The concept of gaman (我慢), or enduring hardship with dignity, is deeply rooted in Japanese culture and has traditionally been viewed as a virtue—one that exemplifies patience, resilience, and quiet perseverance. Practiced in both personal and professional spheres, gaman is often seen as a mark of strength, where enduring challenges without complaint demonstrates a sense…
What you need to know about the new “workation” trend! (Japanese version) In many countries, the trend towards “workations” – blending work with vacation – is gaining momentum as companies seek to enhance employee well-being and productivity. Workations allow staff to work remotely from holiday destinations, combining leisure with work. This can boost creativity, reduce…
Our articles often focus on the way cultural roots such as history, philosophy or even religion are reflected in a country’s current business culture. Everywhere in the world, including Japan, the world of work has been undergoing extreme change for several years. And yet some peculiarities remain, as can be seen in the following example.…
(by Nikolaus Mach-Hour, Head of JCO Germany / VP global strategy) After discussing changes in HR strategies as well as policies on gender, inclusion and diversity in the second part of the series, in this third installment we will review changes to the way Japanese companies organise work. Changes at the workplace At the risk…
Even though Japan is among the richest and most developed countries, the work-life balance of its population may be in need of modernisation. The Japanese are hard workers, so much so that it, at times, affects their personal lives and health. The Japanese are known for working a lot of overtime. In addition, the Japanese…
Japanese CEOs sometimes exemplify a unique approach to corporate leadership. Here are two examples: – Yusaku Maezawa, the founder of a large Japanese online fashion mail order company, is not only known as a collector of modern art but was also set to become the first space tourist to fly around the moon in 2023…
When asking a Japanese employee about his non-Japanese colleagues, they might tell you that “they don’t apologize enough” or that “they make excuses”. Indeed, when something goes wrong, we tend to focus more on explaining the situation and reasons behind the mistake rather than directly taking responsibility. But why do Japanese negatively perceive this as…
A few years back while visiting Japan, a former university classmate and I stopped by a convenience store to buy some drinks in order not to arrive empty-handed at the home of Saito-san, a common friend. As I grabbed some Asahi beer, my friend was quick to remind me that Saito-san’s father worked for the…
