As an American in Germany, would you know how to navigate the German office culture? Do you have the right stuff? Find out by taking this short test - it's free, and it's fun! This multiple choice quiz was created for the Germany-USA Career Center by our partner Christian Hoeferle, based on frequently asked questions and issues encountered by U. S. Citizens working or looking to work in Germany. No pressure: with each answer, you will get immediate feedback to let you know if you made the right choice. Let's get started!
Just nod your head to every person and say "Hallo"
Hand them your business card before talking
Shake everyone's hand, wait for them to say their name before you give them your full name
Keep a formal distance and simply mumble a subdued "Guten Tag"
Is having a bad day and doesn't want to be bothered
Is preparing for an important meeting and needs to focus without distractions
Is temporarily tending to personal matters
Is showing her discontentment with the team
Talk about family & friends
Discuss current events (sports, news)
Just comment on the weather and move on to the agenda
Use any of the above sparely and go straight to business
A sports coat/blazer and slacks
Jeans, dress shirt and suit jacket
Pant suit or suit
Any of the above - depending on the type of industry
You receive a cake and small gifts from your co-workers
You better expect to be pranked by your colleagues
Your co-workers expect you to provide cake and Sekt (German bubbly) for everyone
For privacy reasons, nobody is supposed to know your date of birth and it’s business as usual
Always work late
Make sure to leave the office on time
Work late in on special occasions which require team overtime
Remind team members to stick to the office hours
"Fräulein" and her last name
"Frau" and her last name
"Frau" and the academic title/s (if applicable) and her last name
Option B or C
To speak freely on any topic on the agenda - brainstorming leads to creative solutions
To speak on topics that touch one’s expertise
To voice opinion outside one’s expertise when asked by leadership
Option B & C
You need to build a strong personal relationship with their leadership team
You have to win their trust by being sincere and honest, by presenting convincing data and facts
You need to make your case in perfect German, and avoid (American) English
Option B & C
Keeping your hands in your pocket when talking to someone
Avoiding eye-contact
Moving chairs & tables around in someone’s office
All of the above
The pinging sound of microwaves from the kitchen
"Mahlzeit!"
Nothing. Everyone is out eating.
The sound of fingers pounding on keyboards. Lunch is for losers.
Walk into his office and raise your concern;Germans like the direct approach
Make an appointment to speak with him
Ask a colleague to set up a three-way talk
Go through HR first and make sure they think it's a good idea
You use the "sandwich" technique - praise, criticism, praise
You tell them directly what you dislike about their performance and suggest routes to improvement
You need to let them save face, so you take part of the blame
You rely on the team to redirect individual members
Wait!
Here's an interesting quiz for you.