German Labor Law Workshop: 

Understanding German Businesses in China and Navigating Cross-Cultural Challenges

The German Centre Shanghai and bdp are jointly hosting a workshop on German Labor Law to examine the perspective from which German businesses approach HR and labor contracts in China—and how this is linked to intercultural differences.

Lars Christopher Krieger, Attorney at bdp Germany, will conduct a comparative analysis of German labor law, covering issues such as dispute resolution, rescission, and termination of employment contracts. He will highlight the major differences compared with Chinese labor law. Together with Sara Zimmermann, Senior Consultant at bdp China, they will focus on the specific challenges German companies face when operating in China. Drawing on the extensive professional experience of bdp in both Germany and China, they will share how companies avoid unnecessary conflicts in day-to-day business by recognizing not only legal requirements but also the need for culturally sensitive communication - the perfect topic to round off the week.

Workshop Highlights

1. German labor contract terms, probationary period, working hours, rest periods, overtime, sick leave, and notice periods regarding termination—compared with Chinese labor law

2. Risks faced by companies and preventive measures when unilaterally terminating or cancelling labor contracts under German labor law—compared with Chinese labor law, with case study

3. German legal logic and why HR processes in China (from contract drafting to assignments) often fail not due to legal deficiencies, but because of cultural and language misunderstandings

Agenda 

Date: Friday, November 7, 2025, 16:30 - 19:00

16:30 – 17:00 

Registration, Networking & Coffee Reception

17:00 – 17:05

Opening Remarks

17:05 – 18:00

“German Labor Law Workshop: Understanding German Businesses in China and Navigating Cross-Cultural Challenges” by bdp

18:00 – 19:00

Snacks, German Beer & Networking

Location: German Centre Shanghai

Language: English

Fee: Free

Speakers

Lars Christopher Krieger

Attorney at bdp Berlin

Lars Christopher Krieger is attorney at bdp Berlin, where he works closely with an international team of lawyers to advise clients on commercial law. He collaborates with Chinese legal experts and conducts seminars together on comparative topics between Chinese and German law. In addition, he writes expert articles and offers targeted webinars and specialized training programs on key future-oriented topics, such as digital transformation, use of AI, and electronic invoicing. 

Sara Zimmermann

Senior Consultant at bdp China Desk

Sara Zimmermann is Senior Consultant at bdp China Desk. Working closely with our legal team, she advises clients from DACH region in China Business on corporate, tax, and labor law matters, and provides webinars, workshops and tailored training programs to strengthen cross-cultural collaboration in China. With over ten years of experience, she brings a deep understanding of the cultural nuances and legal differences involved in working with China.

About bdp 

bdp was founded in Berlin in 1992 and combines law firm (Sozietät), auditing company, management consulting company and procurement company for mechanical components. Up to date, we opened 14 offices in Europe and China and have more than 135 partners and people. bdp Management Consulting (Tianjin) Co., Ltd. was established in Tianjin in 2013 and has offices in Shanghai and Qingdao. We offer German, Austrian and Swiss SMEs a broad range of services in the realms of company establishment, financial accounting, auditing, tax, legal advice, employee dispatch and Sino-German M&A. Further, our bdp China Desk consists of qualified auditors, tax consultants, management consultants, lawyers and bookkeepers in Germany and China. We currently serve 100 German, Austrian and Swiss companies from automotive, manufacturing, chemical, energy, automation, machine, medical, banking and financial sectors in China.