If you’re adamant or apathetic, you may not be able to lead successful negotiations.
The following 10 points will help you determine if it is difficult to do business in Germany.
1. Leaders
German values reward charismatic leaders with a dominant leadership style. German managers tend to be distant even though it is required by law that they encourage their employees become an integral member of the team, be accessible, and share information. One big German company’s chief executive is often seen riding a private elevator into his office.
2. Employees
In Germany, a complex system is used to evaluate employee performance. It is common for German companies to give employees job titles and list their responsibilities. Germans can complain if their instructions are unclear. A lack of clarity, responsibility, and goals can all lead to a loss of focus. German employees may then see their work as uninteresting and unmotivating.
3. Leaders vs. employees
German companies are unnaturally distant from their employees. They deny them any responsibility that would make them feel a part of the success of the company.
4. Punctuality
In Germany, meeting times and punctuality are advertised. It will take as long as the agenda allows, and then end. (visit http://www.smart-travel-germany.com/business-travel.html for further information)
5. Laziness
German employees are not often on the job on Saturdays. They only have one week off and consider a sick-day as a vacation. Germans only work weekends when absolutely necessary. They take five weeks off and have five weeks vacation. The Germans also count two-hours as a day of sick. The majority of other countries aren’t used to such a lazy schedule. Germans are lazy, despite the fact that Germany is known as a strict country. The majority of managers do not care because they prefer to conduct business in Germany.
6. Loyalty
Germans do not stay with the same employer throughout their working lives. German companies are more likely than foreign companies to recruit top talent from other companies.
7. Here are some ways to get going:
German employees lack initiative. In German companies, subordinates are not expected to contribute and participate in the decision-making process. They may be expected to follow orders and directives from those at the top. German workers expect more than a simple acknowledgment for their work, despite the fact that they are not responsible.
8. Relationship
Germans are less concerned with getting to know someone well before entering into a relationship. It could be for a short-term or long-term purpose, like negotiating. It is common in German culture to believe that if someone does their job well then it is not necessary to develop a working relationship with them or trust them.
9. Addressing
In Germany, first names are only used by close family members and friends. If anyone suggests otherwise, you will address people at work using their last name and their address.
10. Status Symbolization
In German culture, status is determined by the possessions you own. This could be clothes, a car or an office.
