"Sein/Ihr Verhalten gegenüber Kollegen und Vorgesetzten war stets einwandfrei"
Category: Behavior
Meaning
Conduct with a warning sign. The wording ('impeccable') corresponds on its own to grade 3, but the unconventional order (colleagues named before superiors) is regarded as a hint of problems with management and pulls the rating down.
A nearby wording to compare
Compare this with "Sein/Ihr Verhalten zu Vorgesetzten, Mitarbeitern, Arbeitskollegen und Kunden war stets sehr vorbildlich", assessed as Swiss grade 1 rather than 3. The change in wording illustrates why modifiers and sentence structure matter.
"Sein/Ihr Verhalten zu Vorgesetzten, Mitarbeitern, Arbeitskollegen und Kunden war stets sehr vorbildlich"Hidden Meaning
The reversed order -- colleagues before superiors -- suggests a strained relationship with management.
Switzerland vs. Germany
This phrase is rated grade 3 (sufficient) in Switzerland, and grade 4 (adequate) 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
- "verhielt sich gegenüber Mitarbeitern und Vorgesetzten einwandfrei"
Sources
- rueden.de Arbeitsrecht
- Computerwoche / Weuster & Scheer
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
FLAG: Based on the order convention (ZC-RULE-002). The LAG Hamm held that the significance of the order may not be automatically assumed -- communicate as a hint, not as proof.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "Sein/Ihr Verhalten gegenüber Kollegen und Vorgesetzten war stets einwandfrei" mean in a work reference? +
Conduct with a warning sign. The wording ('impeccable') corresponds on its own to grade 3, but the unconventional order (colleagues named before superiors) is regarded as a hint of problems with management and pulls the rating down. Hidden Meaning: The reversed order -- colleagues before superiors -- suggests a strained relationship with management.
What grade does "Sein/Ihr Verhalten gegenüber Kollegen und Vorgesetzten war stets einwandfrei" correspond to in Switzerland? +
In Switzerland, this phrase corresponds to grade 3 (sufficient). In Germany, it corresponds to grade 4 (adequate).
What does "verhielt sich gegenüber Mitarbeitern und Vorgesetzten einwandfrei" mean in a work reference? +
Conduct with a warning sign. The wording ('impeccable') corresponds on its own to grade 3, but the unconventional order (colleagues named before superiors) is regarded as a hint of problems with management and pulls the rating down. Hidden Meaning: The reversed order -- colleagues before superiors -- suggests a strained relationship with management.