Business etiquette in Switzerland

Post new topic

Julien Founder

Member since 11 March 2005

17 years of happy life abroad

JulienFounder06 April 2016 10:12:11

52787

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 Switzerland, we warmly encourage you to share information and insights about the dos and donts 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 Switzerland?

Thank you in advance for sharing your experience!

Julien

Twan Contributor

Member since 10 August 2011

TwanContributor02 May 2016 08:53:28

132

In doing business in Switzerland, consider:
- Take your time. Swiss don't decide "on the spot". A try to make a quick deal will be regarded as "superficial" or "without serious interest" by your Swiss business partner.
- Swiss are loyal to their current suppliers. You need to bring very good arguments and invest a lot of time in a good and trustworthy relation to change this.
- Swiss are keen on "buying Swiss". It cn be helpful to carefully select a Swiss business partner.
- A detailed business and company presentation is required. Better present yourself as a business that wants to invest in a long term relation instead of a business that wants to achieve quick deals and quick profits.
- Swiss are perfectionists. Offers should be detailed, serious and be presented with care. Quality and punctuality are very important. Don't expect a Swiss to decide quickly.
- It can take a lot of time to gain the trust of a Swiss business partner. Once you've got that, you'll find a loyal and trustworthy customer.

Articles to help you in your expat project in Switzerland

Working in Zurich
Zurich is a top choice for expatriates in Switzerland. Being the country's economic and financial hub, the ...
Working in Basel
As Switzerland's third largest city, Basel is also one of the country's most attractive destinations for ...
Working in Lausanne
Nestled along the shores of Lake Geneva, Lausanne is a city that not only draws travelers from around the globe ...
Working in Fribourg
Situated between the French—and German-speaking regions of Switzerland, Fribourg is a vibrant city. As the ...
Internships in Switzerland
If you want to acquire professional experiences in Switzerland, an internship could be a great opportunity to get ...
The Swiss labor market
Switzerland offers numerous benefits to its employees, including flexible contracts, strong worker protections, ...
Applying for a job
A job application in Switzerland consists of a quite extensive "Dossier", containing at least:
The work culture in Zurich
Many expatriates are drawn to Zurich for its competitive salaries. If you're curious about the working ...