Who Should Attend ?

Employees preparing for an assignment in Switzerland and their partners

Benefist of Attendance

This seminar aims at significantly improving the ability of the participants to meet the challenges of living and working abroad. The objective is to enable them to identify the stumbling blocks that lie ahead and to be able to adapt and integrate in Switzerland.

At the end of this training, participants will have acquired insights and techniques to:

• Be aware of their own cultural baggage
• Understand Swiss context and culture
• Analyse situations in which misunderstandings may arise and identify ways of communicating more effectively
• Reduce and manage the symptoms of culture shock
• Understand Swiss mindset, work practices, decision-making processes and negotiating styles
• Strike the right balance between personal et professional lives

Training Approach

• A cross-cultural approach of International Mobility
• Country specific trainers
• Personalized and familiy focused action plan
• Access to the Nomad’ Network, an exclusive online tool for Akteos’ clients and experts:  find resources, exchange experiences, knowledge and insights

Programme Outline

Module 1 : Successful personnal integration in Switzerland

1. Cross-cultural awareness : the key to a successful expatriation

• Taking stock of one's own cultural baggage
• Culture shock and the integration process
• Identifying and going beyond cultural stereotypes

2. Key aspects of Swiss culture

• An alpine confederation of Germanic and Latin cultures
• A tradition of neutrality
• A multilingual state and population
• The migratory factor
• A discreet but highly successful economy

3. Swiss values and behaviour patterns

• The impact of patriarchal traditions
• An intercultural geographical identity
• A strong attachment to personal origins and dialects
• Freedom and a respect for others
• Pride and self assurance
• Middle class and rural values

4. Practical day-to-day information in Switzerland

• Focus on the host town
• Transport, administration, housing, security, hygiene and healthcare
• Social life, leisure activities
• Schools, extracurricular activities, sport

Module 2 : Successful professionnal integration in Switzerland

1. The Swiss corporate world

• A harmonious corporate and business environment
• The predominance of inspection and quality criteria
• The role of the Swiss cantonal and federal authorities

2. Effective communication with the Swiss

• A respect for private life
• The vital role of politeness and etiquette
• Understanding unspoken communication
• Dealing with dialects

3. Working with Swiss teams

• Effective management: expertise, professionalism and discretion
• Promoting Unity Through Diversity
• Respect for autonomy and independence
• Consulting, listening and sharing
• Consensus and joint decision-making

4. Successful meetings and negotiations with the Swiss

• The quest for harmony
• Establishing your credibility
• Punctuality, discipline and precision
• Written contracts, their interpretation and implications

5. Final handy tips

• Caution, patience and humility
• Social standards, gifts, business cards, dress code
• Sensitive subjects: politics, history, religion
• Humour: a double-edged sword