„zeigte stets grosses Verständnis für die Belange seiner Mitarbeitenden“
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)
“...always showed great understanding for the concerns of his employees...”
What Swiss HR actually reads
This signals a lack of assertiveness and leadership capability, describing a overly passive manager who could not enforce standards, corresponding to a 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
In a Swiss reference, framing a manager primarily as understanding towards staff implies an inability to lead effectively or achieve targets. Due to the principle of goodwill under art. 330a CO, employers use such coded phrases to mask leadership deficiencies. Swiss HR interprets this as an unsatisfactory rating for a management position.
How to fix it
It is recommended to lodge a written objection with the employer and request that the phrase be replaced with a clearly positive performance clause such as "erledigte die Aufgaben stets zu unserer vollen Zufriedenheit".
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
- zeigte stets grosses Verständnis für die Belange der MitarbeitendenInsufficient (grade 3.5)3.5
- stets gewissenhaft und pflichtbewusstSufficient (grade 4.0)4.0
- für die Belange seiner Mitarbeitenden ein, für die er stets volles Verständnis hatteInsufficient (grade 3.5)3.5
- stets volles Verständnis für die Belange seiner MitarbeitendenWeak / Poor (grade 3.0)3.0
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Check your whole certificate freeRead this entry in German: Bedeutung von „zeigte stets grosses Verständnis für die Belange seiner Mitarbeitenden“