Business Etiquette for Egypt
Meetings don’t normally take place in a private setting. Instead, other obligations, business matters, even family issues often interrupt the original meeting. It’s not uncommon for different meetings to be taking place at one time. Patience will be seen in a positive light so try not to get angry or visibly irritated.
Friday is a holy day and no business will be conducted. The normal work week for most Egyptians is from Saturday to Wednesday. Some government offices are closed on Thursday and Friday; others are closed on Friday and Saturday. Most business offices close at two p.m. during working days. It’s not unusual in the winter for many business to open in the morning, close in the afternoon then reopen in the late afternoon to evening.
Different calendars are used in Egypt than what are used in America. For that reason many of the Muslim holidays fall on different days than the previous year. Businesses and government offices often have very short hours during the month of the Ramadan so be sure and inquire or learn about this before making plans. Make sure any paperwork for business purposes contains dates from both the Muslim calendar and the Gregorian.
Modesty is important in the Egyptian culture. Most parts of the body must remain covered even though the weather may be hot and humid. Exposing upper arms, legs or portions of the chest is considered unacceptable and even vulgar. At the same time, it can offensive to the natives of Egypt if you copy their style of dress. Men should wear dress pants and long sleeve shirt with coat and tie for business. It is in poor taste to display much jewelry, particularly pendants or necklaces. It is preferred that women wear dresses or skirts which at least cover the arms down to the elbow region. Hemlines above the knee are crude and floor-length is preferred. Exposing the knee and upper leg are taboo. It is also preferred that a woman cover her head with a scarf but is not necessary in some parts of the land. Dressing to show off your figure will be looked upon with disdain.
Americans tend to stand back more when speaking to someone whereas in the Egyptian culture being very close to someone while speaking is the norm. Try not to seem offended when someone gets close to you during conversation. Don’t back away or turn your head. Never ridicule the country or an associate, even if they are ridiculing themselves.
Topics of conversation important to Egyptians may be sports, the culture, the land or industry. Never inquire about an Egyptian man’s wife or kids. Avoid most personal topics such as how long the man has been married, where he lives, or how many sisters and brothers he has. Bringing up the topic of Israel is not a wise idea either.
When writing the name of an Egyptian associate, use title and entire name. When speaking, use title and last name. Names are written in Arabic making it difficult to translate into the English language. Know ahead of time how each person should be addressed and practice pronunciation. If the person has no distinct title, use “Mr.”, “Mrs.” or “Miss” as labels of respect.
If you offer a gift, or a gift is given to you, accept it with both hands or just the right hand but never the left. If you’re invited to the home of an associate bring along baked goods or chocolates as a gift. Flowers are not acceptable gifts since, in most parts of the country, they are seen as relative to funerals.
Have business cards printed in English on one side and Arabic on the other. Expect business decisions to take a long time to come to light. Being extremely pushy won’t help matters, either. You just have to give them the time they need or the decision will not be made in your favor. Expect conversation to be animated, exaggerated or even emotional. The word “yes” can mean “yes”, “maybe” or “we’ll see”.
When entering a home and some other buildings be prepared to remove your shoes. Always let someone walk ahead of you so that you can follow suit. Many Muslims refuse alcohol so if you’re hosting a party be sure that you have other drink choices available. If you’re attending a dinner that they are hosting leave a small portion of the foods on the plate to show that they have fed you more than plenty. Sprinkling salt on your food will offend since it’s virtually a statement of the food not tasting good enough.
If you develop a friendship with an Egyptian male, and you are a man, it’s not unusual for the Egyptian to hold your hand. Try not to react unkindly towards this gesture of friendship. On the other hand, when introductions are being made, don’t be surprised if the same man acts as if his wife is not even there. Failing to introduce spouses is acceptable policy and you would be rude to inquire who she is or to acknowledge her in any way. Sometimes men in this country offer a greeting kiss to other men and women often kiss other women in greetings, but rarely men to women.
Don’t gesture with the left hand, which is considered unclean in the Arab nation. The sign of a “thumb’s up” is considered vulgar and is inappropriate. When removing shoes, lay them on their sides with the soles touching each other so that they never point at a particular person. Showing the soles of your shoes is simply unacceptable in Egyptian culture. Sit with both feet flat on the floor at all times.
As with any traveling experience it’s a wise idea to study the culture and tendencies to fit in as well as possible. And in many countries you can offend someone easily by your mannerisms so practicing certain rituals or memorizing taboos will help you to succeed.
