Poland

Greetings

Man greeting Man - Men shake hands when greeting one another while maintaining direct eye contact. A firm but fairly brief handshake is the norm. With friends, a simple hello or nod of acknowledgment will suffice. Good friends and family may engage in a light hug, pats on the back, and in some cases kisses on the cheek.

Woman greeting Woman- At a first meeting, a simple hello or nod of acknowledgment will do. In business and more formal situations shaking hands while maintaining direct eye contact is common. Between good friends and family light hugs and kissing on one or both cheeks is common.

Greetings between Men & Women- At a first meeting a regular handshake will do. Good friends and family may engage in a light hug or a kiss on one or both cheeks. Some men will kiss a woman’s hand when saying hello. This is usually reserved for older women and women of high status, yet is considered somewhat old fashioned and less common.

Communication Style

• Polish people tend to be pretty direct in their communication style. However, in certain situations some people may talk around a point for awhile before actually getting to it.
• Verbal confrontations/disagreements are commonplace and generally not taken personally.
• Humor plays a big role in communicating. Sarcasm is generally used and understood.

Personal Space & Touch

• An arm’s length of personal space is normal when conversing. This distance is greater with strangers and closer with good friends and family.
• People almost always stand very close to each other in lines. Pushing and brushing up against one another is common.

• Men don’t tend to have close contact with other men when walking, talking etc.

• Women are often seen hand holding, walking arm in arm, and hugging.

Eye Contact

• Direct eye contact is common when conversing. It is expected and appreciated.
• Avoiding eye contact is usually a sign of disrespect, disinterest, and is considered bad manners or rude.

Gestures

• The thumbs up sign means o.k. or good, and the “okay’ sign is recognized as well.
• It’s considered rude to point with a finger, it’s best to use the whole hand.
• Putting your thumb in between the middle and index fingers while making a thumb, means “you’ll get zip” or “nothing/zero”.

Views of Time

• Being on time is very important in most situations. It’s considered rude to not be on time. ‘To be on time’ means if you arrange meeting at 4.00 pm you will arrive exactly at this time, especially if it’s a business meeting, lecture, appointment etc.
• In social situations, like meeting friends, being 5-10 minutes late is acceptable.
• Services like trains, buses, etc. tend to run on time.
• Punctuality is valued and most people tend to covet their time.

Gender Roles

• Women hold the same professions as men in most all arenas. There are many who still take to the traditional homemaker role, but opportunities are open and available for all.

Taboos

• Giving someone the ‘middle finger’ is a rude gesture.
• Standing close to somebody that hasn’t finished their meal in a restaurant is considered rude.
• Standing with your hands in your pockets during conversation is looked down upon.
• Burping while eating; jaywalking; drinking in the street or public places; and smoking in non-designated areas, are all usually considered rude.

Law & Order

• The drinking age and smoking age is 18 years old somewhat enforced,
• Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.

Dress

• For Men- a conservative yet stylish suit is acceptable. Darker colors tend to be the norm. Black shoes and belt, no tie pin, and accessories should be limited to a watch and/or wedding ring.
• For Women: stylish yet classic business suits or dresses/pants and blouses in corporate settings. Avoid wearing overly expensive and/or elaborate accessories. Closed toe shoes are most appropriate.
• Business casual and other less formal attire may be appropriate in certain industries.

Titles & Business Cards

• It’s best to use a person's title and their surname until invited to use their first name. Pan is for Mr., Pani for Mrs. and Miss.
• There is no specific protocol surrounding the giving and receiving of business cards. It is always best to treat the card with respect.

Meetings

• Business meetings tend to begin and end with a bit of small talk.
• It is best to wait for the host to begin and end the business talk.
• Being humble is valued so avoid boasting or making claims that may be misinterpreted as arrogance.

Negotiations

• Decisions tend to be made from the top down.

Gift Giving

• Simple gifts such as souvenirs from one’s country or company may be appropriate for initial business meetings, but are not expected.
• If invited to a Polish home, it is appropriate to bring good quality wine /spirits, chocolates/sweets or something simple from your home country.
• When it comes to gifts, it’s best to avoid anything overly expensive or elaborate.

In the Classroom

• Most universities start in October and end in July with 3 month vacation in between.

• Generally all kind of dress are acceptable for students. However, for women very provocative (short skirt, deep neckline) clothing would be perceived as impolite and improper.

• Teaching methods depend on the course. Lectures are very common and group work is as well.

• Grades at the university level use a numeric system from 2 to 5, with 5 being the highest and 3 the pass/fail level. Grades are given in increment of 0.5.

Other Observations

• Students tend to be very stylish and well dressed. Casual clothing such as flip flops and Ugg boots are considered tacky. Each student wants to stand out and both girls and boys won't buy an article of clothing if their friend has it.