Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    • Our Story
    • Partner with us
    • Reach Us
    • Career
    Subscribe Newsletter
    HR KathaHR Katha
    • Exclusive
      • Exclusive Features
      • Research
      • Point Of View
      • Case In Point
      • Dialogue
      • Movement
      • Profile
      • Beyond Work
      • Rising Star
      • By Invitation
    • News
      • Global HR News
      • Compensation & Benefits
      • Diversity
      • Events
      • Gen Y
      • Hiring & Firing
      • HR & Labour Laws
      • Learning & Development
      • Merger & Acquisition
      • Performance Management & Productivity
      • Talent Management
      • Tools & Technology
      • Work-Life Balance
    • Special
      • Cover Story
      • Editorial
      • HR Forecast 2024
      • HR Forecast 2023
      • HR Forecast 2022
      • HR Forecast 2021
      • HR Forecast 2020
      • HR Forecast 2019
      • New Age Learning
      • Coaching and Training
      • Learn-Engage-Transform
    • Magazine
    • Reports
      • Whitepaper
        • HR Forecast 2024 e-mag
        • Future-proofing Manufacturing Through Digital Transformation
        • Employee Healthcare & Wellness Benefits: A Guide for Indian MSMEs
        • Build a Future Ready Organisation For The Road Ahead
        • Employee Experience Strategy
        • HRKatha 2019 Forecast
        • Decoding and Driving Employee Engagement
        • One Platform, Infinite Possibilities
      • Survey Reports
        • Happiness at Work
        • Upskilling for Jobs of the Future
        • The Labour Code 2020
    • Conferences
      • Rising Star Leadership Awards
      • HRKatha Futurecast
      • Automation.NXT
      • The Great HR Debate
    • HR Jobs
    WhatsApp LinkedIn X (Twitter) Facebook Instagram
    HR KathaHR Katha
    Home»Culture»Insight: How Japan is trying to change its ‘salaryman culture’
    Culture

    Insight: How Japan is trying to change its ‘salaryman culture’

    mmBy Prajjal Saha | HRKathaJuly 1, 20185 Mins Read12624 Views
    Share LinkedIn Twitter Facebook
    Share
    LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

    Companies have now become lenient and are asking employees to leave on time as the government is pushing for a healthy work culture. 

    Japan had been trying to deal with various issues at the workplace and do away with the tag of a ‘salaryman culture’. In a recent incident, a Japanese city official was pulled up and half a day’s salary was deducted for repeatedly leaving the desk for a few minutes. The issue sparked off a heated debate on social media over the severity of the punishment.

    The case in point is that of a 64-year-old man who was employed by the Waterworks Bureau, a public service industry. So, when it comes to government or public services, the authorities take strict action as they feel such behaviour hampers public services by keeping important things on hold. The bureau officials also went to the extent of offering an apology for the employee’s actions in a televised press conference, where they said it is very regrettable that such misconduct took place.

    Japan is known to be particular about punctuality and employees have to strictly adhere to the rules and clock the exact working hours. Foreign employees working in Japan feel there’s not much of a flexible work culture in Japan. However, IT companies and consulting firms are lenient now as the government is pushing for a healthy work culture. “Our company is asking employees to go home on time on Wednesdays and Fridays. This is to discourage overtime at work so that employees can spend time with family and relax,” said one of the foreign employees working in Japan.

    “On reaching late to work we can take the first half off, which gets deducted from our annual leaves, but leave policies are good here. Hence, we don’t mind. Having said that, one cannot take undue advantage of the policy either,” said an Indian working in a Japanese MNC.

    However, the episode has drawn a lot of criticism on social media, with people voicing concerns over the excessive nature of the punishment.
    Officers took note of the reaction pouring out on social media and said that they must think again about the appropriate measures to take. However, supporting the action, the officers said they were bound by public servant duty to spend the working hours for duty alone.

    Japan has already witnessed the case of Matsuri Takahashi as one of karoshi, that is, death by overwork. She had clocked around 105 hours of overtime which allegedly prompted her to take the extreme step. The term karoshi has been around since the 1970s—during Japan’s economic boom—and labour activists have been pushing for change since the 1980s.

    In the fallout from this harsh work culture, the Country came up with a law in 2014 spelling out better working conditions but didn’t force companies to actually do anything.

    The administration has been working to clear controversial labour laws, which will exempt certain professional workers from work hour limits and overtime regulations.

    Most Indian expats in Japan believe there has been a change in the work culture where organisations are encouraging fun and social activities. One can witness more social gatherings near offices unlike before.

    “A lot of perception around their late working hours and boss culture are not true. It has nothing to do with the hierarchy or infringement upon freedom of expression. It is more of a discipline and respect that Japanese employees have for their counterparts,” says the head-HR, of a Japanese firm in India.

    Most companies have moved away from extended or late working hours to early hours where employees reach office by 7:30 a.m. Japan is also witnessing a generational shift, which is evident in its work culture.

    “The Japanese are always prepared for adversities, and as a community, people are strongly connected. They are committed to their work and very methodical. People have a good understanding of real situations. They always work through a solution to any problem, which also reflects in their work culture,” shared the HR head.

    The job roles are well defined for each individual in Japan, unlike India where roles are more complex and it becomes difficult to comprehend the rules.

    Earlier, it was six days working for most employees in Japan, but now companies have moved to a five-day workplace. Japan follows a golden week, which is a series of four national holidays falling at the end of April to the beginning of May each year. Suzuki has three shut-downs during a year.

    “Companies, such as Suzuki, give six months’ salary as bonus, and there is a culture of compensating for the hard work. The Company has documented its learning very well and releases the same for the benefit of the employees. At times this gets translated into a rule that people abide by and don’t bypass unlike India, where rules are generally ignored,” said a Maruti Suzuki employee who has been in Japan on work assignments.

    The Japanese have collectively strived to achieve the best quality of products and one has to be extremely careful in business dealings. Brahmanand Reddy Patil, managing director, Vector Informatik India says, “One has to justify the price being quoted to Japanese companies and cannot bring it down because by reducing you give them the impression that the quality is inferior.”

    According to employees in Japan, the career progression takes time and promotions are staggered. “Managers at higher levels are technically much stronger because of their experience, as compared to their Indian counterparts who get promoted quite early,” said another employee, who didn’t wish to be named.

    Japanese companies help promote and support each other and also come to the rescue of a failing business, irrespective of whether it is a competitor. Japan focusses on increasing productivity, collaboration and promotion of San-ji spirit, which is based on self-motivation, self-management and self-awareness.

    Going forward, Indian businesses can take a leaf out of Japan’s work culture and imbibe the best practices.

    {Vimeo}https://vimeo.com/241516558{/Vimeo}

    Japan Japan's work culture salaryman culture
    Share. LinkedIn Twitter Facebook
    mm
    Prajjal Saha | HRKatha

    Dr. Prajjal Saha, editor and publisher of HRKatha since 2015, leverages over 25 years of experience in business journalism, writing, and editing. He founded HRKatha to provide insightful analysis on the evolving workplace. With expertise spanning HR, marketing, distribution, and technology, Saha has a deep understanding of business dynamics. His authorship of the acclaimed Marketing White Book highlights his versatility beyond HR. A trusted voice across industries, his clear and thoughtful commentary has earned him a reputation for thought leadership, making him a reliable source of knowledge and insights for professionals navigating the complexities of the business world.

    1 Comment

    1. Akari Minami on September 10, 2024 5:04 pm

      The article offers a compelling look at Japan’s efforts to evolve from the traditional ‘salaryman’ culture. It’s inspiring to see progress toward a healthier work-life balance. Thanks for the insightful read!

      Reply
    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    17 + nine =

    Related Posts

    Is Nissan gearing to lay off 20,000 employees globally?

    May 13, 2025

    How Urbanic India blends humanity with high performance

    April 21, 2025

    ‘Want to get hired? Try visual resumes in colour’: Survey

    January 17, 2025

    Is Japan’s workforce embracing work-life balance?

    January 9, 2025

    QUICK HR INSIGHTS

    EDITOR'S PICKS

    How a thumbs-up became a generational minefield

    July 11, 2025

    Why HR must unite hiring and development to survive

    July 10, 2025

    The 5-to-9 Trap: Is Gen Z’s quest for perfect evenings fuelling a new burnout?

    July 9, 2025

    How AI is creating a workforce of the mentally walking dead

    July 8, 2025
    Latest Post

    Telstra to cut 550 jobs in latest phase of overhaul

    News July 11, 2025

    Telstra, the Australian telecommunications provider, has announced plans to reduce its workforce by 550 employees…

    Internal criticism hits Meta’s AI division amid growing discontent

    News July 11, 2025

    Meta’s artificial intelligence ( AI) division is facing fresh internal criticism as concerns about its…

    NASA to lose over 2,000 senior employees amid budget restructuring

    Global HR News July 11, 2025

    In a significant shake-up at the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), over 2,100…

    Boss allegedly targets employee for using ‘open to work’ tag on LinkedIn

    News July 11, 2025

    A workplace incident has sparked conversation on Reddit after an Indian employee claimed they were…

    Asia's No.1 HR Platform

    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram LinkedIn WhatsApp Bluesky
    • Our Story
    • Partner with us
    • Career
    • Reach Us
    • Exclusive Features
    • Cover Story
    • Editorial
    • Dive into the Future of Work: Download HRForecast 2024 Now!
    © 2025 HRKatha.com
    • Disclaimer
    • Refunds & Cancellation Policy
    • Terms of Service

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.