Training, assessment and promotion

Little vocational training

Promotions are expected to be linked to performance and not to personal relationships

 

Leadership and team management

Distance between managers and subordinates is maintained and expected. 

Equal partnership and consensus is not emphasized or necessary. 

Decision making is restricted to senior managers and can be quite a lengthy process.

employees are not accustomed to openly expressing their ideas and opinions to those of higher rank. the younger generation may participate in teams and share ideas, but need to be coached in the process. social responsibility programmes are not perceived as a source of competitive advantage

Slovak management

Slovak managers attach importance to a system of rules and regulations to ensure the rights and duties of individuals.

Slovak managers respect authorities that achieved their status through being good at what they do.

A Slovak manager prefers to work with a high degree of autonomy.

There are differences between young entrepreneurs and older business people

Traditional autocratic management

- In businesses that retain a strong hierarchical structure, managers expect their subordinates to follow standard procedures without question

- Most decisions require several layers of approval

Wages and motivation

Average salary : 780 euros

High salary discrepancies

Bonus systems and signs of achieved status are motivating

Benefits are appreciated:

• relation to the money is different from other countries : « a masculine country » (according to Hofstede)
• the 19% tax on the salary is a good incentive for Slovaks

Management of change

The Slovak manager might feel it is difficult to enter into a change process in Slovakia.

- Strong risk acceptance is not a general tendency of Slovak management;

- Slovaks clearly prefer to avoid making mistakes.

not comfortable at decision-making under pressure. They prefer deciding voluntarily under the influence of rational reasons

Conflict management

Slovak people have a strong sense of personal pride and do not like to be publicly criticised.

- Conflicts or problematic issues should be confronted privately or in a close group of colleagues.

Slovaks are hesitant to criticize foreigners

- Problem are ignored only until critical.

- The only clue that you may "have done wrong" is a bit of stand-offishness.

 

To go further

The Slovak Management Style; No” to authority, “yes” to rules, CMC Management Consulting