Impressions of working in Japan: Don't be like this if you are an employee in Japan...

Below is a list of features that Japanese would not like to see in their employees. Some of them are shared universally, some are apparent only in Japan. You can easily spot items that may become a barrier for foreign employees in Japan (e.g. a person like me). Don't be a kind of person who:

1. Can not perform a neat greeting
2. Does not take notes and therefore asks same thing several times
3. Can not use the honorific form of Japanese language
4. Is not eager to do the miscellaneous (small) tasks
5. Is not able to "report, contact, consult"
6. Repeats the same mistake
7. Can not reply promptly
8. Does not apologize for own mistakes
9. Instead of taking initiative waits for an order
10. Acts proud and intelligent but is not
11. Goes home without asking a senior, "Shall I help you?" and therefore has no spirit of cooperation.
12. Talks too much during working hours
13. Gets offended from a someone's warning
14. Can not prioritize and panics

(Conducted from a sample of 1030 female and male public sector workers aged 30 - 59)

Talking on my behalf: The most challenging point is no doubt number 3. Managing conversational Japanese is a challenge enough. Saying something like:ごめんどうですが、もういちどおこしいただけますでしょうか。" instead of a simple "またきてくれますか。" does not come out spontaneously. Both share the same meaning, which is in English: "Please come again".

The rest of the numbers are manageable but maybe not with the same attitude that Japanese have. For example, number 11: when your work time is over, how many times have you asked from a senior, "Is there something I could still help with?". I could force my self to this but in reality I'd probably not be honestly eager to help if it would mean unpaid overtime work and loss of free time. And anyway why it has to be a senior worker? Are they the only ones who deserve or are privileged to be helped?

Number 12. "Talks too much during working hours" is possible but needs quite a push. Can it really be so disruptive to talk at the work place? Of course it's never good to blabber around about every single thing - I'd hate that too. But a friendly and a cheerful conversation that is not only connected to work is nice to have. Yet, in Japan, the step from not talking at all to talking too much is seemingly short. I can't but wonder why we have to play official and serious during work.

〈日本語訳〉

このリストを見た後、日本で働く未来は暗くなった…。新入社員さんはここに気をつけて！

１．あいさつがきちんとできない
２．メモを取らず、同じことを何度も聞く
３．敬語が使えない
４．雑用を率先してやろうとしない
５．ホウレンソウ（報告、連絡、相談）ができない
６．同じ間違いを繰り返す
７．返事ができない
８．自分のミスを謝らない
９．「指示待ち」で自分から積極的に動こうとしない
１０．プライドが高く、知ったかぶりする
１１．多用な先輩に「手伝いましょうか」の言葉もなく帰るなど、協調性がない
１２．仕事中の私語が多すぎる
１３．注意すると「逆ギレ」する
１４．仕事の優先順位が付けられずパニックになる

挑戦的なのは３番です。普通の日本語は難しいので、敬語はちっと…。例えば、「またきてくれますか。」と言うのは「ごめんどうですが、もういちどおこしいただけますでしょうか。」ゴーン！

他の番号は出来ても、日本人と同じような心掛けで行うことは、かなり難しい。例えば、１１番：仕事が終わった時、よく「手伝いましょうか？」と聞いていますか？私も、しようと思えば出来ますが、本音は残業手当てもなく、自由な時間を無駄に使いたくありません。そして、なぜ"先輩"なのでしょう？後輩は手伝わなくてもいいですか？

「１２．仕事中の私語が多すぎる」は簡単に気をつけることが出来る。でも仕事中に話すことは、そんなにいけないですか？もちろん、四六時中話してばかりなのは悪いし、私も嫌いです。でも、フレンドリーで快活な、仕事に関係ない会話もした方がいいと思う。日本では「全然話さない」のと「私語が多すぎる」という違いはかなり少ない。なぜ仕事中に、真面目で公的な様子を演じなくてはいけないのかと思っています。