International protocol and etiquette

Europe

Finland

  • You shake hands when you are introduced
  • Unusual to show your feelings
  • Keep eye contact during a conversation
  • It is arrogant to stand with your arms crosswise
  • If you want to cross your legs, do it by your knees, not by the ankles.
  • The Finns eat only ice cream on the street
  • Newer eat with your fingers
  • You must not leave any food on the plate

Great Britain

  • Shake hands when you meet
  • More reserved than the rest of the Europeans
  • Hugs and kisses outside the family is unusual
  • To bee well behaved and polite is important
  • You wait nicely for your turn

CzechRepublic and Slovakia

  • Shake hands when you meet and say good bye
  • Not much body contact
  • No elbows on the table when you are eating
  • Put knifes and forks together at half two when finished your meal.
  • Formal toasts are normal at business meals, on the host’s initiative.

Denmark

  • The hand shake is firm and short
  • You shake hand with the ladies first
  • Good manners is important
  • To turn the back is very impolite
  • You must dress properly at formal dinner parties
  • No elbows on the table
  • To have a toast is popular

France

  • You shake hands with wide movements
  • The lady should reach out her hand first
  • You do not kiss on the cheek. You just touch the cheek and kiss in the air.
  • They do not smile to strangers
  • They normally leave a business card
  • They like to gesticulate when talking
  • If they want service at a restaurant they wait until they have eye contact and says: “Monsieur”, “madame” or “S´íl vous plait”

Germany

  • When meeting you shake hand, a firm hand shake
  • You shake hands with everybody in a group
  • Do not keep the other hand in the pocket
  • You change business cards
  • It is normal, in a restaurant that you end up sharing a table with strangers.
  • They do not use “please” or “thank you” too much and it is not impolite from their point of you.

Hungary

  • You shake hands when somebody arrives and leaves.
  • The lady reach out her hand first
  • No body contact
  • Keep an arm length distance
  • Wait until you are introduced at formal parties

Greece

  • A warm handshake with long eye contact, maybe also a kiss on the cheeks.
  • Shake your head sideways means “yeas”
  • Shake your head up and down means “no”
  • They smile when they are angry
  • They do not know how to cue

Ireland

  • A firm handshake when you meet
  • Change of business cards is obvious
  • Like the English, you wait for your turn

Holland

  • Eye contact is important and hand shakes when you meet.
  • To “knock on the elbow” means that there is someone you can not trust
  • To “pretend that you catch a fly in the air” means that somebody must me “nuts”
  • The hostess can serve herself first; just eat if she does that.
  • Take small portions, it is good manners to eat up.
  • Do not leave the table during the meal.

Italy

  • They like to have body contact
  • Hugs and kisses on the cheeks when meeting
  • Walking arm by arm
  • When businessmen meets they shake hands
  • Shrug ones shoulder and rise ones hands means I don’t know
  • To “hit” with your finger on the chin means that you are impatient.

Norway

  • Handshakes are short and firm
  • No body contact at work
  • Search for eye contact before a toast and after the toast

Poland

  • You shake hands when somebody arrives and leaves.
  • Elderly men kisses the ladies hand when meeting
  • To “hit” with your finger at your throat means: I would like a vodka

Portugal

  • A warm handshake
  • Only gesticulates and hugs among family and friends
  • A finger on the chin means that they do not know the answer
  • Knocking with you thumb means that there are no more.

Russia

  • Between men: is eye contact, firm handshake and a bear hug and maybe kisses on the cheek, when you meet
  • Whistling means that you dislike something or someone
  • Newer turn the back to people
  • Do not shake hands in the door, do it when you are inside
  • They do not smile to strangers
  • In privacy can they sow their feelings more

Spain

  • Warm and friendly handshakes
  • A clap on the shoulder is normal
  • Eye contact is important, women must be careful
  • They like old fashioned, formal behaviour
  • Newer keep your hand in the pockets when keeping a conversation
  • It is not suitable to yawn and stretch in public
  • At a dinner table are women to be seated before the men are seated
  • You say, “Chin chin” when toasting.
  • Everybody are to be seated before you starts to eat
  • “buen provecho” means enjoy your meal.

Switzerland

  • Are divided into a French style, German style and Italian style.
  • German style is a short, firm handshake without any body contact.
  • French style and Italian style includes also hugs and kisses when you meet.
  • Business cards are useful
  • The people likes straight and good hold
  • No derbies thrown around
  • You might share a table in the restaurant with strangers

Sweden

  • Firm and short handshake without any body contact
  • Keep eye contact when you are having a conversation.
  • If you crosswise your arms it means that you are listening
  • They seems to be serious and held back people
  • To loud and outgoing people seems to be superficial
  • Turn your body to the person you are talking to
  • Do not interrupt the persons, who are talking, it is impolite.

Source: Kroppsspråket på jobbet, Peter Clayton, 2003

Translation: Ann-May Rögård