„Verhalten gegenüber Kollegen war stets einwandfrei“
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)
“...behavior towards colleagues was always faultless...”
What Swiss HR actually reads
Behavior towards superiors is deliberately omitted, signaling issues with authority and hierarchy.
Hidden rating
Sufficient (grade 4.5)
German rating: Befriedigend (Note 4.5)
What it means in detail
Under Swiss employment law (art. 330a CO), employers often encode critical feedback due to the principle of goodwill. By explicitly mentioning colleagues while omitting managers, Swiss HR understands that there were conflict or compliance issues with superiors. This phrase represents a satisfactory grade 4.5 on the Swiss 1-6 scale.
How to fix it
To upgrade this to a top evaluation, the phrase can be strengthened by adding 'stets' or changing it to an overall excellent rating.
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“.
Hidden criticism detected (grade 4.5)
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 Kollegen und Kunden war stets einwandfreiSatisfactory (grade 4.5)4.5
- Verhalten gegenüber Kollegen und Kunden war stets einwandfreiSatisfactory (grade 4.5)4.5
- Verhalten gegenüber Kollegen und Vorgesetzten war stets einwandfreiSatisfactory (grade 4.5)4.5
- Verhalten gegenüber Vorgesetzten und Kollegen 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 „Verhalten gegenüber Kollegen war stets einwandfrei“