Have you ever considered working in Japan? Yes, Filipinos are open to getting jobs at any country, but now here comes Japan being part of the list. Working in Japan seems to be enjoyable and challenging at the same time. Japan has an estimated of about 200,000 overseas Filipino workers. Mostly, they work as teachers, engineers, hotel staff, caregivers and IT professionals. Maritime, food and entertainment industries are also growing in numbers.
Understanding Japan’s Work Culture
Japan is one of the first world countries. Being an expat, you need to know things about the country before actually working there. Here are some:
1. Japanese speak their language, not English.
Before accepting a job offer to work in Japan, you are pretty sure required to undergo a Japanese class. Yes, you need to learn their language before going there because only a few actually understand English, let alone, speak it. Is it hard? It’s actually very hard, but fret not. When you are really determined and focused to learn, it will come easy. Practice every day and you will eventually get used to it.
2. Discipline is the key.
Knowing Japan to be a first world country, one thing that made them where they are now must be due to discipline. The Japanese may be regarded as strict, yes they are, but they view it as discipline. Japan maintains its surroundings to be clean and safe. And, they always wait in queue. Yes, they form a line and wait for their turn. So, if you do end up working in Japan, make sure that you can cope up with their rules. Laziness is not in their vocabulary, so get your job done.
3. Time is critical.
Did you know that Japan’s trains arrive and leave exactly on time? When they encounter technical difficulties, staff immediately gives out delay certificate – an apology slip that you can present to your boss upon arriving the office late. If you are new to Japan, it is recommended to check out the train’s schedule to where you are going. If you are attending a meeting, arrive ahead on time. Japanese do not want to be late. So, if you do not want to get in trouble with your job, be punctual.
4. Small earthquakes happen almost daily.
Recently, Japan has its grounds shaking again. Major and minor earthquakes in Japan seem to be part of every Japanese life. When you are a first timer, you might panic on the so-called small shakes. It is a normal thing to happen in Japan, so deal with it.
5. Honesty is the best policy.
If you lost an item, just wait and most likely, someone will reach out to you. Many lost items are surrendered to the lost and found centers or police stations. When Japan was hit by earthquake and tsunami, safety boxes and wallets were returned to its rightful owners. In your office, you might find a food stall with a box. What’s with the box? It’s where you’ll put your payment for anything you get from the stall. Japan is praised widely for their honesty.
OFWs in Japan have witnessed and experienced the above-mentioned. It may be hard at first, but all your hardships would eventually pay off. Conclusively, these may be some reasons why OFWs want to work in Japan.