|
|
|
 |
| Living and working in Switzerland | HOME | ABOUT | NEWSLETTERS | CONTACT | SITEMAP |
| BUSINESS IN SWITZERLAND | |
 |
Business Development |
| |
Swiss Banking |
| |
Swiss Tax System |
| |
Secure Investment |
| |
Representation Services |
| LIVING IN SWITZERLAND | |
| |
Residence Permit |
| |
Real Estate |
| |
Swiss Quality of Life |
| |
Switzerland /facts/ |
| |
Frequently Asked Questions |
| TOPICAL ISSUES | |
| |
Golden Links |
|
|
|
Public Behavior |
| Acceptable public conduct in Switzerland. |
The handshake is the standard greeting throughout Switzerland. Even once you have established a rapport with
your Swiss contacts, you should continue to shake hands upon both meeting and departing.
French Swiss or Italian Swiss colleagues (both male and female) may kiss and/or embrace each other, depending
on the closeness of their relationship. In the more formal German-speaking areas, kissing occurs only between
very good friends and embracing is unusual even for women.
As a visitor, however, you should neither kiss nor embrace any counterpart of either sex until
you are very confident that your working relationship warrants such intimacy.
Any visitor to Switzerland should make the effort to say grüezi in the German-speaking areas, bonjour in the French-speaking areas, and buon giorno in the Italian- speaking areas, when meeting someone for the first time. It is also customary to utter a general greeting to all present when entering any public area, e.g. a shop.
When you are meeting a group of people, you should ideally wait for a third person to initiate the
introductions. Always stand to be introduced to someone.
In the more traditional, especially rural, German areas of Switzerland, men customarily raise their hats
when passing acquaintances in the street.
It is important to show special consideration to the elderly. For example, when public transport becomes
crowded, younger people are expected to give up their seats to the elderly.
The Swiss are probably the most law-abiding people on earth and bad behavior, even if it is not strictly
illegal, is likely to cause offence so, for example:- do not drop litter - do not walk against a red light - do not make excessive noise late on Saturday evenings - do not wash your car or mow your lawn on Sunday mornings
Indeed it is not uncommon, particularly in German-speaking areas, for (older) passers-by to scold people
for any behavior perceived as inappropriate.
You can expect the Swiss to pay close attention to your general demeanor and posture so:- keep your hands out of your pockets, especially when talking - do not sit with one ankle resting on the other knee - do not slap your colleagues' backs - do not point with only the index finger (potentially seen as an obscene gesture), but use your full hand.
Paradoxically, though, despite the austerity of a culture, where some older citizens still find it vulgar
for young people to chew gum in public, pushing and shoving are not uncommon occurrences in queues.
Swiss traffic regulations are strict and enforced with strenuous vigor; serious contraventions will result
in heavy fines and/or imprisonment.
Travel by taxi can be very expensive, especially in the major cities.
Payment in euro may be acceptable in major cities but you will receive your change in Swiss Francs.
Tipping is unnecessary (hotel and restaurant bills etc. include a 15% service charge by law) but the locals
usually round up.
Public conveniences are plentiful and easy to find (and always pristine), but you will probably have to have
a coin in hand in order to be admitted into a cubicle. |
|
Text – Executive
Planet |
Switzerland-4You: be Swiss-Happy! |
| © Copyright 2003-2009 MB GROUP SWITZERLAND AG Privacy Legal Advertise With Us |
