Is 1 on 1 catch-up meeting common in Germany for new joiners?

Question

Hi all, I am starting my new role in consulting soon. I was wondering if there are any German-specific office cultures that I should be aware of?

For instance, is it common to reach out to partners for a 1 on 1 catch-up meeting in the first week of joining? I've worked in US firms that highly appreciate a “coffee chat” culture, and reaching out to seniors is viewed positively (e.g. taking the initiative).

What about the situation in Germany? Would doing so be viewed as “too aggressive”? My team is fairly large, around 100-200 people, so there's a fair amount of new joiners every month.

Would appreciate any experience sharing :)

Answer 1

Hi there,

congratulations on your new role.

I would think that the main driver for the office culture you will encounter at your new place of work will be the overall company culture rather than the fact that this is a German office. I have worked at different firms in Germany and they all had different cultures. However, they all really valued punctuality :)

Being proactive is usually highly appreciated in consulting firms. But you also need to “read the room” and prioritize. You don't have to reach out to everyone in your first week. If you have such a large team as you say, you will not be directly working with all of them anyway. You should also get a sense from your new co-workers who of the partners is considered rather approachable vs. more closed off so you can factor that in to your approach.

Below are a few examples of interactions in the German offices that were pretty typical in my days:

each new consultant was assigned a mentor from the management team (typically a partner or junior partner) and a 1-on-1 meeting was scheduled within the first 2 weeks (depending on availability) - afterwards there would be regular touchpoints between mentor and mentee
the office head would organize a breakfast once per month to personally meet and welcome all new joiners from the prior month
once you get your first assignment, you regularly meet with the partners involved in the project or the business development activity

Exciting times ahead. I wish you a great start

Answer 2

Lots of good thoughts so far here, and I’m supportive of senior-junior catch ups. It’s a great way of building your network and stature within the firm, and only good things will come of that.

My adds are:

Make sure you have reason to catch up with the Partner. It could be because they’re on your case, they’re on a case you want to be on, they work in a vertical/function that you really like, etc. Having a reason will change the dynamic from idle chit-chat (which can feel like a waste of time if the partner is busy) to purpose-led;
Don’t forget principals/APs! They’re soon to be partners and are more appreciative of keen beans than partners (generally);
You should get a formal mentor, who is someone you should be catching up on a 1:1 basis every fortnight. That person can be a great facilitator for introductions as well as giving you guidance on who you actually want to develop a network with. Like all workplaces, there is a mixture of personality types, including those who thrash their teams to death, so worth knowing who those partners/APs/EMs are as they are best avoided.

Good luck!

B.

Answer 3

Congrats on joining!

Go for it. Worst case scenario, they're going to turn you down because they're too busy, but it won't go on to negatively affect you in any way.

Indeed, in bigger offices, 1-on-1s are more difficult to organise just because of the sheer scale of operations, which is why they leave it to individuals.

I'll share with you also two articles you might find useful if you just joined a consulting firm:

Best,
Cristian

Answer 4

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the new role!

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your question:

First of all, in my opinion, this might be more of a question of the firm than the country. Still, cultural norms can vary greatly, and Germany may indeed be more formal in its business culture compared to the US when it comes to coffee chats.
Moreover, considering the size of your team and the number of new joiners, partners may have limited time for 1-on-1 coffee chats. I would advise you to understand the preferred communication channels and meeting culture of your new firm before reaching out.
Lastly, while taking the initiative is good, it's essential to balance it with respect for the existing hierarchy and busy schedules. Thus, I would advise you to first observe and possibly consult with a colleague about the best approach to scheduling such meetings.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on your career start, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Answer 5

Hi there,

I'll stay away from commenting specifically on German office culture as I have not physically been there, even if I have a light understanding in general.

That said, wait 1 week. Get a lay of the land.

See what people say. See what your peers say and are doing.

Once you start reaching out, do 1 at a time. Learn. Adjust.

Answer 6

Hi there,

Not sure which company you are starting with but I would say it is very common in Germany.

For instance, in McKinsey, the managing partner of my office had 1-on-1s with every new hire in the first 2 weeks of their career. Similarly, I had a coffee chat with the partner on my first project on the second day.

If the initiative is not coming from them, you have nothing to lose by reaching out yourself!

All the best,

Florian

Answer 7

Can't really answer about Germany, but this is how I would go. I would join the company, and during the first couple of weeks would seek that sort of advice from my Manager, senior team-mates and mentor. They are your best source of information and interpretation of the office culture.

Answer 8

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