Cultural Project - Kelly Services

German Profile for Kelly Services

German Profile for Kelly Services

Introduction

Germans are considered masters of planning. They are viewed as very forward and serious, strongly individualistic, demanding the utmost of respect, and the highest standards ("Business etiquette," 2014, para. 5). Their culture is very technical in nature that expects perfection in everything they do. As a worldwide staffing leader, this Kelly Services culture profile aims to highlight key business norms.

Business dress code

Appearance and presentation are very important so business dress is formal and conservative. For men, dark colored business suits with conservative ties and white shirts. For women, dark suits and white blouses or conservative dresses with short heel closed toe pumps are recommended. Also avoid wearing heavy makeup with loud jewelry. White-collar employees at lower ranks dress less formally and most blue-collar employees wear uniforms.

Meetings and Greetings

The preferred venue for most meetings is the conference room. Punctuality and preparation are a must as most meetings take place between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. When greeting, introductions using Herr and Frau (Mr. and Mrs.) followed by last name is common practice. Shaking hands at the beginning and the end of a meeting are customary. In mixed company, the women’s hands are shaken first. Another sign at the conclusion of a successful meeting is a knock on the table with your knuckles. Personal space of two arms length is the general distance between two speakers. Maintaining eye contact is also expected and respected. During meetings, Germans are straightforward and they get to the point. They expect to have results by the end of the meeting. English is the most common second language and is used prevalently in meetings. They revert back to their native tongue in casual and home settings.

Punctuality

Germans come from a culture that must maintain organized. They group their day-to-day...