An Indian woman working in Germany has shared a list of workplace habits that, according to her, often surprise professionals who move from India to German offices.
(Also read: Indian woman lands ‘dream job’ in Germany without speaking German, explains how)
Simran Khokha, who works as a Product Manager in Germany, shared the observations in an Instagram post, explaining how professional culture in the country can feel very different for Indians used to more hierarchical and relationship driven office environments.
German office habits that surprised her
In the caption of the post, Khokha wrote, “I work as a Product Manager in Germany, and these office habits still surprise many professionals coming from India.”
She said that in German offices, a manager may reject an idea during a meeting and still join the same employee for coffee shortly afterwards, as disagreement is often separated from personal relationships. She also noted that working late is not always seen as impressive.
“Nobody is impressed by ‘I worked until midnight.’ In some teams, it can even raise questions about planning and prioritization,” she wrote.
Khokha further said that meetings are questioned if they can be replaced by emails, while junior employees often challenge senior leaders with data. “The strongest argument usually wins, not the highest title,” she added.
According to her, direct communication is another major difference. “‘No’ is a complete answer. People don’t always wrap refusals in multiple layers of politeness,” she wrote.
She also pointed out that calendars are respected, documentation matters more than verbal discussions, employees block focus time, and colleagues may not add work contacts on personal social media even after years of working together.
Watch the clip here:
Direct communication draws reactions
The video received several reactions from social media users, with many agreeing that German workplaces place strong emphasis on punctuality, clarity and boundaries.
One user wrote, “One of the most important things among them is that they are extremely punctual when it comes to time and deadlines.” Another said, “My favourite part is point number 4. In Germany, junior employees do not indulge in any form of worshipping or a ‘yes sir’ attitude towards their superiors, which is very common in India.”
(Also read: ‘I underappreciated it’: Indian woman in Germany praises Delhi Metro, calls it the benchmark for public transport)
The same user added that they had discussions with the CFO of their company in the same manner as with any other colleague, and said that “European work life balance is always a win.”
Another user wrote, “Another shocking thing is that colleagues are used to direct answers rather than excessive politeness.”
A fourth user said, “They are very straightforward and prefer clear communication over unnecessary small talk. Honestly, I think it’s a good thing because you always know exactly where you stand.”
Another commented, “Nothing special, to be honest. Most Western countries follow this approach. It’s usually the desi companies that are the exception, where hierarchy, excessive politeness, and ‘yes sir’ culture are still quite common.”
HT.com has reached out to the user for her comments, and the copy will be updated once her response is received.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)
