Addressing Staff In Azerbaijan: A Guide To Formality And Respect

When addressing staff in Azerbaijan, it is important to consider the cultural norms and traditions of the country. Azerbaijanis tend to be warm and friendly, especially among friends, and they value politeness and respect in social interactions. In terms of greetings, men typically shake hands and exchange a booming smile, while women often greet each other with a kiss on the cheek. It is considered polite to ask about the person's health, family, and business before getting into any conversation. When addressing a woman, use the term khanim, similar to Ms. in English, which does not indicate marital status. For men, common titles include muallim (teacher) or bey (Mr.). Younger people are expected to initiate greetings with older individuals as a sign of respect. Additionally, it is customary to remove your shoes when entering an Azeri home and to bring a small gift as a token of appreciation for the hospitality.

Greeting staff in Azerbaijan: the importance of 'salaam'

Greeting staff in Azerbaijan: the importance of salaam

Greetings are an important part of the culture in Azerbaijan. In fact, it is considered rude to enter a room without greeting people, and children are often reminded of this with the traditional expression, "Where's your hello?". When Azerbaijanis arrive at a party, they greet each person individually, and it is expected that they will say goodbye to each person when leaving, too.

The word used when greeting one another in Azerbaijan is "salaam", which translates to "hello" or "peace". It is considered polite to say this at the beginning of a conversation, and it is also common to ask about the health of the person you are speaking to, as well as their family and business.

When greeting staff in Azerbaijan, it is important to use the person's first name when speaking to them, followed by an appropriate title. For women, use "khanim", which is similar to using "Ms." in English. For men, use "bey", which is similar to "Mr.". It is also important to note that younger people are expected to initiate greetings with older people as a sign of respect.

In addition to the verbal greeting, there are also non-verbal aspects to consider when greeting staff in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijanis use a lot of eye contact when greeting and conversing with each other, and they stand closer together than Westerners. Men will often shake hands when greeting each other, and women may hug and kiss each other once on the left cheek. When greeting a woman, men should wait for her to extend her hand first, and if she does, shake it lightly.

Greetings are an essential part of building relationships and showing respect in Azerbaijan, so it is important to take the time to learn and understand the local customs when addressing staff in this country.

Handshakes and physical greetings

Azerbaijanis tend to be more physically affectionate than Europeans and Americans when greeting each other. They are comfortable with touch, especially between people of the same gender. They kiss, embrace, and naturally place their hands on another person. It is not uncommon to see Azerbaijanis walking down the street hand in hand or arm in arm.

Azerbaijanis are also very generous with their greetings. In most cases, it is considered rude to enter a room without greeting everyone present. This is also true when using mass transportation; it would be considered rude to sit next to a stranger for a long trip without greeting them and striking up a conversation.

Greeting Customs

Azerbaijanis use a lot of eye contact when greeting and conversing with each other. They also stand closer together than Westerners, and uncomfortably close compared to Japanese norms.

Men always shake hands with each other, and it is not reserved only for those they know. If two men are together and they meet a third man that one of them knows, everyone will shake hands, sometimes even before introductions are made. Among close friends or relatives, men embrace and kiss each other, especially if they haven't seen each other in a long time. In the Republic of Azerbaijan, men tend to kiss each other once on the left cheek. In Iran, they kiss each other three times, with their right cheeks touching first.

Women rarely shake hands with one another, and they traditionally reserve handshaking for official ceremonies. However, if a man or woman offers their hand, a woman will shake it. If you do shake the hand of an Azerbaijani woman, it will likely be a very limp handshake. This is because Azerbaijani women are taught to express deference and modesty when shaking hands. In foreign offices, women will quickly adapt to Western practices and offer a firm grip.

In general, men and women in the Republic don't shake hands with each other very often. In urban areas, it does occur, but men usually wait for women to initiate the gesture. Men will shake hands very lightly and gently with women, not aggressively. In rural areas, men are the first to extend their hands to women they have known for a long time.

Greeting Children

When adults greet young children under school age who are family friends or relatives, they stoop down and kiss them gently. At a young age, children learn to reciprocate kisses, and their parents will urge them to do so. After kissing children, adults tend to heap praise and attention on them while stroking their hair.

Greeting Strangers

Azerbaijanis are likely to initiate conversations spontaneously with strangers in taxis, buses, and at public events. However, introductions are more likely to take place at ceremonies, parties, and official or unofficial gatherings. Both men and women initiate introductions, but men are more likely to take the first step. People are usually reticent about telling their names unless asked, except for official purposes. It would be rare to start a conversation with a stranger by asking their name. Instead, some rapport is typically established before names are exchanged. People usually shake hands after telling each other their names.

Greeting Staff

When addressing a person by their first name, follow it with a title. For women, use the word "khanim", as in "Vafa khanim", which is similar to the American term "Ms." in that it does not indicate marital status. For men, use "muallim" (teacher), as in "Fuad Muallim" or "Rauf Muallim", or "bey" for "Mr.", as in "Farid Bey".

When introducing two people to each other, follow these rules to show respect:

• Younger person to older person
• Man to woman
• Relative to a non-relative

Greeting Customs in Iran

In Iran, men and women are not supposed to touch each other in public. They do not even shake hands. But in their homes and at private gatherings, they do kiss and embrace close friends and relatives. In general, women in Iran kiss each other once on the right cheek.

Titles and names: 'hanum' and 'bey'

When addressing staff in Azerbaijan, it is important to understand the local customs and etiquette. The family is the basic social structure in Azerbaijan, and the society is still quite hierarchical. When greeting someone, it is customary for men to shake hands, kiss on the cheek, and say "salaam", which means ""peace" but is used to mean "hello". Women usually hug and kiss each other on the cheek, and may not shake hands with other women, although they are more likely to shake hands with a foreigner. Men should wait for a woman to extend her hand and, if she does, should shake it lightly.

When addressing a woman by her first name, use the title "hanum", which is similar in meaning to "Ms" in that it does not indicate the woman's marital status. For men, the title "bey", which is similar in meaning to "Mr", is used. "Hanum" and "bey" are historical titles in Azerbaijan. During the Soviet period, the use of "bey" was restricted as it usually identified someone of wealth or high social standing, which was counter to socialist ideology. It was replaced by "muallim", meaning "teacher", which is still used today, especially for men who are not teachers by profession. "Hanum", on the other hand, has retained its usage and meaning throughout the century.

When addressing someone you do not know well, use their first name followed by "hanum" or "bey". First names are generally used in social situations if the speakers are of similar ages. Younger people always initiate greetings with older people.

Greeting staff in a business setting

Greeting Etiquette

Azeri people are known for their warmth and friendliness, especially among friends. When greeting staff in a business setting, it is common for men to shake hands with each other and exchange a booming smile. Women tend to greet each other with a kiss on one cheek, but if they are not familiar with each other, a handshake is also appropriate. It is important to note that men should not extend their hand to a woman first; instead, wait for the woman to initiate the handshake. However, if the woman is religious, she may not offer her hand at all. When shaking hands with an Azerbaijani woman, be prepared for a limp handshake, which is a way to express deference and modesty.

Verbal Greetings

The verbal greeting "salaam" or "salam," which translates to "hello" or "peace," is commonly used in Azerbaijan. It is considered polite to say this at the beginning of a conversation. Additionally, it is customary to ask about the person's health, family, and business before delving into other topics. When addressing someone by their name, it is customary to follow it with a title. For women, use "khanim," similar to "Ms." in English, which does not indicate marital status. For men, common titles include "muallim" (teacher) or "bey" (Mr.).

Non-Verbal Greetings

Azerbaijanis tend to be more demonstrative with their hand gestures and displays of affection compared to Europeans and Americans. They often kiss, embrace, and naturally place their hands on another person when greeting. Eye contact is also important during greetings, and they tend to stand closer together than Westerners.

Age and Status Considerations

In Azerbaijan, younger people are expected to initiate greetings to older people as a sign of respect. When introducing people, follow the order of younger to older, man to woman, and relative to non-relative. Additionally, it is customary to mention any official titles or positions of the person being introduced to show respect.

Gift-Giving

When invited to an Azerbaijani colleague's home, it is considered polite to bring a small gift as a token of appreciation. Avoid giving alcohol unless you know the person drinks, and always give an odd number of flowers, as even numbers are reserved for funerals. It is also customary to refuse a gift at least twice before accepting it, as this is seen as a polite gesture.

Eye contact and body language

Eye Contact

Azerbaijanis use a lot of eye contact when they greet and converse with each other. Strong eye contact indicates sincerity and trust, especially in business contexts. However, it is important to note that there are certain situations where avoiding direct eye contact is considered respectful and observant of the partition between genders. For example, males and females are expected to lower their gaze and avoid sustained eye contact with each other. Similarly, younger people may also lower their gaze when speaking to elders as a sign of respect.

Personal Space

Azerbaijanis tend to stand closer together when conversing, which may feel uncomfortably close to people from cultures with larger personal space bubbles, such as Westerners or Japanese people. This proximity facilitates the use of hand gestures and physical touch during conversations, which are common in Azerbaijani culture.

Physical Touch

Physical touch is an important aspect of Azerbaijani communication, especially between people of the same gender. It is not unusual to see Azerbaijanis walking down the street hand in hand or arm in arm, and they may easily and naturally place their hands on another person. Men are always shaking hands, even with strangers, and they may embrace and kiss each other on the cheek if they are close friends or relatives. Women rarely shake hands with each other, reserving this gesture for official ceremonies. When men and women are introduced, they may shake hands, but men usually wait for women to initiate the gesture, and the handshake should be very light and gentle.

Greetings

Greetings are an important aspect of Azerbaijani culture, and it is considered rude to enter a room without greeting the people present. Azerbaijanis tend to shower their "hellos" more generously than Westerners, and they may greet people they encounter in their daily lives, such as taxi drivers, waiters, or store clerks. At parties, guests usually greet each other individually upon arrival, and it is common to rise when newcomers enter the room to facilitate the greetings. When leaving, everyone is expected to reverse the process and say goodbye personally. On mass transportation, it is considered rude to sit next to a stranger without greeting them and striking up a conversation.

Frequently asked questions