Cultural “Self” Awareness Post

Work Culture in Japan

Overview

    Work culture in Japan is best characterized by three core aspects: hierarchy, tradition, and loyalty. Dynamics between superiors and subordinates in Japan, although described as "hierarchical",  manifest in subtle and nuanced ways. Hierarchy, rather than being strictly about power in Japan, is closely tied to the concept of deference. Dujarric describes deference as follows:

Deference is the act of showing respect or yielding to the opinion, judgment, or wishes of another person … based on their authority, expertise, or seniority. It involves acknowledging their position or status and behaving in a manner that reflects that acknowledgment. (Dujarric, 2024, p. 2)

    To demonstrate one's acknowledgement, one uses honourifics or refrains from making remarks that may demean superiors (Dujarric, 2024). Japanese work culture, being somewhat egalitarian, values collective decision-making, which is absent from domination-based hierarchies. However, there are consequences to the strict expectations and traditions upheld in Japanese workplaces, mainly an extremely poor work-life balance.

    Takahashi (2015) describes how, in Japan, advancement in one's career is based on the Work-Work Theory, where one is rewarded for working well by being given new work. Given that promotions are closely tied to one's willingness to devote oneself to increasingly significant tasks, hard work and loyalty often take precedence over worker health and well-being. Some of the consequences of this convention have been declining fertility, karoshi, meaning death due to overwork, or karou-jisatsu, referring to suicide due to overwork (Ikezoe, 2014; Asgari et al., 2016).

    Despite the dedication shown by Japanese workers, Japan is less productive than the OECD average, signalling that there are deeper, more fundamental inefficiencies than the number of hours worked (Ono, 2018). The result is a system that is highly costly in terms of human capital, labour, and time expenditure, but minimally beneficial in terms of economic productivity. Japanese work culture and its effects are complex and not always observable.

Similarities and Differences Between Japan and North America

    North America shares similarities with Japan regarding work culture; however, one of the biggest differences, I would argue, is the rejection of traditional work values in countries like Canada and the United States of America among younger demographics.

    Regarding its similarities, there is still an implicit expectation of respecting one's superiors, though, unlike in Japan, it is common for subordinates to have no power over firm decision-making. Additionally, long commutes are typical for North American workers, which is partially exacerbated by the fact that public transit tends to be very inefficient in these countries. Furthermore, depending on the sector, some traditions remain deeply entrenched in the workplace, such as in blue-collar jobs, which are notorious for "old school" tendencies. Additionally, tatamae, or "public face," is common in many service jobs, as commission-based salaries incentivize people to act in a performatively kind manner even if their emotions cause them to feel otherwise.

    Ideas of loyalty, however, differ significantly from those in Japan, particularly among younger generations. The idea of working excessive hours for the chance of promotion is disliked by the youth. The term "quiet quitting" has emerged in recent years to describe the practice of doing only what one is paid to do. Feelings such as these are likely produced by the extreme wealth inequality between the richest individuals and the median individuals, causing workers who make minuscule fractions of what their superiors make to feel resentment towards their occupation.

Conclusion

    Japan's work culture is nuanced and steeped in traditions that are not easily understood without proper context and historical background. While Japan's workforce is constantly pushing itself, the consequences are not worth the reward of subpar productivity. In conclusion, while Japan shares similarities with the North American work culture, it is definitely distinct in impactful ways.

References

Asgari, B., Pickar, P., & Garay, V. (2016). Karoshi and Karou-jisatsu in Japan: causes, statistics and prevention mechanisms. Asia Pacific Business & Economics Perspectives, 4(2), 49-72.

Dujarric, F. (2024). Unravelling hierarchy in Japanese workplaces an exploration of cooperation between Japanese and western research laboratories. Int. J. Manag. Human., 10, 1-6.

Ikezoe, H. (2014). Work-life balance in Japan: Outline of policies, legal systems and actual situations. Japan Labor Review, 11(1), 108-124.

Ono, H. (2018). Why do the Japanese work long hours. Japan labor issues, 2(5), 35-49.

Takahashi, N. (2015). Japanese work ethic and culture a new paradigm of intrinsic motivation. Annals of Business Administrative Science, 14(5), 261-278.