Did you know...? Berlin is nine times bigger than Paris.
It is common to greet each other with a firm handshake. As many Germans are communicating straight forward, small talk does not play an important role. If you recognise that someone wants to chat with you, you can talk about topics such as the weather, sports, or the company.
How to address each other depends on the other’s age and position within the company. You should start by addressing by the surnames and wait until someone invites you to address them by their first name.
Lunch breaks depend on the size of the workplace. It is very common to bring something precooked from home or to get a snack from a bakery shop, or a street food store.
German communication is straight forward. Normally, problems and critique are openly communicated. That is why other cultures sometimes think, Germans were rude and impolite. On the contrary, many Germans think quite efficiently and are focussing on recent issues and tasks.
At work, tasks are solved one after another. Work is taken very seriously and many Germans are working overtime. The strength of hierarchy depends on the company’s size and tradition. Regardless of company’s size and hierarchy, punctuality is very important. Surely it is okay to be delayed once, but you should definitely apologise for the delay as well as it should not exceed more than a couple minutes.