In general, offices are open from 8. 30 to 15.30 during the week and stores from 9 to 17 or 18 in week and to 14 H on saturdays. However, the schedules of opening tend to lengthen in large cities, in particular during the week-end.

Training, assessment and promotion

Leadership and team building

The term of manager covers all kinds of responsibilities in Poland, including the management of a small trade. In terms of behaviors, there is a clear distinction between the seniors and the managers aged under fifty years old.

A title of director does not automatically confer legitimacy in Poland. Polish mentality gives to each individual a very strong concept of one's own dignity and rights, which can go sometimes against the acceptance of simple rules of discipline at work and in the social life.

The Poles suffer from some complex of inferiority to the Westerners. However, like all proud people, they can prove to be susceptible and do not tolerate humiliation. It is advisable to respect them, to treat them as equal and to be patient. Irritation, arrogance or display of any kind of superiority are badly seen.

Total trust or a wide delegation of responsibilities can also lead to failures. Although they frequently affirm the opposite, local managers are not yet familiar with management and business practices. It is essential to ensure regularly that the instructions have been understood and it is necessary to control the achievements and to sanction the faults. The table below from the famous study of Hofstede confirms the high aversion to the risk of the Poles.

Mental program for Poland according to G Hofstede

	Hierarchical distance	Individualism	Masculinity	Control of uncertainty
Poland	55	60	65	78
Average of all the countries	57	43	49	65
Standard deviation	22	25	18	24

 

Source ITIM, 2003

 

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