Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands, Sales and Marketing: The Essential Cultural Guide—From Presentations and Promotions to Communicating and Closing

WORKWEEK

While there is no absolute standard for workweeks, business hours are generally 9:30 A.M. to 5:30 P.M. Monday through Friday. Lunch is usually from 1:00 to 2:00 P.M. Banks and governmental offices are often open on Saturdays, but with limited hours. Senior Indian executives may prefer late-morning or early afternoon appointments, between 11:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. Many Indians work long hours and are accustomed to receiving work calls during weekends or in the evenings.

Corporations generally offer approximately two weeks of paid vacation, and many observe the multiple holidays in India (27 in 2011). However, they may not compensate employees for all of them.

Advertising Note

As of this writing, more than 65 percent of ad revenues in ...