Are you planning on expanding your business to Kuwait? Or are you simply looking to do some business there? Either way, before you do, there are some things you should know about business in Kuwait. Because business flows differently than in the west, you should inform yourself of these differences in order to ensure success. In order to help with this, we have put together a guide to business culture in Kuwait.
Business hours
First things first when it comes to business culture in Kuwait: the workweek starts Sunday and ends Thursday. This means that the weekend in Kuwait is Friday and Saturday, and their work hours usually fall between 8:30 am and 6pm, with an extended lunch break during this time. Additionally, Friday is considered a day of rest, so organizing meetings on Fridays should be avoided, if possible. It should also be noted that work hours are shortened during the holy month of Ramadan, and business should be avoided during the month. So, if you are planning on expanding your company to Kuwait, be sure to give your employees effective business coachingand explain how to do business there.
Language
The official language of Kuwait is Arabic; however, English is also quite common when doing business there. As such, western businessmen should have no issues communicating within business circles in Kuwait. But, learning Arabic would be accepted and widely appreciated by the businessmen in Kuwait. On top of this, all official contracts and documentation will be in Arabic. Copies translated in English can be provided, in case of a dispute, only the Arabic version is considered official and valid. Business aside, knowing Arabic while being there is very useful anyway, as it will help you in your day-to-day life. Also, most Kuwaiti folk will be more inclined to do business with foreigners who know Arabic.
Moving to Kuwait
If you’ve decided to do business in Kuwait, then you should be ready to move there. There are some very important things to know before going through with this. Firstly, you should know what exactly you need to get in order to live and work in Kuwait. Namely, the residency visa and Kuwaiti Civil ID. Do your research ahead of time and prepare yourself for the process of acquiring these documents. After you have the required documentation, it’s time for the actual move. It is always recommended to hire professional and reliable movers to get you settled into Kuwait. It should be noted, however, that overseas moving can get expensive and complicated pretty quickly. As such, experts from Easy Move KWrecommend traveling light. The less you have to move, the less money you have to spend.
Dress code
Next up on the guide to business culture in Kuwait: business dress in Kuwait is conservative. For men: you should wear suits. It is as simple as that. For women, you should cover up as much as possible and avoid close-fitting clothes or otherwise revealing clothes, in order to avoid offending anyone. It should also be noted that foreign women aren’t required to wear a hijab or abaya.
Face
Another big part of business in Kuwait is saving face. Yes, Kuwaiti are generally very hospitable and generous hosts. But they are also astute businessmen and good negotiators. As such, when they can’t do something or aren’t interested in a proposition, they won’t outright deny it. Because of this, it can be difficult to figure out if a business deal will work out or not. However, foreigners have to always be patient and never show anger when dealing with their Kuwaiti business associates. Additionally, if you are planning on developing a brand in Kuwait, you should think if the face of your brand.
Titles
When it comes to business culture in Kuwait, titles and seniority are well respected. You should only ever refer to an associate by name if they invite you to.Business structures in Kuwait are hierarchical, with decisions being made at the top. As such, you will have to be patient while dealing with junior associates first, and slowly work your way to meeting with the decision makers. Alternatively, senior decision makers may be present at these early meetings, but they will choose to let the junior associate lead the conversation without giving their opinions. Business decisions, because of this, will take time, and you will have to be patient throughout this process
Most common business in Kuwait
To put it simply: most of Kuwait’s business is in oil and gas export. If you are looker for smaller investments or the oil and gas sectors are out of reach, Kuwait still has great opportunities for you. You could, instead, choose to export other goods around the world. However, you should be prepared for this. Only rely on reputable shipping companies to export your goods. For example, if you want to transfer goods to UK, you should first do thorough research into the shipping company you plan to hire.
Timing
Another important thing to keep in mind is that meetings can often be interrupted by phone calls or visitors. Also, Muslims pray five times every day. As such, you should be aware of their prayer times if you plan to do business with them. Organizing your meetings with these times in mind will be a requirement. While these kinds of interruptions can cause a lot of frustrations with foreigners, you should keep in mind that impatience is frowned upon. So, courtesy and tolerance should be a priority.
Family
At the heart of everything in Kuwait is family. It’s common to see members of an extended family all work in the same organization. As such, Kuwaiti like to do business with those they trust. As such, high quality marketingand networking can take a while. Especially since it’s considered rude to go straight to business, and getting to know each other as well as small talk are expected at the beginning of every meeting.
Closing thoughts
Kuwait is full of opportunities for anyone looking to start a business, or expand their current one. However, getting used to their business culture can take some time. We hope you found this guide to business culture in Kuwait helpful, and we wish you luck with your endeavors.