Colleagues and Cakes

In order to survive in an office environment you must play by its rules. Some are obvious others aren’t. To master German office politics you should know the cake rule.

Yes, cakes are key. In Germany there is the cake rule and you better know about it. There is one fundamental difference between Germany and the rest of the world when it comes to birthdays in the office. There is some sort of global understanding that your colleagues organise a cake and show up at your place. The Germans have a different approach. In Germany you are expected to bake a cake for your birthday and share it with all your colleagues. If you’re lucky you might get a birthday card in return. Please send an email to the whole team; otherwise they won’t remember that it’s your big day. E-mail is the medium of choice. This ensures you reach all those you never talk to during the year.

There are other occasions when you should bring a cake. You start your career with a cake. Joining the team you welcome everybody with a cake. This “Einstand” is highly recommendable. It is a rare chance to have a bit of small talk with your team mates. You also should bring along a cake when you get married, while a divorce is still for free. Child birth also calls for a cake. It goes without saying that when leaving the team they expect some cake that helps them coping with loss and sorrow.

Note that the prime reason they visit your office is the cake (or was it the occasion you celebrate?). Many of your treasured colleagues won’t be bothered to eat it in your presence. Some might while others will be just “too busy” and take a bit junk of your cake and eat it at their desks. Don’t take this personal! The idea was to distribute cake and no merry gathering just because you have a reason to celebrate and went through all the trouble to cater food for thirty people. 

By the way: don’t be tempted to bring deep-frozen stuff. This is frowned upon and you can be sure that they’ll spot it. Bake your own one or better two or three. If your county’s cuisine is regarded as exotic please don’t be troubled to show them all its riches. Some will not appreciate this sort of treat and show it rather openly. Be aware that colleagues appear to not have eaten for days and happily eat two or three pieces. If it’s not enough for all the gluttons won’t have the blame. Stingy you!

However, look at the bright side: Germans love to separate their private from professional life. So your cake might be the perfect bait to lure them into small talk and to a conversation on a different level. Besides, apart from all these oddities birthdays in the office can still be really nice.