„gegenüber den Arbeitskollegen war stets tadellos“
What this German phrase in your Swiss Arbeitszeugnis (employment reference letter) really says about you – and which grade it hides.
Literal translation vs. real meaning
Literal translation (what DeepL tells you)
“...towards work colleagues was always faultless...”
What Swiss HR actually reads
Swiss HR notes the missing mention of superiors, which points to underlying issues with authority (grade 3.5 on the Swiss 1-6 scale).
Hidden rating
Insufficient (grade 3.5)
German rating: Ungenügend (Note 3.5)
What it means in detail
Standard reference practice in Switzerland evaluates conduct towards both managers and peers. Restricting praise strictly to work colleagues flags friction with management through omission. Under art. 330a CO, this selective framing serves as a coded warning to future employers.
How to fix it
It is recommended to lodge a written objection and ask to replace this phrase with a standard, overall positive clause.
Suggested wording (German, for your HR department)
Es wird empfohlen, beim Arbeitgeber schriftlich Einsprache zu erheben und die Ersetzung der Formulierung durch eine klar positive Leistungsklausel (z.B. „erledigte die Aufgaben stets zu unserer vollen Zufriedenheit“) zu verlangen.
Hidden criticism detected (grade 3.5)
Under Art. 330a of the Swiss Code of Obligations (OR), a reference letter must be true but benevolent. Coded downgrades rarely come alone – the same letter often contains further codes or omissions.
Check your whole certificate freeTelling silence & social conduct
Verwaltungsgericht ZH VB.2019.00365 vom 9. Mai 2020, E. 2.4
The Administrative Court of the Canton of Zurich describes the practice of “telling silence” (beredtes Schweigen): if a quality that would normally be mentioned is left out, the reader concludes that it is missing. Leaving out one group of people when describing conduct (e.g. superiors) is generally read as a hint at negative behaviour.
Read the full decision (German)„Darunter gehört, wenn etwa bei der Verhaltensbeurteilung nur das Verhalten zu Mitarbeitern und Kunden erwähnt wird, nicht aber jenes zu Vorgesetzten.“
Unofficial translation: “This includes, for example, a conduct assessment that mentions behaviour towards co-workers and customers, but not towards superiors.”
Related phrases
- Verhalten gegenüber den Arbeitskollegen war stets kameradschaftlichWeak / Deficient (Grade 3.0)3.0
- Verhalten gegenüber den Arbeitskollegen war stets korrektSufficient (grade 4.0)4.0
- Verhalten gegenüber den Bewohnern und den Arbeitskollegen war stets einwandfreiSatisfactory (grade 4.5)4.5
- Verhalten gegenüber Vorgesetzten und Arbeitskollegen war stets einwandfreiSatisfactory (grade 4.5)4.5
Decode your entire reference letter
Upload your Arbeitszeugnis and get your overall Swiss grade, the number of issues found and a short legal assessment – explained in English.
Check your whole certificate freeRead this entry in German: Bedeutung von „gegenüber den Arbeitskollegen war stets tadellos“