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Ukraine

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Ukraine Today

Situated between the rest of Europe to the west and Asia and Russia to the east, Ukraine is the second largest country in Europe and holds an advantageous position geographically.  It is populated largely by Ukrainians although a fifth of its population is Russian and as such, both languages play a prominent part in everyday life.  Doing business in Ukraine effectively requires an understanding of the unique cultural traditions and values that influence Ukrainian social and business culture.

Ukrainian Culture - Key Concepts and Values

Family – Family plays an important role in Ukrainian life.  It is not uncommon for grandparents to live with the family and to play an active role in bringing up grandchildren. As such, there tends to be strong intergenerational bonds in Ukrainian family life.  From an external perspective, Ukrainian parents can sometimes be perceived as overly protective but this is a natural part of their parental attitude and may stem from a traditional cultural value highlighting the desire for children to fit in with the crowd and avoid bringing too much attention to themselves.

Indirect and Direct Communication – Ukrainians tend to use a mixture of direct and indirect communication depending on their relationship with one another.  The greater the familiarity, the higher the level of direct communication.  When meeting your Ukrainian counterparts for the first time, it is likely that they will use more indirect and polite communication but once a relationship has been established, it is common for Ukrainians to adopt a more direct approach.  Some may perceive this as rudeness but it is important to remember that this is not intentional but simply a difference in preferred communication style.

Time – Ukrainians generally have a flexible attitude towards time.  When working with your Ukrainian counterparts, you should bear in mind that people may arrive 5 to 10 minutes late for a business meeting, although this may vary for individuals of different hierarchical status.  For social situations this may extend to 15 minutes.  Also, schedules and appointments can change quite regularly so be prepared for last minute changes.

Doing Business in Ukraine

Ukraine is a nation that welcomes foreign business and investment and has the potential to become a major European player.  Its strong agricultural base, abundance of natural resources and capacity for industrial production combined with its large educated and highly-skilled workforce make it an increasingly attractive location for business.  Anyone doing business in Ukraine must however be aware of the challenges they may face as a result of government interference, corruption, lack of law enforcement and cultural differences.  Ukraine can bring many benefits to those who understand how to navigate this complex and ever-changing culture.

Part 1 – Working in Ukraine: Working practices in Ukraine

• Ukrainians tend to have a relaxed attitude towards time although punctuality often correlates with hierarchical status.  People of higher professional status do not have to be as punctual as their subordinates so do not be surprised if you are kept waiting by a superior.  Although your Ukrainian counterparts may arrive anywhere between 5 and 20 minutes late depending on their status, you should always aim to arrive on time.
• Many Ukrainians are accustomed to multi-tasking.  If your counterpart takes a phone call, writes emails or talks with other colleagues in a meeting, try to exercise patience and cultural understanding.  This is not intended to be rude but rather it is perceived as more efficient.
• Although meetings tend to be scheduled several weeks in advance, it is always a good idea to confirm the meeting a day beforehand.  Scheduling meetings at the last minute can reduce their credibility and seriousness so if you want your Ukrainian counterparts to take the meeting seriously it is best to book it several weeks in advance.
• Business hours in Ukraine are usually between 9.00 and18.00 with a lunch break traditionally between13.00 and14.00.

Structure and hierarchy in the Ukrainian companies

• Decisions are usually made top-down and employees look to their managers and leaders for established rules and decisions.  In traditional Ukrainian companies, you may find that senior businessmen make decisions without consulting their subordinates.
• Relationships are highly important in Ukrainian business culture and even though managers consider the candidate’s specific skills and knowledge when hiring new people into their department, they will often also use personal recommendations.
• The Ukrainian language differentiates between a formal and informal ‘you’.  When addressing senior colleagues, you should use the formal ‘vy’ along with their first and patronymic names.  With colleagues of a lower professional rank it is acceptable to use the informal ‘ty’ with their first name.

Working relationships in Ukraine

• Ukrainians tend to show their emotion openly and public displays of affection or anger are common, both in personal and professional relationships.  Do not be surprised if your Ukrainian counterparts tend to be more expressive than you are used to.
• Problems with Ukrainian counterparts are best discussed in private.  Resolving conflict in public is likely to increase tension and worsen the problem.
• If your Ukrainian counterparts suddenly become formal with you after you have established a relationship, it is possible that there has been a misunderstanding or mistake.  Always try to clarify and resolve the situation privately and quickly to ensure things do not become worse.
• In business meetings Ukrainians are more likely to start a discussion with a holistic overview.  Once they have considered this perspective they will then move on to discuss the information in greater detail.
• Do not be surprised if you hear your Ukrainian colleagues saying ‘no’ a lot.  They will often respond with ‘no’ at the beginning of a discussion but may be moved to say ‘yes’ or ‘maybe’ as the discussion progresses.  Persevere with your Ukrainian counterparts to ascertain whether or not they really mean ‘no’.
• Building relationships with your Ukrainian counterparts is important as decisions are often made outside of the immediate office environment.  As such, it is important to accept invitations to social events, coffee breaks or lunch.

Part 2 – Doing Business in Ukraine: Business practices in Ukraine

• In Ukrainian business environments, it is customary for people to greet each other with a handshake.  Bear in mind that it is not very common for men to shake hands with women or for women to shake hands together so avoid this unless it is initiated by your counterparts.
• At an initial meeting in Ukraine, you may be expected to introduce yourself formally with your name, organisation and position.  Sometimes you may be asked for these introductory details in emails or telephone conversations as a meeting is being planned.  Ukrainians tend to prefer to know as much about the content of a meeting as they do the details of attendees prior to a meeting.
• In professional settings, Ukrainians traditionally address each other with their first and patronymic name but it has become more and more common to just use first names.  In the west, you may find people use the titles ‘Pan’ (Mr) and ‘Pani’ (Mrs) before the surname when addressing others.
• Ukrainians tend to dress smartly in professional environments and consider their clothing and appearance carefully.  Clothing is closely linked to status so you should dress appropriately for your professional status.
• In business, men and women tend to wear darker colours, a trend which may have its roots in the days when individual freedom of expression was less acceptable.  As a general rule, always find out what the dress code is before doing business in Ukraine.

Ukrainian Business Etiquette (Do’s and Don’ts)

DO make direct eye contact when speaking to your Ukrainian counterparts.

DO take the time to develop trust and build relationships with your Ukrainian counterparts before a negotiation process.

DO check company policy before giving gifts to your Ukrainian counterparts.

DON’T initiate a conversation about politics with your counterparts and consider what you say carefully when someone else initiates a conversation around this or other sensitive topics.

DON’T point using your finger.  Using your hand is much more acceptable.

DON’T be surprised if your Ukrainian counterparts stand quite close to you in conversation as this is most likely a result of their desire to conduct conversations in a quiet manner.

Ukrainian Culture Quiz – True or False

1. Shaking hands across a threshold is considered unlucky in Ukraine.

2. Ukrainian people are very private and not very welcoming towards foreigners.

3. There are many superstitions in Ukrainian culture.

4. It is common for several generations of a Ukrainian family to live together in the same house.

Ukrainian Culture Quiz – Answers

1. True.

2. False.  The Ukrainian culture is a very hospitable and generous one and Ukrainians take a lot of pride in making the most of any social occasion.

3. True.

4. True.

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