Manners around the world: cultural etiquette guide

Being polite and having good manners might seem easy: When someone does something nice, you say “thank you,” right? As it turns out, that all depends on your location. Good manners, etiquette, and what it means to be polite are different all over the world. And doing business—especially providing customer service—in a world brought closer together by technology can be a daunting task when the manners of other countries are unknowns. What’s customary, good manners and etiquette in one culture might be rude manners in another. For example, hugging etiquette in America is considered an uncommon manner in China.

One thing is certain: you need to treat people with respect. We hope this infographic will allow you to do just that, by helping teach you how to navigate the world of global behaviors, manners, and social etiquette.

But be warned, even within many countries, manners will differ from region to region, neighborhood to neighborhood, and person to person. Always do plenty of research when traveling abroad or interacting with customers in countries outside of your own. Otherwise, it’s easy to come across as someone with bad manners and bad behavior.