Foreign Staffing, Inc.

Practicing proper Finnish business

etiquette will aid business people

hoping to expand into Finnish markets.

Be familiar with the proper etiquette

to ensure your success and be

confident when you participate in

modern Finnish business transactions.

When you can share in the proper

Finnish business procedures you will

gain new partners and clients in this

northern European country and

create success for your business.

Impress your Finnish colleagues with your awareness of Finnish values

and your displays of proper Finnish etiquette, which will in turn enhance

your network in Finnish markets.

Shake hands with everyoneseparately, even children.

Your handshake, as your first chanceto indicate your professionalism anddedication to the partnership,should be brief and always firm.

Repeat your own name as youshake hands, using your title, firstand last names. Do not address yourFinnish colleague by first nameunless told otherwise, and alwaysuse formal titles. Do not expect smalltalk, Finnish negotiators like to get tobusiness.

Finns value straight communication.

They see it as a way to express

genuineness and sincerity.

Using agendas and concrete plans

is beneficial.

Send your documents and

schedules to the Finnish company

before you arrive for the meeting.

Avoid interrupting, and always wait

until the speaker is finished before

responding.

This also applies to presentations: be

sure to hold any questions until the

end of a presentation.

Go that extra mile and impress

your Finnish colleagues by getting

a Finnish translation of all pertinent

documents, including your

business card.

When you are traveling it is vital

that you respect scheduling. If you

find yourself running late, make sure

you immediately contact the

Finnish company and your

colleagues to notify them of the

delay.

When you are late to a meeting

you may be considered unreliable

and therefore anything you say

may be dismissed as untrustworthy.

Do not schedule meetings from July

through August. Many Finns

vacation during these months.

Finns too prioritize family and

personal time, so avoid requesting

work to be done on the weekends.

And do know that business hours

change seasonally in Finland.

During winter months business hours

are from 8:00 - 5:15, while in the

summer, hours are 8:00 - 4:15.

Should a Finnish colleague invite

you to the sauna, do not to refuse.

Business meetings are sometimes

continued in the sauna on casual

terms. Invitations to the sauna are a

sign of kindness, a wonderful way

for you to get to know your Finnish

colleagues, and more importantly,

continue building a strong

relationship.

And as close as the countries are in this

northern European area, Finns and

Swedes are very different and should not

be considered one in the same.

These countries uphold a bitter rivalry so it

is vital that you remember Finland is a

Nordic country, and Sweden is a

Scandinavian country.

Always dress modestly as Finns are

known to consider overdressing as

showy and even arrogant.

Finns do not appreciate any signs

of dominance or overt control.