When direct feedback from a Polish colleague feels harsher than intended

One of the most common communication challenges in international teams is feedback.

The interesting part is that the disagreement often has very little to do with the actual feedback itself. It comes from different expectations about how feedback should be delivered.

A foreign employee working with Polish colleagues may receive a comment such as:

"This section is unclear."
"We need to change this."
"The presentation needs more data."

The feedback is direct, specific and focused on the problem. Yet someone used to a different communication style may interpret it as frustration, criticism or dissatisfaction.

Two different ideas of what respectful feedback looks like

In many English-speaking countries, feedback is often softened with context or reassurance. Positive comments may come first, followed by suggestions for improvement. The intention is not only to communicate what needs to change but also to maintain motivation and reduce the risk of the message feeling personal.

Polish workplace communication often follows a different logic. Feedback is frequently expected to be clear and efficient. If something requires improvement, many people prefer to say so directly rather than spend time softening the message. The goal is often practical: identify the issue, explain it and move forward.

This difference can create misunderstandings even when both sides have positive intentions.

An international employee may leave a meeting feeling that their work was heavily criticized. Meanwhile, the Polish colleague may believe they simply provided useful feedback and have already moved on to the next task.

The confusion also works the other way

The misunderstanding can also work in the opposite direction.

A manager from a culture where feedback is carefully softened may spend several minutes discussing strengths before mentioning an area that needs improvement. A Polish employee may focus primarily on the positive parts of the conversation and fail to recognise the actual request for change. The manager believes expectations were communicated clearly. The employee believes everything is going well.

Neither person is intentionally creating confusion, they are simply interpreting the conversation through different communication norms.

These differences become particularly visible in international companies, where employees bring their own assumptions about professionalism, politeness and respect. In some cultures, respect is demonstrated by protecting the other person's feelings and maintaining harmony. In others, respect is demonstrated by being transparent, honest and clear about expectations.

Poland tends to lean more towards the second approach, especially in professional settings. This does not mean Polish workplaces are inherently more critical. It means that directness is often viewed as a normal and efficient way of communicating.

What this means for international teams in Poland

Understanding this distinction can help international teams avoid unnecessary friction. Direct feedback does not automatically signal conflict, just as carefully softened feedback does not automatically communicate satisfaction.

The challenge is not deciding which approach is better. The challenge is recognising that the same message may be interpreted differently depending on the cultural expectations of the person receiving it.

Communication style is one of those things that nobody puts in the onboarding checklist — and yet it affects everyday work almost from day one.

New hires often arrive knowing their contract details, their tax obligations and where the office is. Very few arrive knowing that "this needs to change" from a Polish colleague is not frustration — it is just how feedback sounds here.

If you are preparing international employees for life and work in Poland — or navigating these differences yourself — the Bearing with Poland expat onboarding pack covers exactly this. Practical preparation for Polish systems, workplace communication and cultural context, before the misunderstandings have a chance to build up.

Details and pricing: bearingwithpoland.com/expat-onboarding

Or if your situation is more specific — get in touch directly and we can talk through what would be most useful.
hello@bearingwithpoland.com