Netherlands

Greetings

Men greeting Men - Men shake hands when greeting one another while maintaining direct eye contact. Good friends and family may include a light hug or pat on the back.

Women greeting Women- Light kisses on the cheeks tend to be the most common form of greeting for friends and family. These are light touching of cheeks rather than actual kisses. Three alternating cheek kisses tend to be the norm. At a first meeting, women generally shake hands.

Greetings between Men & Women- Light kisses on the cheeks are the most common form of greeting for friends and family. Three alternating cheek kisses tend to be the norm. At a first meeting a regular handshake will do.

Communication Style

• The Dutch are generally very direct, they tend to say exactly what they mean. It may come out as a bit harsh and even appear rude if one is not familiar with their culture.

• People tend to tell it like it is. Honesty is appreciated and expected. However, when it comes to overt displays of emotion, the Dutch tend to be somewhat reserved.

Personal Space & Touch

• When conversing, an arms length or more is acceptable. This space may be closer family members and good friends. Business colleagues are usually given more room and personal space.
• Light touching of the arms, shoulders, and hands is acceptable with friends and family. There is definitely more touching in social situations vs. business.

Eye Contact

• Direct eye contact is acceptable between people of all ages and gender.

Gestures

• Pointing an index finger to the forehead means someone is crazy and is usually used as an insult.

• Tapping the side of your head (at the temple) with a finger means someone is smart or clever.

• Keeping your hands in your pockets or arms crossed during conversations may be interpreted as disinterest or disrespectful.

• Bending an arm and tapping the bottom of the elbow with the open palm of the other hand means someone is unreliable or untrustworthy.

• Gliding the forefinger down the bridge of the nose a few times usually indicates that someone is cheap.

Views of Time

• Punctuality is highly valued. Being on time for meetings, appointments, and services is expected. Tardiness is usually looked down upon heavily.
• Buses, trains, and other services are almost always on time.
• Being fashionably late in social situations is usually acceptable; however, if invited to a more intimate party or dinner, it is best to not be more than 10-15 minutes late.

Gender Roles

• Women are seen as equals to men in all aspects of society. They hold positions of power in various industries, although salaries may be lower for many.
• Views on sexuality and sexual orientation tend to be very open and liberal.

Taboos

• Keeping your hands in your pockets or arms crossed during conversations may be interpreted as disinterest or disrespectful.

Law & Order

• The legal age to buy beer and wine is 16 and for spirits it is 18. These laws are readily enforced. There is no legal drinking age per se.

Dress

• For Men: conservative yet stylish suits with shirts and ties. A jacket and pants, rather than a suit, tends to be acceptable as well. Business casual attire is also common.
• For Women: Somewhat conservative business suits or dresses and blouses are a good way to go. Accessories are usually worn, but it's best to stay on the subtle side.
• Jeans and shorts are generally not acceptable in business situations.

Titles & Business Cards

• Titles are important and it is best to address people directly by using Mr., Mrs., or Miss, followed by the surname. Note: For Dutch speakers: "Meneer" is for Mr., "Mevrouw" is for Mrs. and "Mejuffrouw" is for Miss.
• You should always wait to be invited to use first names before doing so yourself.
• There is no set protocol surrounding the giving and receiving of business cards.

Meetings

• Always show up on time to meeting or even a few minutes early.
• Agendas are appreciated and tend to followed strictly.
• Little to no small talk is expected before getting down to business.
• It's usually best to allow the host to begin and end the business discussions.

Negotiations

• Decisions tend to take quite a long time. The Dutch tend to be detail oriented and don’t like to rush things.
• It's best to remain calm during negotiations and avoid getting emotional.
• Once agreements are reached, it is highly unlikely that they will be changed or modified.

Gift Giving

• Gifts are not generally exchanged at initial business meetings.
• If invited over for dinner or a drink to a Dutch home, you should always bring the host/hostess a gift. Flowers (avoid lilies and chrysanthemums) and/or a bottle of high quality liquor is an acceptable gift. High quality Belgian chocolates are acceptable as well.
• Gifts tend to be opened when received.
• Note: Flowers should be given in an odd number, but not 13 as it is viewed as unlucky by many.

In the Classroom

• The school years usually runs from September until the end of July. This varies depending on the type of school (private or public) and where the school is located in Holland.
• There is usually a break for Christmas and New Years, with the longest break (about a month) during the summer.
• University students usually dress casually. Trousers, jeans, shirts, with jackets and coats when the weather is cold and damp.
• Grades in Holland are usually given on a scale of 1-10. 1 is a failure and a 10 is a pass and the best grade.
• Lecture tends to be the most popular form of teaching, however, group work and experiential methods are also used.