Cultural awareness the Netherlands

Working in the Netherlands
(Pre-departure)

The Sundays are the most religious day of the week. This is the day that people go to the church and have a day of rest. But almost the half of the population has no religion, and does not go to the church.

The Dutch expect punctuality towards time. As a general rule, you will be expected to be punctual therefore it is advised to arrive to business appointments on time.

The majority of the Dutch speaks a second language, for example English or German. Therefore it is not necessary to speak Dutch fluently when going to the Netherlands.

Structure and hierarchy in Dutch companies:
There is not a very strong hierarchy in all Dutch companies. Dutch companies often follow a horizontal hierarchical structure. Titles and job description do not play such a significant part in many Dutch companies. In bigger companies there might be a stronger hierarchy and you will address the managers as Mr and Madam. Even in hierarchical organizations, every person has a right to their opinion and to have it heard. The boss may be the final decision maker, bur he/ she will typically want input from the workers and will strive for consensus.

Working Relationships in the Netherlands:
Relationships between Dutch business colleagues are often informal and will address each other by their first name.

Doing Business in the Netherlands

Business practices in the Netherlands:
When meeting your Dutch counterparts for the first time, a firm handshake is the standard form of greeting. As you get to know each other better, three kisses can be exchanged. But this is only when a woman is involved, in general two gentlemen do not kiss.

In the Netherlands everyone has a first name and a family name. The family name is usually the last name of the father.

Gifts are not usually exchanged when meeting a Dutch counterpart. In the event that you are presented with a gift, it is customary to open it on the spot and be thankful.

Business cards are customarily exchanged after an initial introduction in the Netherlands. Since a large proportion of the Dutch speak English, it will not be necessary to print your business cards in Dutch.

Dutch business etiquette
(Do’s and Don’ts)
  • DO be honest and direct with your Dutch counterparts during business negotiations.
  • DO remain polite and let your counterparts finish their sentences before interrupting. 
  • DO maintain direct eye contact while speaking. 
  • DON’T answer your mobile phone during a business meeting. It is considered impolite to make phone calls during a conversation. 
  • DON’T ask personal questions, the Dutch will refuse to answer. 
  • DON’T cancel a meeting at the last minute, it could jeopardize your business relationship.
Did you know?
  • The Netherlands has almost 1,000 museums; the highest museum density in the world ?
  • Frisian is the second official language of the Netherlands? 
  • The Kingdom of the Netherlands consists of the Netherlands and the Caribbean islands Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles? 
  • The national dish, nasi goreng, originated in Indonesia? 
  • The Dutch are the tallest people in Europe? 
  • ‘The Netherlands’ and ‘Holland’ are used to describe the same country? 
  • One quarter of the Netherlands is below sea level? 
  • The Netherlands has at least 15,000 km of bicycle tracks? 
  • Almost every Dutch person has a bicycle and there are twice as many bikes as cars? 
  • People of 200 nationalities live in Amsterdam? 
  • Amsterdam has 1,281 bridges?