Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette

Facts and Statistics

Location: Central Europe, bordering Austria 362 km, Germany 646 km, Poland 658 km, Slovakia 215 km

Capital: Prague

Population: 10,627,448 (July 2014 est.)
Ethnic Make-up: Czech 81.2%, Moravian 13.2%, Slovak 3.1%, Polish 0.6%, German 0.5%, Silesian 0.4%, Roma 0.3%, Hungarian 0.2%, other 0.5% (1991)

Religions: Roman Catholic 39.2%, Protestant 4.6%, Orthodox 3%, other 13.4%, atheist 39.8%

The Czech Language

95% of the population speak Czech. 3% of the population speak Slovak, which is closely related to Czech. 2% of the population speak Czech but are also mother tongue speakers of German, Hungarian, Romani and Polish.

Czech Society & Culture

The Family

• The family is the centre of the social structure.
• Obligation to the family is a person's first priority.
• Practicality
• Czechs prize forward thinking, logical, practical, and efficient.
• Careful planning, in both one's business and personal life, provides a sense of security.
• Rules and regulations allow people to know what is expected and to plan their life accordingly.

Privacy

• Czechs are private people until they get to know you.
• They are formal and reserved.
• Once you develop a personal relationship Czechs open up a bit, but they are never overly emotional.
• Although always polite, they seldom move to a first-name basis with people outside their extended family or very close friends.
• Czechs tend not to acknowledge people whom they do not know as they walk along the street or ride the train.

Czech Etiquette and Customs

Meeting and Greeting

• Initial greetings are formal and reserved.
• Most greetings include a handshake, direct eye contact, and the appropriate greeting for the time of day.
• Wait to be invited before using someone's first name or an informal greeting, as these are all signs of friendship.
• The offer to move to the informal is generally offered by the woman, the older person, or the person of higher status.
• Moving to the informal without an invitation insults the person and may be viewed as an attempt to humiliate them.

Giving and Accepting Gifts

• If you are invited to dinner, bring a box of good quality chocolates, or flowers to the hostess or a bottle of wine or good brandy to the host.
• In general, you should be cautious about giving flowers, since people over the age of 35 often see flowers as having a romantic connotation.
• If you give flowers, give an odd number, but not 13, which is considered unlucky.
• Do not give calla lilies as they are used at funerals.
• Gifts are usually opened when received.

Dining Etiquette

• If you are visiting a Czech's house:
• Arrive on time.
• Remove your shoes..
• Expect to be treated with great honour and respect.
• Dress modestly and well.
• Do not discuss business. Czechs separate their business and personal lives.
• Table manners are rather formal in Czech Republic.
• Remain standing until invited to sit down. You may be shown to a particular seat.
• Table manners are Continental -- the fork is held in the left hand and the knife in the right while eating.
• Do not begin eating until the hostess starts.
• Unless the meal is formal, the napkin remains folded next to the plate. At formal meals, the napkin is unfolded and put on your lap.
• The oldest woman or honoured guest is generally served first.
• Always refuse second helpings the first time they are offered. Wait for the hostess to insist.
• Compliment the meal while you are eating. This allows the hostess to discuss the food and the preparation.
• Indicate you have finished eating by laying your knife and fork parallel across the right side of your plate.

Business Etiquette and Protocol

Business Meetings

• Appointments are mandatory and should be made in advance.
• Letters should be addressed to the company rather than a specific person. This prevents a letter from being held up if the person it is addressed to is away from the office.
• Do not try to schedule meetings on Friday afternoon as many Czechs leave for their country cottages after lunch.
• Many businesses close during August.
• Punctuality for meetings is taken extremely seriously.
• Initial meetings are scheduled to get to know each other and to see if your Czech associates believe that you are trustworthy. The first meeting may be with a gatekeeper rather than the actual decision maker.
• Expect some small talk and getting-to-know-you conversation before business is discussed.
• Maintain direct eye contact while speaking.
• Do not remove your suit jacket unless the highest-ranking Czech does so.
• Presentations should be accurate, detailed and thorough.
• Have charts and figures to back up your claims.

Communication

• Czechs are both formal and somewhat indirect in their communication.
• They try not to purposely offend and will often go out of their way to protect someone's feelings.
• Czechs are non-confrontational and often take an indirect approach to business dealings.
• If they lower their eyes and become silent they are uncomfortable with something you have said.

Negotiating

• It will take several meetings for your Czech business associates to become familiar with you and appear comfortable and . Politeness prevents many Czechs from giving an absolute 'no'. However, statements such as 'It is difficult' or 'We will see' are often negatives.
• Business is conducted slowly. You will have to be patient and not appear ruffled by the strict adherence to protocol.
• Business is hierarchical. Decision-making power is held at the top of the company. Decisions are reached slowly.
• It may take several visits to reach a decision.
• Avoid high-pressure tactics.
• Czechs generally offer what they expect to get and do not often give counter-offers.

Test yourself - can you hit 85% or more in our Quiz on the Czech Republic?