Delhi at a Glance
Working in Delhi
iStockphotoCommercial developments in Delhi are becoming a threat to street vendors.
Given New Delhi’s status as the nation’s capital, the public sector used to be the main employer for white-collar staff working in Delhi. The large number of Indian government officials working in Delhi is met by an equally numerous foreign diplomatic corps. In addition, Delhi is home to various international organizations, which employ a significant share of all foreigners working in Delhi. Most regional offices of the UN in India, for example, can be found in Delhi.
However, the importance of the public sector in terms of the local economy has declined in favor of a constantly expanding service sector. One of the reasons for this development has been the large pool of skilled English-speaking laborers working in Delhi. The availability of a large skilled workforce is now attracting many multinational companies to Delhi, which in turn results in growing numbers of expats working in Delhi.
Working in Delhi: Local Economy
People working in Delhi’s tertiary sector contribute about 71 % of the State Domestic Product calculated for the National Capital Territory of Delhi. The key service industries providing employment to people working in Delhi are IT, telecommunications, hotels, banking, media and tourism. Primary sector contributions are around 3.85 %. Those working in Delhi benefit from a high per capita income, which is reflected in the relatively high cost of living as compared to the rest of India.
The large consumer market, combined with vast reserves of skilled laborers working in Delhi, increasingly attracts foreign investment. Delhi is home to many commercial centers, and the fast-growing organized retail industry is partly responsible for skyrocketing property and land prices. Laborers working in Delhi’s traditional retail trading system have suffered from this development.
Working in Delhi: Business Etiquette
Expats working in Delhi need at least a basic understanding of Indian culture if they want to be successful. Business etiquette is no rocket science, but foreigners who fail to acknowledge its importance completely are unlikely to achieve the best possible results while working in Delhi. Below are a few basic rules every expat working in Delhi should observe:
First of all, foreigners working in Delhi need to be aware that social structures within Indian companies are likely to reflect those within Indian society as a whole. The legacy of the caste system becomes apparent in strictly observed and unquestioned hierarchies in the work place. This is less true if you’re working in Delhi’s emerging IT and services sector, but more so in traditional Indian companies.
Hierarchies are not only formal structures; they also translate into trivial daily routines. For example, as an expat in a top position working in Delhi, you should avoid performing any menial tasks such as making coffee or even moving chairs. Always give clear instructions to your subordinates, as they may not be used to interpret vague guidelines or to be rewarded for showing initiative.
When working in Delhi, you will soon discover that gift giving is an important part of the local business culture. Gifts needn’t be expensive, but always choose them with the recipient in mind, i.e. no leather products for Hindus, no alcohol for Muslims, etc.
Working in Delhi: Conversation Styles
One thing is particularly important to remember when working in Delhi: Never expect a straight “no” in reply to a question or request. Or, to put it the other way round, don’t automatically assume that an affirmative answer means “yes”. Evasiveness and a lack of commitment are all you’ll get by way of disagreement or refusal.
So, if you hear someone say “this is possible”, or “we’ll see what we can do”, don’t get your hopes up too high. Of course, this also works vice versa: Try to avoid causing an affront by being too direct with your business partners while working in Delhi.
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