Business culture in Spain

Many Spaniards (mainly men greeting women or women greeting women) greet each other with a kiss on both cheeks (an air kiss while their cheeks touch). Although this greeting is usually used in personal relationships, it is not uncommon in business settings.

Señor (Sr.) or Señora (Sra.) are the formal ways to address someone in Spain. These titles are used in the same way as Mr and Ms in English.

In Spain, close relationships between business partners can be important. Some Spaniards will want to get to know you before doing business with you, and it is polite to show an interest in your business partner's life and be open to conversations about family and background.

In Spain, meals are often seen as an opportunity to relax, so let your business partners know in advance if you want to discuss business over lunch.

Political correctness is not as important in Spain as it is in some other countries, but you should still be humble. English proficiency varies across the country. It is improving, especially among younger generations, but language barriers can still be a challenge. If you really want to impress, speak Spanish.

Traditionally, most shops have opened from 09:00 to 13:30/14:00, and then from 16:30/17:00 to 20:00. In recent years, it has become more common for shops to remain open throughout the day. The same applies to offices. In August, when most people take their holidays, office hours may change to jornada intensiva: 08:00 to 15:00.

Lunch is usually between 14:00 and 16:00. Dinner tends to be a lighter meal, and it is common to go to restaurants at 22:00.

There are national, regional and local public holidays. When a public holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday, it is not uncommon to take Monday or Friday off as well.

At restaurants, in bars and in taxis, you can leave a tip if you wish, but it is not compulsory. It also depends on your social and financial circumstances and your age.

We recommend that you arrive on time for meetings, and you can expect Spaniards to do the same.

It is often important to dress smartly when doing business in Spain. 'Business casual' usually means a shirt and suit trousers for men, but generally no tie. If an invitation to a party says 'Formal', the dress code is likely to be very formal (a black dinner jacket for men and an evening dress for women).

Source: Strongabogados.com