Germany. Being on time = being reliable. If you come later than the agreed time, you should have a really good excuse and notify the other person in advance (don’t lie about it, be honest).

 

3) Germans are result-oriented. They will evaluate your performance mostly based on your achievements. Your effort that did not bring value are not performance indicators.

 

4) Germany is a hierarchical country and subordination during the working day is important. However, being initiative and propose something new, is also a good idea. Many modern bosses ignore old-school subordination rules because of globalization, which has significantly narrowed the cultural differences in Germany.

 

5) If you don’t know something – just ASK, it is as simple as that! It’s normal practice in Germany, compared to the Eastern countries, where the employees are often afraid of asking their boss.

 

6) Have you ever heard this stereotype about Germany, beer, pretzels and sausages? Remember, it’s not a stereotype – it’s a part of the culture. Germans are really proud of their beer and traditions – respect these cultural differences.

 

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