„Verhalten gegenüber Kollegen war kollegial“
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)
“...behaviour towards colleagues was collegial...”
What Swiss HR actually reads
The omission of superiors points to authority issues, while 'collegial' is weaker than 'exemplary' (grade 5 on the Swiss 1-6 scale).
Hidden rating
Good (Grade 5.0)
German rating: Gut (Note 5.0)
What it means in detail
By omitting any reference to superiors, the employer relies on coded language to signal friction with leadership. Additionally, describing conduct as merely "collegial" rather than "flawless" or "exemplary" reduces the strength of the assessment. Under art. 330a CO, this yields a good but flawed evaluation (grade 5.0).
How to fix it
To upgrade to the top grade (6.0), the wording can be strengthened, for example by inserting "stets" or "jederzeit hervorragend".
Suggested wording (German, for your HR department)
Zur Aufwertung auf die Bestnote (6.0) kann die Formulierung verstärkt werden, z.B. durch Einfügen von „stets“ oder „jederzeit hervorragend“.
One good phrase ≠ a good certificate
Swiss employers often hide weaknesses elsewhere – in the conduct section, in the closing statement or through omissions (“telling silence”). Check whether the rest of your letter keeps up.
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
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Check your whole certificate freeRead this entry in German: Bedeutung von „Verhalten gegenüber Kollegen war kollegial“