"Sein Engagement entsprach nicht immer unseren Erwartungen"
Category: Motivation
Meaning
Work motivation poor. The negation ('not always') and the admission of disappointed expectations signal markedly below-average engagement -- the bottom end of the motivation scale.
A nearby wording to compare
Compare this with "zeigte stets ein sehr hohes Maß an Eigeninitiative und Leistungsbereitschaft", assessed as Swiss grade 1 rather than 4. The change in wording illustrates why modifiers and sentence structure matter.
"zeigte stets ein sehr hohes Maß an Eigeninitiative und Leistungsbereitschaft"Hidden Meaning
Open downgrade of commitment -- the engagement was repeatedly inadequate.
Switzerland vs. Germany
This phrase is rated grade 4 (unsatisfactory) in Switzerland, and grade 5 (poor) in Germany. In Switzerland, this phrase is rated better than in Germany.
Background: In Switzerland, "good" is the norm qualification (Labour Court Zurich), while in Germany, "satisfactory" (grade 3) is the statistical average (BAG 18.11.2014, 9 AZR 584/13).
Variants
- "seine Einsatzbereitschaft ließ zeitweise zu wünschen übrig"
Sources
- arbeitszeugnis.de Notenskala
- Haufe Zeugnissprache
Swiss employment-reference context
Swiss guidance says a full work reference should clearly cover duties, performance, and behavior, and that ambiguous coded messages are not permitted. The decoder explains common interpretations but cannot determine whether a specific reference is legally valid.
Read SECO's official work-reference FAQNote
Completes the lower end of the motivation scale (cf. ZC-MOT-001 to ZC-MOT-005). FLAG: Wording variable; an openly negative engagement statement is rare and should be read in the overall context.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "Sein Engagement entsprach nicht immer unseren Erwartungen" mean in a work reference? +
Work motivation poor. The negation ('not always') and the admission of disappointed expectations signal markedly below-average engagement -- the bottom end of the motivation scale. Hidden Meaning: Open downgrade of commitment -- the engagement was repeatedly inadequate.
What grade does "Sein Engagement entsprach nicht immer unseren Erwartungen" correspond to in Switzerland? +
In Switzerland, this phrase corresponds to grade 4 (unsatisfactory). In Germany, it corresponds to grade 5 (poor).
What does "seine Einsatzbereitschaft ließ zeitweise zu wünschen übrig" mean in a work reference? +
Work motivation poor. The negation ('not always') and the admission of disappointed expectations signal markedly below-average engagement -- the bottom end of the motivation scale. Hidden Meaning: Open downgrade of commitment -- the engagement was repeatedly inadequate.