Menu
Expat.com

Business etiquette in Chile

Last activity 11 April 2016 by josebarros

Post new topic

Julien

Hello everybody,

As you know, professional habits may differ from one country to another. In order to help newly arrived expats better understand their new professional environment in Chile, we warmly encourage you to share information and insights about the do’s and don’ts in the workplace.

For instance, are there office manners? How do you greet your co-workers? Do you greet your management differently? Is there a dress code? Particular rules to observe? Maybe a professional body language?

On another level, what is key for a successful professional meeting? Are there any steps to follow? How do you a start a negotiation?

In other words, what are the most important things to know for a successful professional integration in Chile?

Thank you in advance for sharing your experience!

Julien

josebarros

Hello, I worked there from 2013 until 2015 about 1 year and half.
I'll post my personal experience on there.

1. No professionalism at all, mixing personal affairs with work are norm.
2. They don't follow strictly the time, meetings are usually scheduled at time and they don't appear at the agreed hour. That happens often there.
3. People are sexist, they treat female person like their personal fetiches and sexual harassments and comments are regular. They don't have a serious legislation against it, so be advised.
4. Lack of good work environment, that pissed me off a lot! People don't give to you the space needed, I'm talking about space phisically speaking, space between people are too short, no sense of privacy, no sense of respect your space, no sense of respecting your own personality or individual traits.
They usually mix your personal life with your professional and expect invite you to their homes. They touch too much, speaks too close and have several annoyance behavior.

My advice is: don't go, stay in Europe.

Articles to help you in your expat project in Chile

  • Working in Chile
    Working in Chile

    It is quite challenging to get a job in Chile, and if you don't speak Spanish, your options are even more ...

  • The labour market in Chile
    The labour market in Chile

    Chile is ranked as a high-income economy (first world or developed country) by the World Bank and is considered as ...

  • Starting a business in Chile
    Starting a business in Chile

    Chile is considered one of the most stable economies in Latin America. As a tax-friendly country with a ...

  • Internships in Chile
    Internships in Chile

    If you want to boost your resume and gain professional experience that will help you jumpstart your career, an ...

  • Working in Santiago
    Working in Santiago

    Chile is a country which is very developed in some ways, such as infrastructure, and very underdeveloped in ...

  • Driving in Chile
    Driving in Chile

    While in Chile on a tourist visa, you may drive with the driver's license from your country of origin or an ...

  • Buying property in Chile
    Buying property in Chile

    Chile has a history of strong private property rights for Chilean citizens and foreigners alike. Although the ...

  • The cost of living in Chile
    The cost of living in Chile

    The cost of living in Chile can vary depending on many factors. For example, city living is usually more ...

All of Chile's guide articles