Business Etiquette in Czech Republic
Located in Central Europe and bordering Germany, Austria, Poland and Slovakia, the Czech Republic underwent a major financial overhaul in the first decade of the 21st century. This Eastern European country's main exports include chemicals, raw materials and machinery and transportation equipment, according to the World Travel Guide. If you plan to visit this country, and its capital city of Prague, follow the local customs and etiquette guidelines.
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Communications
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According to Kwintessential, 95 percent of all Czechs speak Czech, but English is widely spoken---especially in the younger generation. Most Czechs are private and reserved people until they get to know you. Many Czechs seldom move to a first-name basis with people outside their extended families or close friend groups, which means business communications will use formal titles and surnames. Czechs are typically non-confrontational and will find indirect ways to disagree with you. Many use non-verbal communication methods, such as silence or lack of eye contact, when they feel uncomfortable with what has been said.
Greetings
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When Czechs meet each other for the first time, especially in business, they show each other courtesy by shaking hand, using direct eye contact and using formal titles. In business, you should only use a colleague's first name if he invites you to, and you should use formal greetings, such as, "Good Morning, Mr. (contact name). How are you today?" If you use a Czech's first name or an informal greeting before he invites you to, you are insulting him and he may think you are trying to publicly humiliate him.
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Meetings
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Appointments for meetings are mandatory, and you will probably not be seen without one. Czechs never schedule meetings on Friday afternoons or in July or August, as most of them are out of their offices at these times. The first initial meeting is usually very formal, so participants should dress appropriately and be prepared to give a formal presentation. You should always arrive on time and never remove your suit jacket unless the highest-ranking Czech does first. Czechs generally do not give counteroffers; they make decisions slowly, and they are turned off by high-pressure tactics.
Dining
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If you are invited to a dinner meeting or to a formal dinner at a Czech's home, you should always arrive on time. If you are dining at a restaurant and the Czech offers to pay, it is polite to accept graciously. When dining at a business contact's home, you should dress modestly and remove your shoes when entering the house. Use formal table manners and do not discuss business at the table. Proper Czech dining etiquette involves using continental table manners (fork in the left hand and knife in the right hand), and complimenting the food while you are eating. You should refuse a second helping until the hostess insists, and then lay your fork and knife parallel across your plate when you have finished eating.
Gift Giving
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If you are invited to dinner by a Czech business contact, always bring a gift. Appropriate gifts include a box of quality chocolates or a fine wine or brandy. Flowers are complicated gifts, as many Czechs over the age of 35 regard them as romantic and some types of flowers, such as calla lilies, are only for funerals.
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References
- Photo Credit map of czech republic image by Goran Bogicevic from Fotolia.com
