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Who offers the du
The move from Sie to du at work is a genuine social event with rules. The offer comes from the person in the senior position, or from the older of two equals — never from the junior upwards — and it is made explicitly: Wollen wir uns duzen? or Ich bin übrigens Thomas. Accepting is near-automatic; declining is possible but awkward. Once made, the change is permanent, and switching back is a deliberate act of coldness. The landscape is shifting: start-ups and much of the tech sector duzen from the first interview, as do IKEA and several large firms as company policy, while banks, law firms, hospitals and the public sector remain firmly on Sie. Trade unions and political parties have used du among members for over a century. The safe strategy for a newcomer is simple — use Sie, and wait. Nobody has ever been criticised for it.