German Work Culture And Its Impact On Headhunting

Germans are known to be formal and reserved people with a liking for structured processes. They are disciplinarians who strictly abide by rules and regulations. This culture has strongly influenced their corporate work environment, functions and processes. In German companies, there are countless rules, regulations, procedures and processes.

German Corporate Work Culture

Businessmen, Entrepreneurs, Employees and practically anyone in the corporate sector in Germany have a strong preference for contracts and written agreements of all kinds. The presence of these elements and their strict, consistent and continuous application is imperative for them. Adherence to the tasks assigned and no deviation whatsoever is expected of the employees working in the companies. There are fixed consequences or penalties for not complying with the rules and regulations meticulously laid out prior to the commencement of the task.

Different Aspects Of The German Work Culture

*Dependency And Elimination Of Uncertainty

Everything is highly centralized and formalized in the German Work structure. They are extremely rule-oriented and believe in bureaucracy.

*German Punctuality

They give high importance to time-planning in the formal work set-up and expect that from each of its employees. Appointments are meticulously planned and it is also expected that the time frames which are pre-defined are strictly adhered to.

*Stark Difference In Private And Public Spheres Or Stages Of Life

Germans tend to exercise a rigid separation between the different spheres of life. They clearly show a difference in their behaviour with others depending on the sphere or stage of their life. That is, whether it is private (personal) or professional (formal/business). This usually leads to German people in corporate or public life being perceived by members of other cultures of the world as very unapproachable and cold, also as extremely unfriendly.

*Direct Communication

Germans express very directly and explicitly. They tend to formulate crucial statements directly and right in front of the person directed to. They do not believe in 'window dressing'. They can also be misunderstood as rude and intimidating without intending to do so. They also do not conveniently recognise and respond to subtleties such as indirect hints or messages hidden 'between the lines' and various other non-verbal signals. Thus, they generally miss the content of an interaction.

In this manner, both German personal and professional cultures display a stark contrast to other cultures of the world. But, what are its pros and cons, especially for the Headhunters Germany?

Pros For Top Headhunting Company In Germany:

●       In one way, this ensures consistency in work and high level of mutual obligation.

●       This gives a sense of relief to the employers and helps headhunters in Germany to satisfy their clients well.

Cons For Top Headhunting Company In Germany :

●       However, on the other hand, this philosophy leaves very little room for change, flexibility and individual innovation.

●       This makes the work difficult for top headhunting companies in Germany.

●       For instance, in case a particular software or competency required to handle it is not available in Germany but is imperative for the work process, it becomes difficult for Headhunters Germany to find a suitable expat or person of another nationality that could adjust to the strict German work culture and ethics.