What to know about Japanese business culture before working

Japanese business culture is often said to be vastly different from that of other countries. Those who join Japanese corporations right out of university and continue working for Japanese corporations thereafter may not realize how unique they are, but some people—such as those who come from foreign-owned corporations—often report experiencing culture shock after entering Japanese corporations.

This time we’ll take a look at the unique Japanese business culture.

Policy of putting clients first

Many Japanese corporations have an ingrained “client-first” policy of putting maximum priority on their clients. This is particularly true for the service industry, and it’s safe to say that this mindset is behind the high level of service at Japanese restaurants, retailers, etc. There’s actually a saying that “the customer is a god.” This thinking can also be found in Japanese corporations that set up operations overseas, so if you work for a Japanese restaurant or retail chain, you will likely learn about client-first service from various angles through training and actual work duties.

Role of meetings

Meetings at Japanese corporations are often a forum for reports rather than discussions. Rarely do discussions become heated, and meetings tend to proceed in dispassionate fashion. One of the factors behind this is the Japanese culture of “nemawashi” or “laying the groundwork.” Nemawashi involves forming a consensus by consulting with the main parties concerned prior to making the final decision in negotiations or at meetings, and people who are good at nemawashi are said to be capable workers.

Speed of decision-making

Each decision at a Japanese corporation tends to take time. This is due to the organizational structure in which decision-making moves up through the ranks—from regular employees to section managers, from section managers to department managers, and so on—as well as the various investigations and nemawashi that are required along the way. This slow decision-making can be a hindrance to business, but it also offers advantages such as ensuring a certain level of quality and stability in each decision.

Knowing the unique business culture of Japanese corporations is sure to help you adjust smoothly when you actually begin working at a Japanese corporation, so this article should provide useful reference information.

Read more about Japanese recruitment information, https://sg.japanese-jobs.com/en.