Communicating at work in Spain

Spaniards greet colleagues in the morning with Buenos días on entering and ask ¿Qué tal?

• meaning how are you, and shake hands or kiss on the cheeks (dos besos) between women and between a man and a woman in informal settings, and a handshake between men.
• In formal work or with older people or clients a handshake is enough.
• Spanish has the informal tú and the formal usted, and tú is common in most workplaces especially among young people and modern companies, and usted is used with older people, clients and formal situations.
• First names are usually used without titles.
• If you are not sure begin with usted and wait for the other person to say tutéame meaning address me with tú.

Spaniards are direct in oral dialogue but keen on the relationship, so they soften remarks with courtesy and humour, and a person may say ya veremos meaning we will see, which is often a polite refusal, or mañana lo vemos meaning we will see it tomorrow.

• Be careful with hints, and if you want clarity ask kindly.
• Open objection to the manager is viewed cautiously, so it is preferable to discuss it privately and politely.
• In meetings everyone may talk at once and voices overlap and people interrupt each other with enthusiasm, which counts as a sign of interest and not rudeness.
• Express your opinion clearly with courtesy.
• And friendly frankness is valued more than dry frankness.

Meetings sometimes begin minutes after the time and may run longer than planned, and the agenda may be flexible, and many decisions are made after the meeting through individual conversations and at lunch.

• Do not rely on everyone meeting deadlines precisely, and follow up kindly to be sure, by asking ¿Cómo vamos con esto?
• meaning how are we doing with this.
• In return your colleagues may expect you to keep your own deadlines.
• Write a summary by email after the meeting to document what was agreed.
• In international or modern companies times are applied more strictly.
• And remember that lunch (14 to 16) is the main time for the meal and socialising.

Professional email is polite and warm and may be more formal than you expect: it begins with Estimado/a or Buenos días or Hola depending on the relationship, then a friendly phrase, then the subject clearly, and ends with Un saludo or Saludos cordiales or Atentamente then your name.

• For quick matters WhatsApp is widely used at work even with clients, but respect others' limits and do not send messages at night except in necessity.
• Write a clear subject and reply within a day or two.
• A phone call or personal visit for complex or sensitive matters is valued more than a chain of messages.
• And there is the right to digital disconnection (derecho a la desconexión digital) outside working hours.

The hierarchy in Spanish companies is relatively clearer, and the manager is expected to make decisions and respect for him is valued, but relations are friendly and your manager may take you to lunch or coffee.

• You are expected to carry out tasks, report your problems early and take initiative within your responsibilities.
• Relationships with colleagues are built through morning coffee, lunch, small celebrations (cumpleaños) and after work (cañas), and joining sometimes builds trust, but is not compulsory and you can drink juice.
• Work sometimes runs until the evening (jornada partida) with a long lunch break, and in summer the jornada intensiva is applied, that is a short continuous day.
• And balance between work, family and friends is valued.

What does ya veremos often mean?