Top Tips on Poland

Top Tips on Poland

Tip 1
Poland is an economy and a country which is in a transitional period – moving to a free market economy from a Soviet-style command economy.

Tip 2
Whilst great progress has been made since the changes began in 1989, the country still suffers from certain legacy problems – especially in infrastructure issues.

Tip 3
Poland is in Central Europe! Poles can sometimes be offended when people say they are Eastern Europeans.

Tip 4
Although nowhere near as relationship-oriented as certain other central European countries (Romania for example), it would be dangerous to underestimate the importance of taking the time to develop close personal bonds.

Tip 5
Research the origins of any company you are doing business with – is it a foreign-owned company or a local entity? This ownership issue can have a big impact on how the company is structured and managed.

Tip 6
Be aware of the potential generational divide which exists within Polish society. The older generation are likely to be far more heavily influenced by the approach to business found under the old Soviet-style regime whereas the younger generation might have a more open, entrepreneurial approach.

Tip 7
It is likely that decisions will be made at the top in any locally-owned organisation, so don’t waste too much time trying to get decisions out of middle and junior managers – go straight to the top if possible.

Tip 8
Managers are expected to manage and this means giving precise and detailed instructions to subordinates. Lack of clear instructions can be seen as poor or weak management.

Tip 9
Poles would tend to do significant amounts of preparation prior to meetings and would expect their counterparties to do the same.

Tip 10
Agendas will often be produced at meetings and it is expected that agendas will be fairly rigidly adhered to.

Tip 11
It is advisable to be punctual for any appointment in Poland as lack of punctuality can be seen as unprofessional behaviour.

Tip 12
Formal meetings are serious occasions and should not be treated lightly. Any overly informal behaviour could be construed as a lack of respect for senior management.

Tip 13
Once teams have been established and the internal relationships seem to be working well, it is important to keep the team together if possible. Poles can be wary of strangers and the relationship building process can be long.

Tip 14
On the whole, English language levels are very good in Poland and it is unlikely that a translator would be necessary.

Tip 15
Polish communication style is very direct. People are expected to say what they think rather than hide behind any notions of diplomacy.

Tip 16
Body language is minimal in meetings which can lead to mistaken impressions of disinterest.

Tip 17
Titles are often used in business circles and are viewed as highly prestigious – try to have your qualifications and titles printed on your business card.

Tip 18
Women have made significant strides in recent years but most senior positions still tend to be held by men.

Tip 19
Male business colleagues may show exaggerated amounts of respect to female colleagues – in an old-fashioned, chivalric way.

Tip 20
Dress soberly but smartly. Avoid being too showy with your clothes as this may appear immodest.

Author

This country-specific business culture profile was written by Keith Warburton who is the founder of the cultural awareness training consultancy Global Business Culture. 

Global Business culture is a leading training provider in the fields of cross-cultural communication and global virtual team working.  We provide training to global corporations in live classroom-based formats, through webinars and also through our cultural awareness digital learning hub, Global Business Compass.

This World Business Culture profile is designed as an introduction to business culture in Poland only and a more detailed understanding needs a more in-depth exploration which we can provide through our training and consultancy services.