Business Culture in Spain

Spanish business greetings
Greeting is an extensive ritual. Hands are shaken with everybody present. Kissing each other on both
cheeks is only done between people who know each other. Spaniards are initially quite formal in business
settings. People are usually addressed by their surname prefixed with senor, senora or senorita. You
should wait for your Spanish host to initiate the use of first names.
If your Spanish partners have two first names, you should use both when addressing them whether they
are male or female (e.g. Jose Luis or Maria Teresa). If you speak Spanish, use the formal form ‘usted‘
until you are invited to use the familiar form of address ‘tu‘.
Spaniards stand very close to each other, touch each other frequently on the arm, back or shoulder and
maintain good eye contact. Note that it is not uncommon to be interrupted while speaking. Most of the
time this simply means that the person is honestly interested in what you are saying and is getting into a
dialogue.
Business dress code
Spanish people are very conscious of personal presentation and will perceive your appearance as an
indication of your professional achievement and relative social standing. Thus, it is important to dress in a
manner that demonstrates professionalism, style and a serious approach to business. It is advisable to
dress with elegance and use only top-quality materials in subdued colours. Designer clothes are
particularly recommended and elegant accessories are important for both men and women.
For men, dark woollen or linen suits and silk ties with white cotton shirts are recommended. As Spanish
weather can be very hot, it is usually acceptable to wear lightweight suits, to loosen one’s tie and throw
one’s jacket over one’s shoulder. If in doubt, simply follow the lead of your business host.
Women should wear well-cut suits or dresses made of high-quality fabrics. In general, Spanish women
are expected to avoid drawing attention to their physical sexuality and tend to express themselves through
their immaculate clothes and hair.
Gift giving
In Spain, business people do not usually give gifts to each other. However, gifts are sometimes offered at
the end of a successful negotiation or to say thank you for a favour. Gifts should not be too expensive, so
that they cannot be perceived as a bribe and usually take the form of food, drinks or souvenirs from your
home country. Corporate gifts or books about your country are also welcome gifts, and a bottle of whisky
or brandy would also make a useful alternative gift, if you have nothing else to offer. As Spanish people
are generally brand and quality conscious, it is advisable to offer only high-quality items, preferably of a
reputable brand. Gifts are usually opened as they are received.
If you are invited to a Spanish home, you should take presents for the family members and suitable gifts
may include a box of chocolates, sweets, souvenirs or flowers. When giving flowers, you should not give
dahlias, chrysanthemums, white lilies or red roses due to cultural associations; it is also important to gift
flowers in odd numbers, as long as they do not add up to thirteen. Clothing, such as branded sports or
fashion t-shirts, are usually suitable gifts for children.
Business meals
If you want to discuss business at lunch, you should mention this in advance so the Spanish counterpart is
ready to discuss the issues with you. Meal times in Spain are generally considered the time to relax and
enjoy oneself rather than to close deals. More typically, the deals are done at the office, and then after the
successful negotiations, you all go to celebrate at a restaurant. If the Spanish party wants to be nice with
you, they will most likely invite you for a meal. (Invitar a comer means pay for the meal.) The one who
extends the invitation is the one who foots the bill. Bills are rarely split in Spain, regardless of the
circumstance. If you have been invited out, you should reciprocate at a later date, being careful not to give
the impression that you are simply 'repaying' the earlier meal.
Time and punctuality
In Spain, people’s concept of time and punctuality is not the same as in other western nations. Meetings
will often start and finish late, deadlines are frequently stretched, the working day might not get properly
going until after 10am and working late until around 8pm is not uncommon. Siestas do not really exist in
business culture in Spain anymore but lunch breaks often last a good two hours or more and work can
often end around 2.30-3pm on a Friday afternoon. If you’re a foreign worker in Spain, however, it’s better
to show up on time when starting with a company rather than assuming you can roll in whenever without
anyone noticing.

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Business Culture in Spain

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Spanish business greetings

Business dress code

Time and punctuality

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