As a woman traveling the globe for business, you’re on a mission to make a great first impression and secure your business deal. Similar to men, women must heed the local societal standards and expectations to make the most out of business meetings and transactions. For example, do you shake hands in a formal setting while in the Czech Republic? What do you wear in a Finnish sauna? Do you order a beer in Ireland or a glass of wine? Business etiquette for women and men are relative to the country they are visiting. However, this article will be focusing more on how women can be their best while on business visiting other countries.
6 Business Etiquette Tips For Traveling Women
#1. Check Your Wardrobe
In the United States, the business attire is, for the most part, casual and relaxed. In some parts of South America, their business attire is more relaxed than in the US. Across the pond in Germany, business attire is quite formal. What you want to do is check your wardrobe for the type of business and social attire you will need to show respect for the business partners you will be meeting with. You can research each individual country online or you can reach out to those who have already traveled to the country and get some advice. In fact, you may need to go shopping to find the appropriate attire for your trip.
#2. Universal Business Etiquette Expectations
Around the globe, there are some universal business etiquette expectations. First, do not chew gum before, during, or after a business meeting. In fact, just toss out any gum you may have brung with you or purchased while on your trip. In the United States, gum is not a huge deal in most situations. However, chewing gum is seen as disrespectful by other countries — an annoyance at the very least. Second, avoid high-heels, pant suits, and flashy jewelry. For the most part, these clothing items are considered a distraction to the meeting. It’s disrespectful to call attention to your person, as opposed to the business conversation at hand — this goes for both men and women.
#3. Consider Geographical Region
How you dress, what you wear, and topics of conversation are all relative to the country you are visiting. For the most part, geographical regions tend to follow the same general business etiquette. For women in the Middle East, you will want to wear loose fitting clothes that cover the arms and legs. Over in Japan, Hong Kong, and Korea, a conservative dress will be expected. Travel to Brazil, and you will find that the dress is business formal, but you’re not expected to cover as much skin compared to the Middle East or Asian countries. The easiest way to discover what you should and should not wear is to search online with your Sapphire MiFi device for guidelines and expectations.
#4. Prepare Your Attire According To Events
This is probably the most difficult task as a woman traveling for business. You will want to inspect your trip itinerary and determine which types of events you will be attending, including, social, religious, business, and more. Each event, per country, may have a different attire expectation and standard. Within each of these event types, you may find that different attire is expected. For example, the attire expected when visiting a catholic church or a mosque may be different. Both are religious-based events, so do your research. To be respectful of the country, its people, and your business partners, you will want to prepare your wardrobe based on these events, as opposed to the weather, what you feel like wearing, or otherwise.
#5. Remain Curious As You Travel
Not only will the knowledge base on host nations grow as more women travel for business, but women will begin to shift the expectations and norms as they appear more often in board rooms, meetings, and events on behalf of their companies. In fact, women in business tend to lend a curiosity factor to the interaction, which grants women more opportunities for meetings with C-suite leaders and decision-makers.
#6. Understand The Societal, Political, and Religious State Of A Country
Although you can read hundreds of blogs online about business etiquette for women, you will also want to check in on local political, social, and religious movements, standards, and expectations. For example, political unrest in a country could mean the expectations of attire for women may change in comparison to what you may have read online only two weeks prior. Ultimately, you want to research and keep up to date with the social, political, and religious landscape as you travel.
You’re going to be traveling a lot. While you travel, it’s important you stay aware of the country and people you’re going to be visiting. If you want to stay connected, shop the Sapphire MiFi device online now, an international internet hotspot device enabling connection to the world wide web in over 100 countries.