Order and punctuality are probably the two words that come to mind when you think of German business culture. But is this cliché still true when it comes to rules and values in a German office? In this episode we will talk about modern German business etiquette, from dress codes to punctuality, communication and - since Germany is a beer nation - alcohol and events at work.

We talked about these topics with an expert and a DAAD alumnus:
Gretchen Schaupp is a co-author of "More than Manners: The Business Professional's Guide to Success in Germany". She holds a Ph.D. in Business Management from Virginia Tech University in the U.S., and in addition to her teaching and research experience, she has worked for several large German companies such as Volkswagen. Gretchen teaches Business Administration at the Welfen Academy in Braunschweig and she is also a business coach and trainer.

DAAD alumnus Abhishek Kalwar is originally from Mumbai. He came to Germany in 2021 to pursue a master’s degree in Mechatronics and Robotics from the University of Applied Sciences in Schmalkalden. Alongside his studies he is currently a Robotics Software Developer intern at a German company. Throughout his education, he has completed several internships in India and Germany.

FURTHER INFORMATION & LINKS

You can find the website and book of our expert Gretchen Schaupp here:

Website Gretchen Schaupp

Alumniportal Deutschland ”10 do's and don'ts for everyday professional life in Germany”:

DAAD - Rules for success at work

Learn more about business etiquette in Germany:

deutschland.de - Business Etiquette in Germany