„war immer um ein gutes Arbeitsklima besorgt“
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)
“...was always concerned about a good working atmosphere...”
What Swiss HR actually reads
Swiss HR understands this phrase to mean that the employee disrupted the workplace atmosphere through gossip, intrigue, or inappropriate behaviour (grade 4.0 on the Swiss 1-6 scale).
Hidden rating
Sufficient (Grade 4.0)
German rating: Genügend (Note 4.0)
What it means in detail
Under the principle of goodwill (art. 330a CO), Swiss employment references often rephrase disruptive conduct as mere "concern" for workplace harmony. Emphasizing effort ("concerned about") rather than actual positive contribution signals that the outcome was negative. This constitutes a coded warning to future employers about the person's interpersonal conduct.
How to fix it
It is recommended to object in writing and request replacing the phrase with an unambiguously 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 4.0)
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
- war stets um ein gutes Verhältnis zu den Kollegen besorgtWeak / Unsatisfactory (grade 3.0)3.0
- immer einwandfreiSatisfactory (Grade 4.5)4.5
- stets um ein gutes Einvernehmen mit den Kolleginnen und Kollegen bemühtInsufficient (Grade 3.5)3.5
- Das Verhalten gegenüber den Mitarbeitenden und externen Partnern war stets korrektSufficient (grade 4.0)4.0
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 „war immer um ein gutes Arbeitsklima besorgt“