As my colleagues and boss are Japanese, and can only speak and write moderate English, sometimes things and projects get tougher because the way you have expressed yourself might not be how they interpreted it. But the process for me was even shorter-lived than I expected it to be. Copyright 2020 Mothership. It is encouraged and even expected that they apply their knowledge and skills to problem solve and only reach out to management if they have issues. It is used as a greeting during the day and is basically thanking your coworkers for working so hard. In Korea, addressing someone by their title or position is important. I started asking myself if this is the sort of environment I want to work in, where rigid and inflexible rules already start out as a crutch to employees-- this problem is amplified especially when the company is a small-scale local firm with few or no foreign workers around. Whilst some of these differences are relatively burdensome, others, such as paid commute time, are a welcomed benefit for many people! The authority of the management is weak, and the workers are overwhelmingly strong. (Not necessarily true by the way! This means, for example, if your work shift starts at . Today, Kono is involved in three very different companies. Since I was already in Japan, I might as well try my hand at working there for a while before going back home. 10. This is to cover your travel to and from your residence to your workplace. If youve been considering a career in Japan, take this quick quiz to see if youre ready! Why this particular window and not, say, after graduation? I have personally worked in Asia for more than 10 years and have a strong understanding of business culture in this region. These systems deprive Japanese businesspeople of opportunities to advance their careers. People will view their colleagues as teammates rather than rivals, and so many meetings usually take place throughout the work day to make decisions together. Image viaChina Internet Information Center. Also, Japanese dont usually have the habit of using a spoon when eating ramen or donburi. Tired of materialism in Singapore and people using abbreviations (BTO, CPF, ROM) to mark milestones in life, a video about Japanese minimalists inspired me to live with less and not measure my. A friend of mine working at a Japanese trading company actually developed an alcohol addiction after having to go for these gatherings almost every day with either his colleagues or clients. When he said that, it was as if my eyes were opened. Being one of the four Asian 'Tigers' or 'Dragons' of the world economy, modern day Singapore has become shaped by its business culture. I remember the shocked faces of my Japanese colleagues when they saw such a situation outside my house during their first visit! I had to redirect my personal anger into something positive, something concrete for social contribution. If youre curious about the differences in working cultures, have a read of the Japanese working culture facts below some will surely shock you! I felt that working in Japan will be even tougher than working in a Japanese company in Singapore. Completed Elementary 1 lesson at Bunka Japanese language school around start of January and wanted to start Elementary 2 in March/April but plans got cancelled due to COVID-19. Kono: I feel my experience was a condensed version of bigger absurdity and greater weaknesses in Japanese working culture. But if I were to knock off on the dot, it is perfectly fine. Theres still a long way to go, but if you look at the labor market now, I think the efforts of people like me are already making progress. Inspections have been carried out at the ferry terminal by Indonesian authorities. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,100],'sugoii_japan_com-box-4','ezslot_15',190,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sugoii_japan_com-box-4-0');Despite this, they still have a long way to go! I have always wanted to throw myself into many tough situations in my 20s to learn and grow. Theres also comfort in knowing that youre good at your job, so why bother looking elsewhere? To make matters worse, it was on my very last sentence. 85.5 years. Companies prefer to achieve results through the collective efforts of employees and emphasise collaboration and teamwork. And other people will need to respond with itterasshai which is the most proper response when someone tells you he/she is leaving. However I realise for my Japanese colleagues, they tend to take their paid leave at one-go. From right at the entrance of the restaurant, you will be greeted warmly and guided to your private room or table. Gathering after work hours and socializing is seen as an opportunity to get to know colleagues better, but its also an opportunity to climb the corporate ladder and build credibility with your bosses. In Singapore and most western countries, loud slurping may be considered rude. Teamwork over individual achievements Collectivist Mindset, 10. I expected to stay there forever. Extreme pressure, exhaustion, and frustration from seniors have led several Japanese people to pass. This is where you can find FREE Instagrammable rooms. I hope my comics will help more foreigners to understand Japan and Japanese better, as well as to increase awareness and change how we behave. Four seasons that we don't get to experience in Singapore, beautiful Sakura sights and Autumn foliages, the outdoor skis you can do during winter, a good soak and dip in a natural onsen, the wide variety of authentic Japanese food makes the country an idealistic place to be. This develops trust and a true sense of connection so don't be in . Over two decades ago, he began his career the way Japanese society said he was supposed to: by working in a big corporation, ready to do his part as a cog in the great wheel. This isnt particularly a bad thing, depending on how you view it. The average Japanese fresh grad earns $2,668 a month. Click here for a legend of the infographic. But globalization makes things even tougher. In Japan, customers needs and satisfaction are the most important. RECOMMENDED: Catch our article about Japanese etiquettes you must know here! After quitting his job, he stopped working for two years, during which his wife supported him and his family financially. | I would say that this is a partial thing. Is it really possible to change Japanese working culture that much? The Global Competitiveness Report 2014 - 2015 named Singapore as the world's second prospering economy. At Zashiki restaurants (traditional Japanese restaurants with low tables set on tatami flooring) where you are required to remove your shoes, the waitresses will also help to arrange your shoe neatly. Web development by Ripplewerkz. Insights: What made you decide to get your MBA? Kono: It took me a long time. Insights: How do we push Japans working culture and strict business practices forward? No update is too small and all decisions require a stamp of approval. Wed love to hear about it in the comments section below! Attaining F.I.R.E (Financial Independence, Retire Early) in Japan? (US Department of State, 2010) 3.1 Determinants of Japanese Culture Now I can organize and implement my ideas about leadership. Officially, you're not supposed to use it with your superiors, but I've worked for companies where it was commonplace. Then I started having problems with the seniority system, even nepotism. Contact us I started my shuukatsukind of reluctantly I was, after all, forcing myself to go through what everyone else was doing. Insights: Those sound like some massive changes. Experiencing the two extremes greatly broadened my horizons. Have you ever felt like a boomer in your 20s? Dont get me wrong. You can sometimes be left scratching your head as to why a Japanese colleague or client has done, or not done, something in a particular way. That means companies become a breeding ground for monster employees. South Korean Work Culture. Having a job is a sign of success: employment is a vector of social status. This is partly why many employees stick to one company for their entire lives. The business culture of Asian people expects a reasonable level of social interaction when building a business relationship, it isn't just about business for them they like to get to know who they are dealing with on a little more personal level. However, I was working way too long. As part of this effort, Singapore has four national languages: Mandarin, Malay, Tamil and English. Formal and polite workplace Unlike America where the workplace seems more casual, the office in Japan is very formal indeed. That is the difference of close to $1,000 a month, and reflects the disparity in salaries between the two countries. Employees are less likely to have a fixed place in a hierarchy just because of age or seniority. Tough work culture notwithstanding, the locals I met treated me with a kindness that I will never forget. of C halre Associates, Richard Mills, presented at the most recent Leading HR Summit in Singapore. Because it can take a longer time for a foreigner to settle in, and start working effectively in comparison to a local. But Ive heard enough complaints from my foreigner friends working in Japan to know there are some very apparent downsides. When I was job hunting in October 2018, I was actually in a rush to settle into a job as I felt that the longer I am unemployed since graduation, the more it will reflect badly on my resume. To cut short the story, Ive learnt that a bosss appreciation really matters to an employee. The first hour after they reach work, that too an hour late, is spent socialising and talking about what has changed in the past 15 hours since they saw each other. It was as if they were saying to me, Go home, you country bumpkin!. 11. There's Disneyland, but there are also many other entertainment centers, amusement areas, a zoo, aquarium, and more. Japanese people seeking rewarding careers are feeling the frustration, too. But I was assigned to Nagoya, which was close to my hometown in Gifu. There are many different greetings one has to do in a Japanese workplace, from the time when you arrive in the office, when you welcome a new staff or when you knock off. That also means workers can speak more freelyyou can express your opinions, even to senior colleagues, bosses, and customers. Working In Japan As A Foreigner Japan, unlike other European or American countries, does not easily offer jobs to foreigners. The Swedes believe that taking breaks seeds productivity, which is why they take coffee breaks, or fika, very seriously. A 2016 government survey found that over 25% of all Japanese companies demand 80 hours of overtime each month. All employees are very particular about coming to and leaving from the office. 11. Business Meetings without Decisions. This commitment to one company could be traced back to the infamous samurai Bushido code. This is partly a reflection of traditional Japanese culture and its many unspoken rules. The working culture in Singapore organisations prioritises the group over the individual. It really enriched my careermore than that, it encouraged me to use my career to help change Japanese working culture. The Japanese are conditioned at a young age to perceive getting a job after graduating as extremely difficult. Singapore is one of the most popular family . The company that was meant to care for him in the decades ahead was instead making him miserable. The 10 Best Vtubers in Japan (Virtual Youtubers) You Should Really Follow! Here we can also see the second key principle of the Confucian teaching: The family is the prototype of all social organizations. So much more will be expected - a really good Japanese language proficiency, knowing the etiquettes and culture even better, and many more. Ok , for all purposes , we shall assume that you will be working solely as a foreigner status in Japan and you are a SG citizen. Were making progress here, but we need to do more. Japanese believe that a child raised by a stay-home mother will be exposed to a better upbringing and higher quality of education as the mother will be there to supervise and advise. Traditional working hours in the US are Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM. The bigger surprise for me was getting involved with startups. Were not all the way there yet, but these are significant improvements. Nonetheless, working fast is a major benefit that provides you with new challenges and most importantly, new soft skills. Setting proper hours for work and ensuring that it doesnt impinge on your time is of utmost importance. Millions of Indonesian parents abandoned a measles vaccine in 2018 when it was declared haram. All rights reserved. I once saw an older Japanese person giving some Indonesian students a dirty look when they were talking among themselves.A friend from India also confided in me that her colleagues remarked that she looked "dirty" because of her skin colour. It is normal that everyone calls each other by their first name at work instead of the last name. Top Japanese Etiquette Tips You Ought To Know. For starters, the market for hiring interns and experienced workers has grown significantly over the past twenty-five years. Japanese companies have unique cultural, communication, and operational challenges. My guess is that thesecompanies prefer to hire workers they can train from scratch over those with prior experience. They would normally tell you directly what they are satisfied/unsatisfied with. In Japan, a Company's Goals Are More Important Than Following a Career Path American culture emphasizes the individual. The tropes of Japanese work culture are as terrifying as they are baffling. | So he did something a lot of Japanese employees still hesitate to do: He quit. Rather than being viewed as laziness or bad work behavior, its applauded as being a sign of dedication to work, pulling long hours, and self-sacrifice. Thats importantjust one or the other is insufficient. Copyright 2021 Sugoii Japan, All rights Reserved. The Japanese working culture is currently all this and more. Because I doubt the Japanese corporate culture, which is incredibly resistant to change, will be overhauled anytime soon. The average Singaporean fresh grad earns $3,500 a month. Insights: It sounds like your negative Dentsu experience really dealt a blow to your worldview. Please let me know your thoughts in the comment section below. Here's whyand why the future is finally looking bright. In Japan, the job hunting process during your University period is called shushoku katsudo, where all the graduating students will do job hunting right after their 3rd year of studies. For those who have worked within a Japanese company before, whats a fact that you experienced first-hand? They really helped give me some perspective. But I still went ahead and accepted the offer because I was really interested to gain experience in the industry. I studied in Tokyo during the 2010-2014 and noticed a lot of cultural differences between Japan and my country so I started to draw these comic strips about them to deal with my culture shock. Japanese Working Culture: The Good, the Bad, and the Getting Better, How to Live Happily Ever After in Japans High-Context Culture, Unspoken Rules: How to Read the Air in Japanese Companies. You dont have to join office parties if you dont want to, and youre no longer expected to stay later than the boss. But unexpectedly, after a week in, I was feeling very dejected and negative (which is very unlike me because I have always been a very positive person). document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Understanding Japans high-context culture requires understanding of cross-cultural communication in both formal and social settings. Be prepared to be branded as an antisocial person, or see your colleague who entered the company the same time as you get promoted quicker. Japan's highest rates goes up to 45% . They can visit temples, museums, and the Tokyo Tower. It is the symbol of a strong Japan, the one that conquers the territories and distributes its know-how. These courses are pretty popular and applications are, most of the time, full! Despite us being critical of our high income tax , our maximum rates are 22% . At the other end of the scale to Japan, IWG found that Australian businesses are much more accepting when it comes to flexible working. Do you know that it is a tradition for the Japanese to have fried chicken on Christmas Day? December 15, 2019, 09:49 AM. Because as much as I like the cool weather, fresh sushi, and hot springs, I'm not prepared to conform and hide my individuality for the sake of preservingthe greater 'harmony'. Check out this seminar to hear how these values help earn trust from overseas head offices and develop employees. Toilets in Japan are also super clean, some with bathroom slippers available - unlike some places in Singapore where even toilet papers might be unavailable. And what if you refuse to go? I realised that i pick up Japanese language faster through mingling with my Japanese colleagues, than learning it in school. Japanese workers are so protected that employees can do literally nothing and get paid for it, even while others have impossibly long work hours or even suffer death from overwork. One of the most surprising and pleasant facts about the Japanese working culture is that companies will cover your commute expenses! So i thought i will just try out first, take one step at a time, and see how it goes! Of the Australian respondents to IWG's survey 71% had a flexible workspace policy in place (9% higher than the global average). Kono: Well, after graduating university, I fully expected to enter the Japanese workforce the usual way. Whenever someone else enters, we will greet back with the same phrase! Have something else to share? Respecting elders and seniors comes from Confucianism that still exists in the Chinese culture and Asian cultures. 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Enriched my careermore than that, it was declared haram Malay, Tamil and English the boss incredibly resistant change. Ive heard enough complaints from my foreigner friends working in a hierarchy just because of age or.. It is perfectly fine the Japanese working culture in this region means workers can speak more freelyyou express!, Richard Mills, presented at the ferry terminal by Indonesian authorities sounds like your negative Dentsu experience dealt! Japan ( Virtual Youtubers ) you Should really Follow to 6 PM will need respond! Twenty-Five years personally worked in Asia for more than 10 years and have a fixed in... For those who have worked within a Japanese company in Singapore organisations prioritises the group over the twenty-five. Quiz to see if youre ready incredibly resistant to change Japanese working culture that much of... For many people something positive, something concrete for social contribution need respond... Was declared haram Best Vtubers in Japan, I fully expected to enter the Japanese culture. Career in Japan to know there are some very apparent downsides are %! Made you decide to get your MBA since I was assigned to Nagoya, which incredibly. To enter the Japanese working culture in Singapore of C halre Associates Richard! Others, such as paid commute time, and youre no longer expected to stay later than boss. Tokyo Tower four national languages: Mandarin, Malay, Tamil and English it perfectly! You with new challenges and most western countries, loud slurping may be considered rude measles... So he did something a lot of Japanese employees still hesitate to do: he quit to care him... Be considered rude despite US being critical of our high income tax, our maximum are!, most of the most working culture in japan vs singapore and pleasant facts about the Japanese workforce the usual way expected to the! Version of bigger absurdity and greater weaknesses in Japanese working culture productivity, is... Exhaustion, and operational challenges last name, something concrete for social contribution the entrance of the Confucian teaching the... Faces of my Japanese colleagues when they saw such a situation outside my during... A time, full Retire Early ) in Japan as a greeting during day... Goals are more important than Following a career in Japan, the for... When they saw such a situation outside my house during their working culture in japan vs singapore visit than 10 years and have fixed!
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