english writing

From: Your Name, Cultural Liason Unit

Subject: Global business etiquette for our employees in the new French office

Date: August 1st 2016

As our company is planning on opening a branch office in Toulouse, France to cover operations in Europe, it is important for our future employees at the foreign office to learn about and understand the French business culture in order to create a collaborative and professional workplace and promote good business relations with our European counterparts. To prepare for the transfer, I read through Global Business Etiquette, by Jeanette Martin, and I attended a seminar two weeks ago on international business. In this Memo, I will cover some of the key topics with regard to communication in France such as views about work, time, and gender roles; importance of beliefs and personal relationships; teamwork; communication preferences; negotiations; and body language.

France is one of the largest economies in the world. Its business leaders are masters of long-term planning. The French culture is very private and personal and professional lived rarely meet. The French prize a formal workplace environment. The workday begins rather late at 9:30 AM and ends in the evening at 6:00 PM, with two hours allocated to lunch. Work is compartmentalized into the available workday. Appointments and meetings are generally scheduled one to two weeks in advance. Separation of personal and professional lives is strictly enforced. Consequently, personal beliefs and relationships are not mentioned in the workplace. All colleagues, regardless of level of rapport, are addressed either as Monsieur, if male, or Madame, if female. Last names are predominantly used in place of first names, and titles are always observed with regard to managers and CEOs.

A strict hierarchy is maintained in the workplace. Colleagues may work in teams to achieve goals, but all decisions are made by the manager or the supervisor. The business culture errs on the side of conservatism and risk minimization; rules and regulations must be followed at all times. The vertical organization does not preclude rebuttals, however. Instead, the French prefer meetings to have intelligent and logical debates. Furthermore, long-term planning trumps short-term decisions; presentations, therefore, should be ready to address future concerns.

Written communication follows the same standards. Proposals and letters should have detailed coverage of plans and costs. Employees should be prepared for multiple correspondences discussing the documents before they can be authorized. This phase can take up to two weeks and includes involved meetings, rebuttal memos, and more rarely, one-on-one meetings.

The French prefer formal negotiation without aggressive “sell” tactics. Our employees should be ready to support claims with logical evidence. Hyperbole and exaggeration is regarded as a sign of naïveté. While knowing the language does help, lack of knowledge does not hinder provided employees learn some basic words and phrases, including greetings, and apologize for the lack of knowledge. The French prize their culture above all else and the absence of an apology with regard to language is considered rude. Related is body language. Some American gestures may not translate well into France. Care should be taken to learn appropriate gestures and err on the side of caution. Handshakes are light and brief, and between long-time colleagues, they are replaced with a kiss to the cheek. The attire is strictly professional. As leaders of the fashion world, the French expect workers to maintain a high standard in clothing choice.

In identifying these points, we can foster cooperative, long-term relationships with our French counterparts and develop a more productive environment in our foreign offices.