Hiring foreign employees in Japan comes with some inherent difficulties, but it should not degenerate into the nightmare so many companies experience. With appropriate planning and preparation, the transition of new foreign staff to valuable company members can be made easier and bring some excellent advantages to your organization.
Here are some practical strategies to foster a productive and positive workplace:
1. Communication
The language barrier in Japan is immense. Japanese consistently ranks as one of the world’s top three most difficult languages to learn. That coupled with the unique business and social culture means that newcomers to the country are constantly stressed, and need all the help they can get.
Language Support: Offer Japanese language training to help foreign staff navigate both work and daily life. This will also show them that your company wishes to support them in their new life.
Clear Materials: Provide company guidelines and training materials in English or other appropriate languages to avoid misunderstandings.
2. Cultural Understanding
Humans have a natural tendency to group and stereotype others, often in a negative way. So, it is important to provide guidance for both foreign and Japanese staff to create a positive work environment.
Mentor Training: Pairing foreign employees with Japanese colleagues can have excellent results. However, be sure to give the mentors training before you assign them to their new foreign staff. Being a mentor is not easy, and training on what to do, and how to handle common problems, is critical.
Cultural Awareness Training: Host sessions to educate both Japanese and foreign staff about each other’s cultural norms and work styles. This helps all employees better understand and respect each other, which in turn will lead to a more positive working environment.
3. Clarify Roles and Expectations
Most foreigners in Japan are plagued by confusion and miscommunication. Here are some ways their employer can help reduce this stress and speed up their path to becoming valuable team members.
Transparent Job Descriptions: Ensure roles and responsibilities are clearly defined in a document from the start. Having their basic job clearly outlined will be very helpful for foreign staff.
Regular Feedback: Conduct regular reviews to provide guidance and address problems. Also, encourage the employee to voice difficulties they are experiencing.
Diverse Teams: Encourage collaboration between Japanese and foreign staff to build stronger teams. This will also help bring out the unique advantages foreign staff can bring to your organization.
4. Career Support & Staff Retention
In the international work culture, employees tend to change jobs more frequently than in Japan. However, there are some things a company can do to encourage better retention of its staff.
Career Opportunities: Provide clear pathways for career advancement to motivate and retain talent. Also, if possible, offer training programs in key skill areas and Japanese business culture.
Visa Assistance: Help employees navigate visa applications and renewals to minimize stress and encourage loyalty to the company.
Fair Policies: Ensure benefits and opportunities are equal for all employees, regardless of nationality.
By utilizing these strategies, Japanese companies can effectively integrate foreign staff while creating a workplace that not only reduces potential conflicts but also enhances overall performance of all members.