We spoke to our Managing Partner Dorota Cagiel based in New Delhi who shared her market insights into Indian Business culture.
Expanding into India involves more than market research or regulatory compliance. Success depends heavily on understanding the country’s cultural and organisational dynamics. Business in India often operates within a hierarchical, trust and relationship-driven context where decision-making can follow the hierarchy and respect for seniority remains deeply embedded. Communication is polite and indirect, and negotiations often involve building trust and relationships before final decisions are made.
In India around 60% of employees are on permanent contracts, while average tenure is 6.5 years, reflecting a mix of stability and project-based employment. Approximately 50% of leaders are perceived as behaving consistently with stated organisational values, and 48% of employees feel the culture reflects these values. Diversity, equity and inclusion policies are present in around 40% of Indian companies, while 55% of organisations have formal employee wellbeing programmes, though implementation varies widely.
Because of this complexity, having local insight helps international companies avoid missteps, build appropriate glo-cal people strategies, and adapt leadership style to local realities.
Hierarchy and authority remain central in many organisations, with senior executives holding most decision-making power. Formal titles and indirect communication are common, especially during early interactions, and meetings often begin with relationship-building before moving to formal discussion. Workforce fluidity is higher than in many European markets, and permanent employees often coexist with temporary staff.
Business relationships place strong emphasis on personal rapport, trust and long-term collaboration. Teamwork, loyalty and group cohesion are highly valued. Balancing traditional hierarchical norms with modern, agile management practices is a challenge. Organisations are increasingly investing in leadership alignment and employee development to strengthen the engagement.
Our India operations are supported from the New Delhi office with the team led by Dorota Cagiel. The team provides local expertise to interpret how Indian culture, from hierarchical structures to workforce flexibility and efficiencies as well as engagement, plays out in daily business.
Friisberg helps international clients align corporate governance, find top talent, grow leadership teams and train international and cross-cultural teams. The team also designs engagement, performance and retention practices suitable for India’s business environment. They advise on leadership interactions to respect local norms while remaining effective and bridging with foreign parties. By establishing credibility and networks, Friisberg enables sustainable operations and long-term success in India.
India presents vast opportunities and success requires cultural understanding, flexibility and strategic adaptation. With Friisberg’s local presence in New Delhi, under Dorota Cagiel’s leadership, international companies can navigate India’s workforce dynamics, cultural complexities and people challenges to build high-performing organisations.
UK leaders often assume that European employment regulation stops at the Channel.
This one does not.
The EU Pay Transparency Directive will fundamentally change how pay is discussed, disclosed, and challenged across Europe by June 2026. While the UK is outside the EU, the implications for UK-based organisations are already landing in boardrooms, hiring conversations, and candidate expectations.
This is not a theoretical future issue, it is a live leadership and talent risk.
By June 2026, EU member states must implement laws that introduce:
The intent is clear: reduce pay inequality by removing opacity from both recruitment and reward decisions.
Is this a good initiative? The consensus is broadly yes, with practical caveats. The EU Pay Transparency Directive is widely viewed by policymakers, academics and many employers as a meaningful step towards closing unjustified pay gaps and strengthening trust in pay systems. Greater transparency reduces information asymmetry, supports fairer negotiations, and forces organisations to confront structural inconsistencies that often sit unnoticed for years. Where opinion becomes more cautious is around implementation: employers are rightly concerned about administrative burden, inconsistent application across countries, and the need for robust job architecture before transparency is introduced. In short, the intent is strongly supported; the success depends on preparation. Organisations that approach pay transparency strategically see it as a cultural and leadership opportunity, while those that treat it as a compliance exercise risk exposure rather than progress.
Even without direct legal force in Great Britain, the impact is real in three practical ways.
1. UK companies with European operations: Any organisation employing people in the EU will need to comply locally. In practice, that often drives group-wide changes to job architecture, levelling, pay bands, and hiring processes. Fragmented approaches become very difficult to defend.
2. Candidate expectations are shifting: Once pay ranges become standard across European markets, opacity in UK hiring starts to feel outdated, particularly at senior levels and in scarce skill areas. Transparency increasingly signals confidence and fairness, not risk.
3. The comparison bar is rising: UK employers with 250+ employees already report gender pay gap data annually. The EU approach goes further, extending transparency into recruitment and employee access to pay information. Boards, investors, and employees will inevitably compare UK practice against this higher benchmark.
From my perspective, this is not a reward team problem, it is a leadership credibility issue.
If an organisation cannot clearly articulate:
then pay transparency will expose inconsistency fast - and inconsistency erodes trust, retention, and hiring outcomes.
The strongest leaders are acting before regulation forces them to.
They are:
At Friisberg, we work with clients across the UK (and through our local European offices) to navigate this shift with confidence.
That includes:
Pay transparency is not coming to “disrupt” good organisations, it is coming to reveal whether clarity already exists.
With 32 offices across 22 countries, we asked our teams to share their holiday traditions. From Bulgaria to New Delhi, their responses reveal a striking common thread: across cultures, winter is a season to create light, connection and energy through rituals, food and community.
Across the Alps and Rhine, French families, particularly in Alsace and Moselle, mark Advent with candles, bake traditional bredeles and visit Christmas markets that fill towns with light. The main celebration on 24 December revolves around a family meal and gift-giving, surrounded by illuminated streets and glowing lanterns. In Germany, Christmas markets transform cold town squares into warm communal spaces, where mulled wine, roasted almonds and music provide comfort and shared joy.
In Bulgaria, Christmas Eve begins with a vegetarian supper featuring symbolic dishes: grains for continuity, beans and nuts for health, honey for sweetness, and bread baked with a hidden coin for luck. The badnik, a ceremonial log, is burned for warmth and blessings, while children practise survakane, tapping adults with decorated cornel branches and reciting blessings. Before sunrise on Christmas Day, groups of Koledari sing ritual songs, and in some villages masked Kukeri dancers ring bells and leap through fire to chase away negative spirits and awaken new energy.
This year, Ukrainians are celebrating Christmas with Europe on 25th December rather than on the 7th January, a symbolic choice that reflects our shared values and cultural direction. Ukrainian New Year traditions remain deeply rooted. We place a Didukh, a sheaf of wheat symbolising our ancestors, near the festive table. Families prepare kutia, holubtsi and varenyky, and always leave a place for those who cannot come home. This year, many chairs remain empty because someone is defending Ukraine. We even joke that we have never been closer to our ancestors. While the world prepares fireworks and LED decorations, we mark the New Year with the most authentic “traditional lighting” – candles during blackouts. It is a dark joke, yes, but one born from resilience, not despair.
Traditions continue, even during power cuts, in shelters, and with unstable internet. Christmas follows the winter solstice, the longest night of the year, after which days begin to grow longer. Light always triumphs over darkness. Our ancestors celebrated this with rituals, carols, and warmth shared around the table. Today, we feel it anew: even when the city goes dark, a single candle can still illuminate the room, a reminder that darkness is temporary.
When one flame becomes the centre of the celebration, it shows what New Year truly means here: family, culture, and the enduring belief that even the longest night will end.
In Poland, the first star in the sky signals the start of Christmas Eve. Families share opłatek, exchange blessings, and sit down to twelve meatless dishes, leaving an empty place at the table as a gesture of hospitality and inclusion.
Further north, in Finland, the season is quieter and more reflective. Families gather at home, enjoy traditional foods passed down through generations, listen to melancholic Christmas music, and celebrate Santa Claus as a symbol of trust and goodwill. Saint Lucy’s Day also brings symbolic light during the polar night, highlighting the importance of hope and warmth.
In India, Christmas transcends religion, celebrated across states from Goa and Kerala to the North East and major cities. Midnight masses, family gatherings, festive street markets, bakeries overflowing with seasonal treats and shared meals turn the season into a nationwide celebration of togetherness.
In the United Kingdom, England balances ritual and humour. Christmas cards, table crackers and Stir-Up Sunday pudding-making combine tradition and shared silliness, while in Scotland Hogmanay is a full-scale celebration of fire, music and community. Torchlight processions, shortbread exchanges and even the Loony Dook, a New Year’s Day plunge into the freezing sea, show a unique blend of bravery, camaraderie and festive spirit.
In Lithuania, Advent is a time of reflection and anticipation. Families light one candle each Sunday, and Christmas Eve, Kūčios, remains the season’s most significant celebration, marked by a symbolic dinner, shared blessings and family connection.
Finally, in the Netherlands, December begins with Sinterklaas on 5 December, a children’s festival featuring gifts, sweets such as pepernoten and chocolate letters, and playful poems. Christmas itself is centred on family, candlelight and multi-course meals, often accompanied by handmade ‘surprises’ that emphasise thoughtfulness over extravagance.
Across these diverse traditions, some themes are universal. Light is used to dispel darkness, food carries symbolic meaning, movement and ritual release energy, and inclusion is actively practised through gestures such as empty chairs, door-to-door visits and shared celebrations. Winter, rather than a season to endure, becomes a period organised around ritual, community and continuity.
Friisberg’s teams show that even in the coldest, darkest months, connection, creativity and care can turn tradition into energy, and shared experience into resilience.
When the Moomins curl up for their long winter hibernation, someone must keep Finland's reputation for warmth, wonder and winter magic alive. Fortunately, Santa Claus is more than up to the task. According to Finnish tradition, the secret workshop of the elves, and the true home of Santa Claus, lies deep in Korvatunturi, a fell on the Finnish–Russian border. Its remote location is both a blessing and a curse. It preserves secrecy and enchantment, but it also ensures that no one can ever really confirm the story. In Finland, however, we are comfortable living with such mysteries. Uncertainty is part of who we are.
Yet one thing remains absolutely certain. Santa Claus has been woven into Finnish Christmas traditions for over a century. And he has not always appeared in the familiar American-style red suit. The Finnish Santa, known as joulupukki, literally the "Yule Goat", reflects the layers of our society, a combination of old European folklore, Christian tradition and modern reinvention.
Originally, joulupukki was very different from the cheerful figure we know today. He was as grey as a November morning, horned like an old harvest goat, and wandered from door to door asking for food and drink. Over time, St Nicholas, the patron saint of children, introduced the idea of distributing gifts to the poor. Much later, American advertisers added the iconic snow-white beard and a red outfit conveniently matching their brand colours.
Together, these influences created today's Finnish Santa Claus, a diplomatic and egalitarian ambassador of goodwill. He relies on Mrs Claus, industrious elves and a devoted reindeer team, each of whom reflects the Finnish ethos of shared effort, perseverance and practicality.
But Santa is not the only figure who brightens the deep northern winter.
One might think that Lucia, the girl crowned with candles who brings light into the darkest time of year, would be as beloved throughout Finland as Santa Claus. Yet her celebration occupies a different emotional space.
Saint Lucy was a young Christian martyr from third-century Sicily whose name comes from lux, meaning light. Although Italian in origin, her legend travelled north through medieval trade routes and religious customs, eventually becoming deeply rooted in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and parts of Finland, particularly in Swedish-speaking communities.
Her story resonates strongly in Nordic countries because it touches on two essential themes of northern life:
Celebrated on 13th December, close to the old winter solstice, Lucia marks the symbolic return of light. In Nordic tradition, a chosen Lucia girl, dressed in white with a red sash, wears a wreath of candles and leads a procession of attendants who sing ancient songs. Her arrival signals hope at a time when daylight lasts only minutes.
Lucy's legend emphasises compassion, humility and generosity, values that align naturally with Finnish Christmas traditions. She is seen not only as a bearer of light but also as a messenger of care for others.
Lucia is specially celebrated in Swedish speaking areas and actually the charity visits are more common and more noticed in smaller cities (like Porvoo, Loviisa, Inkoo, Vaasa, Kokkola and others in the coastline). The custom is more subdued than in Sweden, but it remains a heartfelt reminder that even small lights matter.
And yet, despite the beauty of the Lucia tradition, most Finns keep their emotional focus elsewhere.
For us, Christmas is not primarily about spectacle or ceremony. It is about going home.
More important than Lucia's light is the glow of familiar windows in the dark. More comforting than processions is the quiet reassurance of shared rituals. We eat the same dishes our grandparents prepared, listen to the same slightly melancholic carols, slow down in the stillness of the season and wait for a gentle knock on the door followed by the question every Finnish child knows:
"Onkos täällä kilttejä lapsia?"
"Are there any good children here?"
No unnecessary fuss. No airs or graces. Just honesty, trust, kindness and the joy of being together.
This is why Finland's Santa Claus endures, not simply as a global icon but as a quietly heroic figure who embodies the values that define us.
Santa Claus is the CEO of all our dreams, supported by a team as diverse and dedicated as our own society. Alongside him stands Lucia, a symbol of light and compassion. Together they remind us that Finnish Christmas, like Finland itself, is strongest when tradition, community and warmth guide us through even the darkest winter days.
Expanding into Bulgaria requires more than understanding the market, it demands insight into organisational culture and people dynamics. In Bulgaria, 55% of leaders and 52% of organisational culture are perceived as authentic and aligned with stated values, highlighting the importance of cultural credibility in business success.
Bulgarian companies are actively developing employees whose behaviour reflects organisational culture, demonstrating a strong focus on aligning leadership and workforce practices. At the same time, 55% of businesses have a DEI policy (compared with 91% in the UK and 72% in Romania), and over 65% have formalised wellbeing policies, showing growing recognition of inclusion and employee support.
Workforce stability remains strong: 81% of employees are on permanent contracts, and average tenure is 9.2 years. Younger professionals are driving cultural change, with 69% of 18-29 year olds supporting more women in senior roles.
Bulgaria blends tradition with evolving cultural expectations. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for international businesses, and Friisberg’s local expertise ensures organisations can navigate them effectively.
Bulgarian companies often retain clear hierarchical structures with respect for senior positions. Input from teams is valued, but final decisions tend to sit with senior leaders. This aligns with assessments of traditional corporate culture in the country.
A national working conditions survey found that 81% of Bulgarian employees are on permanent contracts, and the average tenure in the same organisation is around 9.2 years.
This reflects expectations of stability and long-term employment relationships, which can differ from markets where job mobility is higher.
A 2025 study reported that only 51% of respondents in Bulgaria believe their organisational culture fully supports their business goals.
Between 54% and 72% of companies say they are actively trying to improve organisational culture.
In Germany and Bulgaria, expectations for correspondence between leadership behaviour and real culture, and between culture and stated values, are high. The study found that 55% of leaders and 52% of organisational culture were perceived as authentic and aligned with stated values.
By contrast, only 9% of respondents in Germany believe their organisation hires employees whose behaviour fully aligns with the culture, and only 8% feel that the development of such people is fully encouraged. In Bulgaria, however, the largest number of respondents give their organisation the highest rating for developing employees whose behaviour aligns with organisational culture.
This highlights that in Bulgaria, cultural alignment and employee development are perceived as more actively supported than in some other European markets, making local insight especially valuable for international companies.
In a study of 708 employees, around 20% reported frequent workplace conflict.
In broader surveys, 29.3% of employees said they were completely satisfied with working conditions, while 43.5% were fairly satisfied.
Wellbeing policies are widely formalised in the region: the UK, Romania, and Bulgaria all have over 65% of organisations with formalised wellbeing policies. However, implementation can be inconsistent, particularly in the United Kingdom. Germany lags behind both in terms of the existence of policies and the consistency between behaviour and organisational intentions.
In Bulgaria and Romania, organisations are often more innovative in their approach, offering additional benefits and flexible practices to support employees. This confirms that Bulgarian businesses are increasingly recognising the value of wellbeing and employee support initiatives.
Social attitudes are also evolving. A national survey found that 61% of Bulgarians believe there should be more women in senior business roles, rising to 69% among people aged 18 to 29.
Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies are less widespread in Bulgaria compared with some other countries: 55% of businesses in Bulgaria have a DEI policy, compared with 91% in the UK and 72% in Romania. This suggests that while inclusion is gaining attention, there is still significant room for growth and international companies can play a role in strengthening DEI initiatives.
This indicates that younger professionals increasingly welcome modern leadership styles, inclusive workplace cultures, and structured DEI and wellbeing approaches.
Bulgarian workplaces blend traditional hierarchy with modern expectations. Friisberg helps leaders understand when formality is expected, when informal communication is appropriate and how to adapt leadership styles to fit local norms.
With high rates of permanent employment and long tenure, employee loyalty and stability matter. Friisberg helps international companies structure roles, communication and engagement strategies that align with these expectations.
Since only around half of companies feel their culture supports strategy, Friisberg provides practical guidance on aligning values, behaviours and leadership expectations to create cohesive teams.
The insights that 55% of leaders and 52% of organisational culture are aligned, and that Bulgaria scores highest in developing employees whose behaviour aligns with the culture, underline why leadership behaviour, cultural authenticity, DEI, wellbeing, and employee development are critical in Bulgaria.
Face to face communication and trust building remain important in Bulgaria. Friisberg’s on the ground presence ensures that new entrants develop the relationships needed to operate effectively.
Bulgaria offers strong opportunities, but business success depends on understanding how people work, communicate and build trust. With Friisberg’s local expertise, organisations gain more than market insight, they gain a partner who understands the cultural context that determines long term success.
With Friisberg UK in London, Birmingham and Edinburgh, our end-of-year conversations naturally reflect a blend of English and Scottish traditions. The result is a December full of shared stories, gentle teasing and the occasional debate about whether shortbread counts as breakfast.
Here is a brief cultural tour of the season from our side of the Channel, combining well-known customs with some of the lesser-known rituals that our international colleagues often enjoy discovering.
England approaches Christmas with sentiment, structure and just enough chaos to keep it interesting.
England sends astonishing numbers of Christmas cards. This tradition stretches back to 1843, when Sir Henry Cole, a civil servant and early advocate for the modern postal system, commissioned the first commercial Christmas card. His aim was simple: encourage the public to use the newly introduced Penny Post - and it worked spectacularly. The idea spread quickly, becoming a national habit rooted in courtesy, connection and the very British fondness for polite correspondence. Even in a digital age, the ritual still carries cultural weight.
No English table is complete without crackers and every participant ends up in a flimsy paper crown, united briefly in colourful humiliation. Crackers are one of the most recognisable features of an English Christmas table, complete with a tiny toy and a joke so terrible it becomes a bonding exercise. The tradition began in the 1840s with a London sweet-maker named Tom Smith, inspired by the cracking sound of logs on a fire, wrapped his sweets in paper with a small explosive pop. Crackers appealed to something distinctly English: shared silliness, gentle theatricality and the idea that everyone, from grandparent to guest, should look equally ridiculous for one meal.
The Christmas pudding is one of England’s most iconic festive dishes – it is dense, dark, full of spice and fruit, and it arrives at the table with ceremony, often flaming dramatically in brandy. Its origins go back to medieval “plum pottage” which was a hearty mixture of meat, dried fruit and spices served at feasts, but over the centuries, the meat vanished, the fruit increased and the recipe slowly evolved into the sweet, rich pudding we know today. What keeps the tradition alive is not just the taste, but the ritual: families gather on Stir-Up Sunday to mix the ingredients, each person taking a turn to stir clockwise and make a wish. Coins or charms are sometimes hidden inside, meant to bring luck to whoever finds them (as long as they don’t break a tooth).
Come rain, frost or a determined gale, everyone goes for a long walk on 26 December. The purpose is fresh air, guilt management and making space for leftovers. Dogs consider it the highlight of their holiday.
Scotland treats New Year with the same enthusiasm that England reserves for Christmas and the result is a season of symbolism, warmth and impressive stamina.
Fireworks, music, ceilidhs and crowds that stay cheerful in freezing temperatures mean that Hogmanay is not just an evening, it is an experience.
In Edinburgh, the celebrations begin long before the 31st with the famous torchlight procession winding through the city, thousands of people carrying flames through historic streets that glow with fire and tradition. The entire city becomes a stage set, with crowds singing, hugging and dancing in streets that should, by all logic, be too cold for any of those activities.. Hogmanay here is not simply the turning of the year, it is a declaration of optimism, community and collective stamina.
This tradition has deep roots in Scottish folklore, in fact it dates back to ancient Celtic and Viking customs that viewed the threshold of the home as a powerful, symbolic boundary. The characteristics of the first visitor were believed to influence the household’s luck for the year ahead and dark hair became particularly favourable after Viking times, when the sudden arrival of fair-haired strangers at your door rarely boded well! Today, the tradition is embraced with far more warmth (and far less danger), but the symbolism endures. The first-footer brings prosperity, comfort and good cheer, making it one of Scotland’s most enduring and charming New Year rituals.
Scotland’s tradition of plunging into the freezing North Sea on New Year’s Day is legendary - it is bold, bracing and undeniably questionable. What surprises us most is that Lorri Lowe, our UK Managing Partner, has done the Loony Dook many times. Not once, not “just to see what it’s like”, but many times. Given that Lorri is known across Friisberg for her stilettos, designer outfits and long hair, the idea of her voluntarily entering the North Sea feels almost folkloric in itself. This is a woman who will quite happily take a taxi to avoid a walk in the rain, yet has repeatedly marched into icy water. The contradiction is, somehow, entirely on brand.
Throughout December, beautifully presented shortbread appears in offices, homes and unexpected places. It is more than a biscuit, it is a cultural expression of warmth, generosity and a deep respect for proper baking. Shortbread’s status in Scotland runs deep with its origins dating back to medieval oat-and-butter biscuits that later evolved into the rich, crumbly recipe we recognise today. Because butter and sugar were once expensive luxury ingredients, shortbread became a celebration food, baked only for Christmas, Hogmanay and weddings. The tradition endured so offering shortbread is still seen as a gesture of hospitality and good fortune - it is, quite literally, Scotland’s way of sharing sweetness and prosperity.
When Friisberg hosted its conference in Edinburgh earlier this year, the team experienced Scottish tradition first-hand. The ‘piping in’ set the tone instantly, and the ceilidh that followed became an unforgettable highlight - watching colleagues attempt reels with varying levels of rhythm and enthusiasm proved once again that Scotland knows exactly how to bring people together. The atmosphere was warm, joyful and every bit as spirited as the culture it represents.
We wish our Friisberg colleagues and clients a season filled with warmth, reflection and exactly the right balance of crackers, ceilidhs and cold-water bravery.
The holiday season is a time when cultures shine brightest, revealing the rituals, flavours, and customs that bring people together. At Friisberg, we are proud to have 32 offices across 22 countries. Each deeply rooted in local traditions and rich cultural heritage. This global presence gives us more than just geographic reach; it gives us local insight that brings meaningful value to our clients.
This year, we’re excited to launch the Friisberg Holiday Series, where we ask our colleagues around the world to share the traditions that make the season special in their countries. From festive foods and family rituals to symbols of hope, generosity, and togetherness, these stories offer a window into the diverse ways people celebrate this magical time of year. Hanna Kuntsi from our Finnish team even describes Santa as "The CEO of all our dreams!".
Just as Poland’s Christmas Eve traditions highlight hospitality, unity, and inclusion - setting an extra place for a stranger, sharing the opłatek wafer, and gathering around a table prepared with care - each of our offices brings unique customs that reflect the values at the heart of Friisberg: connection, empathy, and community.
Join us as we travel from country to country, discovering how our global teams celebrate the season and how these traditions inspire the way we work, lead, and collaborate.
We are starting the series with Nevena Nikolova Friisberg Partner and Group CFO who is based in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Across Bulgaria, winter has long been a season shaped not only by cold and darkness but also by traditions that bring warmth, protection and connection. Some of these customs remain central to holiday celebrations, while others are kept alive mainly in smaller communities or remembered fondly as part of Bulgaria’s cultural heritage. Together, they reveal a deep understanding of how people stay energised during the darkest months: through meaning, togetherness and shared light.
Budni Vecher, the Christmas Eve ritual supper, is one of the season’s most symbolic gatherings. Families prepare a vegetarian meal with an odd number of dishes, each carrying its own meaning. Walnuts are placed on the table for fortune-telling, incense is burned to cleanse the home and the ceremonial badnik log is kept alight through the night to bring warmth and blessings. It is a quiet, reflective moment rooted in hope.
The Koledari, Bulgaria’s Christmas carollers, once travelled from house to house before sunrise on Christmas Day. Groups of young men sang ritual songs that promised health, prosperity and protection from misfortune. Although less common today, the tradition remains one of Bulgaria’s most powerful winter customs and symbolises the triumph of light and community over darkness.
Survakane, the joyful New Year’s blessing, remains widely practised. On New Year’s morning, children gently tap adults on the back with decorated cornel-branch sticks, called survachki, while reciting blessings for abundance and good health. Homes are filled with laughter and optimism, and the exchange becomes a cheerful transfer of positive energy from one generation to the next.
Baba Marta, the celebration of 1 March, marks the symbolic end of winter’s heavy months. Although not a mid-winter tradition, the giving of red-and-white martenitsi (small piece of adornment made of red and white yarn) is closely tied to the psychological shift out of darkness. These simple threads carry enormous emotional significance, acting as wearable reminders that brighter days are returning.
Kukeri rituals, elaborately costumed Bulgarian men, who perform traditional rituals intended to scare away evil spirits., held from mid-winter into early spring, bring colour, movement and noise to villages across the country. Elaborate masks, heavy bells and energetic dancing are used to scare away evil spirits and awaken new life. While often celebrated in festival form in cities, the villages that preserve the tradition experience it as an intense, communal release of energy.
Light and fire play a central role in restoring hope during the darkest weeks of the year. Whether from the burning badnik log or the flaming torches of the Kukeri dancers, fire symbolises purification, safety and the shared ability of a community to “bring back the light”.
Communal movement and visiting also reinforce the feeling of belonging. The songs of the Koledari and the lively steps of Kukeri dancers rely on participation and presence. These customs spread positive energy through physical closeness and collective action.
Food plays an important symbolic role too. The dishes prepared for Christmas Eve, such as grains, beans, nuts, honey and the traditional pita with a hidden coin, represent nourishment, continuity, health and luck. These foods offer reassurance at a time of year traditionally marked by scarcity.
The dramatic masks, loud bells and vigorous movements of the Kukeri are designed to drive away negativity and awaken life forces. The result is a powerful emotional release that lifts communities during the heaviest part of winter.
Finally, martenitsi provide a simple but powerful reminder of resilience and renewal. The red-and-white threads symbolise the return of warmth and the gradual reawakening of nature, offering hope even before spring fully arrives.
Bulgarian winter customs show that resilience grows through meaning rather than endurance alone. Leaders can draw on this insight by creating shared rituals, such as regular reflections or symbolic moments of recognition, to support their teams through demanding periods.
Community is another essential source of strength. Just as the Koledari and Kukeri thrive through participation, teams flourish when there is a sense of belonging. Encouraging shared experiences helps people feel supported and energised.
Small symbolic gestures can also have significant emotional impact. The hidden coin in the Christmas bread or the exchange of martenitsi demonstrates how simple actions can create moments of joy. Leaders can provide similar experiences by celebrating small milestones, offering personal encouragement or establishing weekly team rituals.
Finally, these traditions show the importance of leadership that brings light to challenging circumstances. People need clear markers of hope, progress and possibility. Leaders who highlight the positives and illuminate the path ahead help their teams remain motivated even when the environment feels difficult.
Find out more about our Bulgarian team here: Sofia Office - Friisberg & Partners International
When Friisberg supports clients in acquiring Turkish businesses, or when we audit management teams as part of integration or executive search processes, one question arises repeatedly, “What defines Turkish business culture?”
Externally, Turkey is often viewed as a uniform system. Its business environment includes both locally owned, often founder- or family-led organisations and multinational corporations that operate according to their own global cultures.
This mix is shaped by historical traditions, European economic integration, and one of the youngest workforces in Europe. These elements create a commercial landscape that is relationship-driven, fast-moving, entrepreneurial, and highly adaptive. The experience varies depending on the type of company involved.
Below, Kıvanç Ersöz, from our office in Istanbul, shares the cultural insights international leaders most often encounter.
Many Turkish companies, especially local ones, maintain clear hierarchies. Seniority and titles are respected, and leaders are expected to be visible, decisive, and protective of their teams. Leadership is also personal - managers are expected to show genuine interest in employees' wellbeing, and a distant or overly formal manager is usually seen as disconnected.
Important distinction:
Local companies often revolve around a central "boss" figure whereas multinational companies follow global processes, policies, and leadership structures which usually override local habits.
In Turkey, trust comes before business. Meetings often begin with personal conversation about family, background, or mutual contacts, so what may seem unrelated to foreign visitors is often an essential step in building rapport. Once trust is established, cooperation tends to move quickly and with strong commitment.
In multinational firms, global procedures and governance frameworks reduce, though do not remove, the emphasis on personal rapport.
Communication is often indirect. Instead of saying “no” directly, people may say “Let’s think about it,” or “It might be difficult,” which typically signals disagreement or the need for alignment. Emotions are expressed openly, but usually in a way that preserves group harmony.
Flexibility is also a distinctive strength. Economic shifts and an entrepreneurial environment have made Turkish professionals highly adaptable and quick in their responses.
Local companies often rely on strong, centralised leadership. Decisions can be very quick, and priorities may change rapidly. In multinational organisations, global structures and governance rules lead to a more systematic approach, and while this can feel slower, it provides consistency and alignment across regions.
Because of these differences, leaders entering the Turkish market should understand the type of organisation they are joining. Moving from a multinational culture to a local, boss-driven environment can be challenging, particularly for executives used to structured processes. Expats working inside multinationals typically adjust more easily since they remain in a familiar corporate culture.
Extended availability is common in many local firms, and responsiveness outside standard working hours is often seen as a sign of commitment. Younger professionals, especially in multinationals and the technology sector, increasingly push for more balance and flexible working models.
Team cohesion is valued. Colleagues often socialise together, and personal and professional relationships overlap, so once trust forms, loyalty to leaders and organisations can be very strong.
Foreign investors and integration teams often find indirect communication, the emphasis on personal relationships, and rapid changes in priorities challenging. Centralised decision-making and expressive discussions can also feel unfamiliar.
At the same time, many of these characteristics turn out to be advantages. Turkish organisations often excel in adaptability, entrepreneurial thinking, commitment once trust is established, and speed of execution. The country also benefits from a young, educated, and ambitious workforce, with more than half the population under 45.
At Friisberg, we support leaders navigating cross-border complexity through management audits, executive search, integration projects, and cultural alignment work. We help foreign investors understand both local and multinational norms, support Turkish leaders entering global corporate environments, and guide executives as they move between these very different systems.
In a market where trust, agility, and relationships strongly influence performance, cultural intelligence is a strategic advantage.
These insights describe general tendencies observed in professional settings. Every leader and organisation is unique. Our aim is to highlight patterns that international executives may encounter in Turkey and to show how Friisberg helps clients navigate these differences with clarity and respect.
Lithuania’s business culture continues to evolve at high speed, shaped by three decades of transformation, global integration, and the rise of new growth sectors. Through our work across Friisberg’s Lithuanian office, and in comparison, with other markets, we observe a culture that blends ambition, adaptability, and a growing international mindset.
While generational differences remain visible, the overall direction is clear: Lithuania is moving from hierarchical to collaborative, from cautious to opportunity driven, and from local to global in both expectations and capability.
Leaders in Lithuania share a strong sense of responsibility, discipline, and performance orientation. Younger leaders, many educated or trained internationally, tend to favour agile, participative, and innovation-driven approaches. In contrast, older or more traditional sectors retain elements of hierarchy, predictability, and controlled risk-taking.
The startup ecosystem, now complemented by thriving sectors beyond fintech and shared services (including deep tech, cybersecurity, manufacturing modernisation, and life sciences), is accelerating a widespread shift towards speed, experimentation, and global ambition. Today’s emerging leaders are fast, motivated, highly educated, and ready to take bold steps to scale businesses internationally.
Communication in Lithuania is typically direct, efficient, and task-focused. Small talk plays a role but remains secondary to purpose and written communication is valued for clarity and accountability.
Silence appears in interactions, reflecting a slightly Northern reserve and comfort with pauses, but it is not strong enough to be regarded as a defining cultural trait. Increasingly, we observe more open dialogue, constructive challenge, and cross-functional collaboration, especially in modern or internationally oriented environments.
Despite this openness, the results orientation remains pronounced: many professionals hold themselves and others to high standards, sometimes leaning more towards challenge than support.
In Lithuanian companies, decision-making is pragmatic, analytical, and notably fast. Teams prepare responsibly, gathering data and assessing feasibility, but it is the speed and decisiveness after alignment that truly stand out. Once direction is clear, execution moves quickly and iteratively.
This combination of responsible preparation followed by rapid action creates a strong 'doer' culture. People take initiative, focus on outcomes, and push for high-quality delivery.
Generational contrasts persist, with traditional environments valuing predictability and formality, but across sectors we observe a consistent ambition and readiness to take on greater responsibility.
Ambition in Lithuania is confident and outward looking. The talent pool is digitally fluent, internationally exposed, and eager to outperform expectations. A growing number of businesses, from tech scale-ups to modernised industrial companies, are targeting global markets and competing successfully.
Lithuanians usually separate professional and personal spheres more clearly than many Southern or Eastern European cultures. Professional relationships start formally and remain task-oriented and once trust develops, relationships become warm, loyal, and long term.
From Friisberg’s vantage point, Lithuania exemplifies a culture in transition:
This blend of cultural layers can create friction, but it also fosters resilience, flexibility, and sustained growth. In a small and highly adaptable country, businesses and leaders evolve quickly.
I often reflect on how much the world has changed since I started working as a head-hunter more than 25 years ago. One thing, however, has never changed: when someone is looking for a new role, it is not just a process it is a very personal, emotionally charged period. I meet candidates who are excited, others who are tired, disappointed, or even rethinking their entire career, and they all ask the same question: What should I do now, in this new world shaped by AI?
I penned some thoughts below for those who are seeking direction amid this uncertainty and who want to position themselves consciously and intelligently in the future labour market.
For job-seekers, one of the most important realisations may be that industry boundaries are blurring much faster than role categories are crystallising. In my view, instead of focusing solely on traditional career paths, it is worth seeking roles that connect different domains & positions that combine human judgement with AI capabilities, or that serve as a bridge between technical systems and business needs.
If you are looking for a new role, considering a career change, or want to grow in your current or a new workplace, I suggest:
Don’t simply list what you have done so far; emphasise how you learn, how you solve problems, and how you work with new systems. Employers increasingly value people who can navigate uncertainty and integrate new tools into existing workflows. In fact, how you handled the last major change at your workplace may matter far more than your proficiency with any one piece of software.
Every organisation introducing AI faces the same challenge: how to make sophisticated technology work within a messy, human system. Look for positions and responsibilities related to management, training, or process optimisation within AI-adopting companies, and even in those where AI is not yet an integral part of operations. These roles often do not require deep technical knowledge, but they do require people who understand how organisations function when theory meets practice.
While tech hubs get most of the spotlight, every sector needs people who can bridge the gap between AI capabilities and local implementation. For example, healthcare needs professionals who understand both patient care and data analytics, and manufacturing plants need operators who can work alongside automated systems. Often, the combination of your existing industry knowledge and basic AI literacy creates far more opportunities than starting from scratch in an entirely new field.
At Friisberg, beyond ensuring client satisfaction, we place huge importance on the candidate experience throughout the search process. Every one of our consultants pays close attention to the Candidate Journey.
One aspect that has always mattered deeply to me at Friisberg is the experience we create for candidates. Behind every search is a person making an important life decision, and our team never loses sight of that. I’m grateful for consultants who treat every Candidate Journey with thoughtfulness and care.
