Did you know...? Bratislava is the only capital in the world bordering two countries.
It is common to greet each other by a firm handshake and steady eye contact. Many Slovakians are not very chatty. If they tend to be quiet, it does not necessarily mean they are not interested in you. Therefore, small talk is not very important. If you want to know your co-workers or colleagues better, you can talk about superficial topics like the weather, Slovakian culture or your cultural background.
It is uncommon for Slovakians to use many gestures or facial expressions. They also tend to stay calm in difficult situation. Slovakian companies are often still very traditional. Therefore, to address your colleagues it is important to include their job or academic title: they could be addressed as Mr Engineer, Ms Magister etc. A very familiar way to address someone is to use both, first name and surname.
As a result of relatively insecure social benefits for unemployed people, many Slovakians tend to sacrifice their work-life balance for a save job. Many of them are willing to do overtime work or do not ask for pay rises etc. Further, punctuality is not just polite, it also symbolises dedication to the workplace.