NEOMA Alumni Mag - N°25 - Décembre 2020 - 25

competitive if you are under a VIE contract. You
will never be prepared to work in Japan. Such
things as a specific code of conduct, the importance of hierarchy at work, and well-established
processes, are to be learned as you gain experience. " If a business wants to settle in Japan, they
must hire Japanese employees. Otherwise the
company will not be able to understand the behavior of the Japanese executives they trade with, "
stresses Laure Jacquon. " Prior to working for Amazon, I worked in Sales for Groupon in Tokyo. As
Sales Analyst and then Marketing Specialist, I had
the opportunity to witness the traditions Japanese
salesmen followed as a group such as morning
speeches or hand-clapping before starting work. "
Stuart de Bourgogne remembers: " When I met the
CEO of one of Japan's top travel agencies, I casually handed out my business card. He was surprised at first, but then he laughed heartily. As a
newcomer in the company, my teams had not
warned me that there was a strict protocol to follow when sharing business cards. I never would
have guessed! " The senpai - kouhai relationship is
another characteristic of the Japanese workplace,
which is either praised or resented by the youngest alumni. To put it simply, a senpai is a mentor or
someone that will show you how everything works
in the office and a kouhai is a newcomer in the
company. Sarah Hearn explains: " Foreigners may
find it hard to grasp and to accept this kind of relationship, but I think through open communication,
it is possible to come to a mutual understanding of
what is culturally acceptable for each party and
what isn't. " Nevertheless, Laure Jacquon remembers: " My colleagues helped me improve my business Japanese. My managers were great at giving
feedback and at voicing their opinion. " She speaks
highly of the great enthusiasm with which local
employees carry out their work. " Their zeal motivates me to work hard and to appreciate my job. "
What is specific to Japanese companies is decision-making. For Sofiann Krati, " More time is spent
preparing a project before launching it than in
France. There are plenty of meetings, as their goal
is to reach general agreement. I sometimes wish
processes were quicker. " This phenomenon even
translates into daily life. " Although I can make
last-minute plans with my international friends, I
have to set up meetings in advance with my Japanese ones. " Long and unquestioned processes
also have benefits. " I can trust my teams because
I know they're guided by a process that works " ,
says Stuart de Bourgogne. " Customer service is
amongst the best in the world. It may be because
employees follow a certain process and automatically know what to do. Nevertheless, when I spot a
lack of efficiency at work, I know I will have a hard
time adjusting the process my teams are accustomed to. " After assuming various positions within
L'Oréal, Barbara Doussard was presented with the
opportunity to work in Japan and manage a team

that was mostly made up of Japanese workers.
This was also her first time taking on the responsibility of directing a whole product division. " One
of the key elements to keep in mind when managing Japanese people is to try to maintain « wa »
(harmony, peace, order). " This concept is very
important for the Japanese and it translates into
their lifestyle, their architecture, their social interactions but also their life at work . " There are many

The city is such a huge metropolis, and daily
interactions with the Japanese may sometimes feel
cold, so living in Tokyo can make you feel lonely
at times. Going on short trips outside of the city
definitely helps. Fluency in Japanese is a good way
to connect with people more easily. Sarah Hearn
ways to ensure wa in your team. For instance,
bringing souvenirs (omiyage) from a recent trip
contributes to sharing the pleasure you felt with
your teammates. Or, at the end of a meeting, you
must ensure that everyone has spoken, in order to
show respect " , suggests Barbara. She noticed
some recurring traits in the behavior of Japanese
workers. " They are uncomfortable with changes
happening in the middle of a project. In their opinion, a failure is not supposed to transform into a
success. New teammates will not help in changing
a previous failure. I noticed my teammates were
prone to doubt. They were either doubting the
success of a project or their ability to make a project successful. My role, as a manager, was to
accept their excuses, help them refocus, and carry
on towards our goal. "
For Japanese people, living in another country is
as disorienting and fascinating as it is for foreigners living in Japan. If Toshiyuki Ikeshita was presented with the opportunity to work abroad, he
would gladly say yes! Since the 1st of September, all
expatriates who own a residency visa are allowed
to return to Japan. Could you see yourself living
and working there? ❚
Nicolas Mathaud (PGE 19)

COVID CONTROL IN JAPAN
* In June 2020, Japan's jobs-to-applicant ratio had risen to 1.1 but it is still
lower than the pre-Covid ratio.
* 1.5 months: time spent on curbing the propagation of the Coronavirus
since its outbreak in Japan (Shinzo Abe).
Source : Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2019 and 2020

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NEOMA Alumni Mag - N°25 - Décembre 2020

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