My answer is a definite YES. Working in the PR industry was one of the top on my bucket list of jobs that I wanted to try in my 20s, so I was really excited when I was offered. I also brought home with me a personal philosophy: Don't try to take control of something that isn't within my control. Wed love to hear about it in the comments section below! I spent four years of my life in Japan as a university student. They can visit temples, museums, and the Tokyo Tower. Today, Kono is involved in three very different companies. Teamwork over individual achievements Collectivist Mindset, 10. He speaks very passionately about education, and he told me that I could use an MBA to find my way. Insights: What made you decide to get your MBA? You genuinely feel appreciated, happy and valued in the company. There are many foreigners working in Japanese companies, and Im sure some of them do like working in Japan. A job offer in Japan is required to successfully apply for most types of working visas. 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. For one thing, in Japan, resumes are typically handwritten yes, you read that right. But if I were to knock off on the dot, it is perfectly fine. The World Bank ranked Singapore as the best country in the world for doing business in 2012. And what if you refuse to go? Everyone around me was discouraging me to do it because the salary offered was very low for a University graduate. At forty, I came to be free from doubts.. Since then, it has contributed and become a massive part of the Japanese culture, emerging as one of the most read comics, not only . Singapore has a slight edge, with 596 crime cases per 100,000 people, compared to Hong Kong's 936. | At a time when expectations for racial diversity and gender equality are rising just about everywhere, countries like Japan that have struggled to adapt strict business practices can look even worse by comparison. Even till today, he trusts me a lot and always seeks opinions and advices from me. Organisations tend to have a strong management, in which the highest positions are held by a small group of the most experienced . Kono: Oh, yes. And that is when you wouldnt feel reluctant to go to work or any sort of negative vibes because work would feel like a really happy pastime. Because ultimately, as with life in general, no one is going to be responsible for you other than yourself. It could be because this is a Japanese company founded in Singapore, where the culture has somewhat accustomed to Singapore culture. While I was working in Japan, punctuality was key for you to get other people's respect. Americans tend to be very individualistic, whereas Indonesians tend to be group and family-based oriented. I would much rather live in a place where people arent that concerned with how others perceive them. Expenditures spend 28.0% more on education Singapore spends 2.5% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. 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. Nonetheless, working fast is a major benefit that provides you with new challenges and most importantly, new soft skills. Now I can organize and implement my ideas about leadership. Is this really true? Companies prefer to achieve results through the collective efforts of employees and emphasise collaboration and teamwork. It is not surprising to see workers work 10-14 hours a day. My GLOBIS MBA helped me gain more confidence in the path I wanted to take. So much so, that sleeping or napping at work is considered acceptable! While I can't say this is true for all Japanese companies, at many traditional Japanese firms, I observed the culture is such that it is better to be seen working (staying behind and working long hours), rather than actually getting work done but leaving on time. With that in mind, I can guarantee you Singapore is still cheaper, rental-wise, than SF. Japanese believe that loud slurping is polite and is an indication to the staff that the food is delicious! This experience as helped in building customer relationships in Korea, Japan,Taiwan, Singapore, and China. It's a very special relationship.However, I was working way too long. For business and politics, English is the language of choice. Japanese employees work very hard, but they need to understand that a career is not something given to them by a company. 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. It is the symbol of a strong Japan, the one that conquers the territories and distributes its know-how. But they also have values that have led to remarkable longevity. English: English proficiency is better in Singapore, as the city made English its official language, and it now ranks first in Asia. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'sugoii_japan_com-box-3','ezslot_2',180,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sugoii_japan_com-box-3-0');The Japanese working culture is notorious for being rigid, hierarchical, and overwhelmingly traditional. (Not necessarily true by the way! 88.3 years. Try out this course from GLOBIS Unlimited to understand the difference, as well as when and why each skill is necessary for motivation, communication, and value. No. Have you ever felt like a boomer in your 20s? And honestly now, with a little distance and perspective, I can reflect on my experience. Singapore's workforce is multicultural with Chinese accounting for the most proportion. 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'. I gave up before even completing my first resume, let alone making it to any face-to-face interview. All employees are very particular about coming to and leaving from the office. If you are looking to travel, do business, or even live in Japan, you will expect cultural differences that you will have to learn to adapt. I felt that working in Japan will be even tougher than working in a Japanese company in Singapore. Japan only has 12 different zones, with broad similarities to what we see in Singapore. Foreigners can also get pension (but you have to pay it for 10 or 25 years to receive it and the payment is obligatory) A good chance to learn the Japanese . The culture in a Japanese work environment differs greatly from that of an American workplace . Copyright 2021 Sugoii Japan, All rights Reserved. Its something that they are responsible for developing on their own. It's a very. Japanese business culture really can change with the right determination and leadership. that permeates much of Singaporean society and culture. Salarymen are expected to socialize after-hours, 7. Singapore compared to Japan - MyLifeElsewhere Business Culture. ; Hierarchical structure is the foundation of Singapore's working environment and collectivism is widely preferred. A 2016 government survey found that over 25% of all Japanese companies demand 80 hours of overtime each month. Karoshi literally meaning to work to death, 2. Duration Tokyo work hours are shorter than in Singapore. Fresh young minds can do so much for a company, but workforces are often dominated by employees who have been around for decades. 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. This commitment to one company could be traced back to the infamous samurai Bushido code. I expected to stay there forever. Experiencing the two extremes greatly broadened my horizons. Cloud hosting by Vodien. Privacy policy. Japan is a great country for you to work and live in. 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. 85.5 years. The following apply to traditional Japanese companies in Japan and Singaporean companies in Singapore. According to Oliver Leeb, Founder of 3am Ideas - a digital marketing agency . Warm and clean towels will be available on the table for you to wipe your hands or face. I would say that conversational wise, I can speak minimal Japanese language. This code dictated the intense level of obedience, loyalty, and courage that the warriors had to the samurai faction.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'sugoii_japan_com-leader-3','ezslot_13',193,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sugoii_japan_com-leader-3-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'sugoii_japan_com-leader-3','ezslot_14',193,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sugoii_japan_com-leader-3-0_1');.leader-3-multi-193{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:250px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}. Advertise with us Like most Singaporeans, I have always had a romantic idea and ideal perception of Japan. 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. Salarymen can only leave work once their managers leave, 3. Face. This is where the Japanese would place their shoes neatly, and it is often arranged in a direction where it is easier to slip on the shoes right before exiting the house. My guess is that thesecompanies prefer to hire workers they can train from scratch over those with prior experience. That means companies become a breeding ground for monster employees. This means that the "We" is important, people belong to in-groups (families, clans or organisations) who look after each other in exchange for loyalty. Paid and sick leave wise is totally untrue. Cultural differences: position. Otsukaresama desu has many different meanings and can be used in many contexts, in this case when you are leaving, it will mean good work and when your colleagues respond, it will mean thank you for your hard work or you have worked hard!. 1. Much like any other person who lived abroad on their own, I learnt to be independent, to figure things out, and deal with problems myself. Manners are very important amongst theJapanese! Insights: So the problem you had at Dentsu wasnt unique to that company, but a reflection of something bigger? The basic idea of punctuality in Japan is that you should be ready to go with whatever is planned at the starting time. Swedish Coffee Breaks Are Serious Business. Hierarchy. The alternative is spending hours on the expressway commuting to work. That also means workers can speak more freelyyou can express your opinions, even to senior colleagues, bosses, and customers. Are You Prepared for Japanese Work Culture? Show Up Early. This is not common anywhere else around the world! Premo is a different industry, but I can apply my experience there pretty seamlessly, as well. It's a very special relationship. Another core concept underpinning Singaporean culture is that of. The massive difference in work culture is one of the reasons why companies hesitate to do so. 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. Annual health checks are mandatory and paid for. Face-to-Face Business Meetings Etiquettes. Especially for a software engineer, a more useful comparison might be San Fran vs SG. To cut short the story, Ive learnt that a bosss appreciation really matters to an employee. Web development by Ripplewerkz. Annual health checks are mandatory and paid for. Singapore actually has the longest working hours in the world. Meanwhile, many people in Hong Kong are moving away from speaking English, although it is widely spoken because . For example: Also, in company gatherings, it is common that a representative will start a mini opening speech before everyone lifts their glasses, clink them together and shout Kanpai!. All Rights Reserved. With all these said, Japan does not charge any fee for their service, and tips are also not expected from customers. I started my shuukatsukind of reluctantly I was, after all, forcing myself to go through what everyone else was doing. Contact us But I still went ahead and accepted the offer because I was really interested to gain experience in the industry. Sometimes in life, unfortunate things happen to lead to better things - and ta-Dah - here I am in my current job, and almost 2 years in! Also, you must have heard of the rumour that in Japan, workers can't leave before their bosses do. Level of Japanese: NIL. Well, as I turned 40, I still had plenty of doubts! 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