Stacie Fil
01-08-2006, 02:28 AM
Japan culture is totally opposite from the western culture which we know. most specially in work environment.
How would you react, if you once in awhile hear the word “sasuga”? or other words you encounter then?
Do you have some idea or rules on how to make/maintain good relation in your workplace?
crispee
01-08-2006, 08:45 AM
Maintaining good communication and friendly conversations always work for me. And start the day with a simple smiley;)
3rdy
01-08-2006, 04:51 PM
I’ve been here in Japan just less than two years so far but it’s not bad as i think though. I’m having a bluecollar job but first damn i felt butterflies in my stomach. Because I barely speak the language my damn fault cause i teached my wifey english so I never thought I will need it tremendously at work here. What I did in dealing with my almost all-Japanese co-workers:
- I tried to be very nice and friendly (it’s a mistake) i regretted doing it. I really find it stranged when you greet most of them their reactions were as if they didn’t see you at all. It’s quiet frustrating for a very extrovent and extremely friendly person.
- I stayed focused on my job. I open wide my eyes on whats going on but made sure not get involve unless it concerns me.
- I was nice to my immediate superior ONLY.
3rdy
01-08-2006, 04:51 PM
I’ve been here in Japan just less than two years so far but it’s not bad as i think though. I’m having a bluecollar job but first damn i felt butterflies in my stomach. Because I barely speak the language my damn fault cause i teached my wifey english so I never thought I will need it tremendously at work here. What I did in dealing with my almost all-Japanese co-workers:
- I tried to be very nice and friendly (it’s a mistake) i regretted doing it. I really find it stranged when you greet most of them their reactions were as if they didn’t see you at all. It’s quiet frustrating for a very extrovent and extremely friendly person.
- I stayed focused on my job. I open wide my eyes on whats going on but made sure not get involve unless it concerns me.
- I was nice to my immediate superior ONLY.
3rdy
01-08-2006, 04:56 PM
Sorry for the double posting…sorry for my awfull english. the word above ‘extrovent’ was mispelled , it would have been ‘extroveRt’. Again sorry.
tepen
01-08-2006, 07:56 PM
Japan culture is totally opposite from the western culture which we know. most specially in work environment.
How would you react, if you once in awhile hear the word “sasuga”? or other words you encounter then?
Do you have some idea or rules on how to make/maintain good relation in your workplace?
Just follow the corporate culture.
Stacie Fil
01-08-2006, 08:07 PM
Sorry for the double posting…sorry for my awfull english. the word above ‘extrovent’ was mispelled , it would have been ‘extroveRt’. Again sorry.
Its OK, dont be troubled about it. Whats important is you honest opinion. We all make the same mistake once in awhile and its no big deal. What you wish to say seems quite clear naman ang understandable. Dont hesitate to express yourself, most specially if you believe its important or contructive in a way.
The reason I posted the question its because I sometimes slow on how to properly respond to Japanese co workers. As a Pinoy, we have a different outlook or view sometimes. Im wondering if what was said were direct expression or the reverse. Somehow I think this is often true to Pilipino’s,(reverse psyc) mostly to elders than to foriegn people. Siguro kase coming from a Pinoy family we often see sarcasm and jokes. And also learning about Japanese that they are not direct or have other faces ika nga.
Stacie Fil
01-08-2006, 08:21 PM
Maintaining good communication and friendly conversations always work for me. And start the day with a simple smiley;)
Paano naman kaya sa case nang mga talagang baguhan at hindi pa fully develop ang Japanese communication skills?
Stacie Fil
01-08-2006, 08:27 PM
Just follow the corporate culture.
Any clarification pls. on how or where to get/learn the corporate culture?
Tonyang
01-08-2006, 11:06 PM
Sa akin… acceptance of diversity or differences. Never expect that Japanese will act like Filipinos or never expect ways that are Filipino in a Japanese environment. Just get rid of thoughts like "sa Pinas, ganoon, bakit dito ganito??? Frustrating ito lalo na sa mga babae sa totoo lang… anyway, as long as you are doing a great job and always doing your best, don’t worry. Palaging nasa positive side lang ang isipin natin palagi. Minsan pag di ko maintindihan, ina-associate ko sa pagiging foreigner pero di ito ang rason madalas… ang rason madalas ay dahil gawi na ng mga Hapon.
Ang maganda sa Japanese environment, walang pakialamanan sa private matters. May positive at negative side ito of course pero para sa akin, malaking bagay ito na nakababawas sa mga tsismis. Kung may mga tsismis man, tungkol sa trabaho pero di kasama ang private life. Sa experience ko ito…baka iba sa iba.
For us foreigners (especially women and Pinays!!), may language, cultural barriers at image-setting talaga… di ito mawawala. It’s up to us to prove that we deserve a better treatment. Matagal na challenge ito pero pag nakuha mo ang loob at respeto ng mga katrabahong Hapon, dire-diretso na iyan.
Actually mas madalas na kahit alam natin ang ibig sabihin sa Nihongo, may cultural attachment pa rin na magiging rason kung bakit iba ang dating sa atin. Actually may adjustment din sila kung foreigner sila… may concern sila sa pagkakaiba pero dapat nating gawin ang pang-balanse para maintindihan nila ang cultural differences nang sa gayo’y mutual ang pagtanggap nila ng differences o diversity sa approach sa trabaho. Strategy na natin kung paano natin ito gagawin. Puwede rin nating pag-usapan ito sa susunod.
Hope this helps.
japphi
01-08-2006, 11:12 PM
Any clarification pls. on how or where to get/learn the corporate culture?
Matagal na rin ako sa trabaho ko…una talagang hindi ako hiyang dahil ang mga kasamahan ko ay puro mga Obaasan…alam nyo na ang mga ganyan…andyan na yang i-ijimeru ka.Ang sa akin naman ay andito ako sa Japan…so do the japanese way…of course hindi pareho ng way of thinking…but I did my best na sundin sila…pag nagkamali…Gomenasa i…sumimasen…lal u na’t beteran sila sa trabaho namin.Ni minsan ay hindi ako nagpakita ng galit o nagdabog.
As time goes by ay nakakakwentuhan ko na sila at nakaka-vibes na…sa mga kwento nila…yung ibang nagtrabaho daw na gaijin din ay hindi nagtatagal…dahil na rin siguro sa ijimeru nila.Ako lang daw ang nagtagal…3yrs and a half…nagbuntis ako…at huminto…ayaw muna akong pahintuin nung tencho namin…2004 ay ilang beses akong tinatanong kung hindi pa raw ako babalik sa trabaho ko…kahit na sabado at linggo lang daw ay ok.Kaya hayun at kayod ako ulit…at ok naman ang samahan namin.
Ang maipapayo ko lang…ang samahan o trabaho sa atin ay iba…at iba rin naman dito…ayaw nila yung isisingit mo yung Philippine way natin dahil dito raw ay Nihon…so do the japanese way na lang.Gusto nila ay concentrate ka sa trahabo…huwag yung one sided ka lang…like sa trabaho ko…nagpa-pack ng mga prutas…hindi lang yung pag-pa-pack ang inaatupag ko…may concern ako sa mga prutas na tinda ng omise namin…hindi yung dahil may sahod trabaho lang.Sila…pag oras na ay tapos na kaagad…ako kahit na napindot na yung time card ko ay tatapusin ko yung trabaho ko…sabi nga nila full of service daw ako he he he he… Mas gusto nila yung may concern sa trabaho,sa mga co-workers…hindi yung gusto mong magtrabaho dahil maganda ang sahod.Goodluck.
richie
01-08-2006, 11:25 PM
Basing on my own experience;
Subdued and lie low. But I greeted with smile all my co-employees who came my way. I tried to learn as much and as fast as I could about the work, lalo na yung mga sulat kanji na di ko maintindihan, I took note. Sa supervisor ako dumiderecho ng tanong, kung wala naman siya, kung sino lang ang nadiyan, but I tried not to bother them much kasi busy din sila at baka mainis na nababalam ang kanilang trabaho dahil sa katatanong ko.
Na-experience ko na rin yung sempai, e, arogante. “wakaranai ka? kore wa ruru kara, ne,” tigas ng salita. Tatlong araw pa lang ako nun at hindi pa naituturo sa akin yung sinasabi niya. Ang sabi ko na lang, “hai, wakarimashita.” Magmula noon hindi ko na siya pinansin, wala akong nakikita kahit nandiyan siya. Napansin niyang cold na ako sa kanya, siya rin ang unang kumausap in a more civil way na everytime.
Meron pang isa, yung back-up ko, everytime na nagdadala siya ng items sa aking counter, arigato palagi, minsan nagsalita ba namang mag-isa mahina lang ang boses pero narinig ko, "ichi ichi iu na yo…"yung iba hindi ko na na-get. Magmula noon hindi na ako nag-arigato, na-guilty seguro or what, siya na ang unang kumausap.
I acknowledged my own mistake/s, reported them to my supervisor, “sumimasen deshita, korekara kiyoutkemasu.”
dagdag; hardwork, sincerity, frankness ( if what they asked of me was impossible especially sa schedule ko, I told them no and gave my reasons) and made sure I contributed to the goal of the company.
Isa pang dagdag, I shun those chismosa, nakupo lalo na yung mga sempai na oobasang. Sinadya kong ibahin ang oras ng lunch ko para di lang sila makasabay.
Wala naman akong naging problema.
Sana may mapupulot kang tips sa naging experience ko.
God bless!
Tonyang
01-09-2006, 08:38 AM
“Ni minsan ay hindi ako nagpakita ng galit o nagdabog.” - Japphi
“hardwork, sincerity, frankness ( if what they asked of me was impossible especially sa schedule ko, I told them no and gave my reasons) and made sure I contributed to the goal of the company.” - Richie
Halos pare-pareho tayo ng na-experience. I hope Stacie got some points from this sharing. Nakakatuwa na nagkukumpra tayo ng notes at halos pare-pareho. Di kaya mas madaling maintindihan kung paano makatrabaho ang mga Hapon kaysa mga Pinoy kung tutuusin dahil pare-pareho lang ang pattern? Pag ganito sila, ganito ang gawin mo type.
Useful minsan iyung ignorance basta may dahilan kung bakit ka nag-ignore. Ang nakakatawa rito… sa atin, pag-usapan kung bakit ka tahimik pero sa mga Hapon, understood na nila kahit walang sabi-sabi bakit siya biglang tumahimik.
Sa corporate culture, common experience iyung may fear sila sa pagsasalita ng Ingles. Takot ang mga Hapon na mag-commit ng mistakes o mapagtawanan kaya sa bagay na ito, dahil kailangan nating makisama, iparamdam natin na concern tayo sa communication at hindi sa grammar. Baka ma-communicate nila sa broken English o sa madaling Japanese ang gusto nilang ipahiwatig, sa umpisa ok na iyun. Then gradually improve your communication strategy with them. Actions speak louder than words. This is something true about the Japanese co-workers that I am dealing with.
One other thing that’s true is Japanese level of insecurity and second is sense of politics. Dito tayo mag-iingat. Pag naramdaman natin o may sign na naiinggit o pinupulitika tayo, i-diplomasya natin agad.
Hope this helps.
richie
01-09-2006, 11:04 AM
Matagal na rin ako sa trabaho ko…una talagang hindi ako hiyang dahil ang mga kasamahan ko ay puro mga Obaasan…alam nyo na ang mga ganyan…andyan na yang i-ijimeru ka.Ang sa akin naman ay andito ako sa Japan…so do the japanese way…of course hindi pareho ng way of thinking…but I did my best na sundin sila…pag nagkamali…Gomenasa i…sumimasen…lal u na’t beteran sila sa trabaho namin.Ni minsan ay hindi ako nagpakita ng galit o nagdabog.
As time goes by ay nakakakwentuhan ko na sila at nakaka-vibes na…sa mga kwento nila…yung ibang nagtrabaho daw na gaijin din ay hindi nagtatagal…dahil na rin siguro sa ijimeru nila.Ako lang daw ang nagtagal…3yrs and a half…nagbuntis ako…at huminto…ayaw muna akong pahintuin nung tencho namin…2004 ay ilang beses akong tinatanong kung hindi pa raw ako babalik sa trabaho ko…kahit na sabado at linggo lang daw ay ok.Kaya hayun at kayod ako ulit…at ok naman ang samahan namin.
Ang maipapayo ko lang…ang samahan o trabaho sa atin ay iba…at iba rin naman dito…ayaw nila yung isisingit mo yung Philippine way natin dahil dito raw ay Nihon…so do the japanese way na lang.Gusto nila ay concentrate ka sa trahabo…huwag yung one sided ka lang…like sa trabaho ko…nagpa-pack ng mga prutas…hindi lang yung pag-pa-pack ang inaatupag ko…may concern ako sa mga prutas na tinda ng omise namin…hindi yung dahil may sahod trabaho lang.Sila…pag oras na ay tapos na kaagad…ako kahit na napindot na yung time card ko ay tatapusin ko yung trabaho ko…sabi nga nila full of service daw ako he he he he… Mas gusto nila yung may concern sa trabaho,sa mga co-workers…hindi yung gusto mong magtrabaho dahil maganda ang sahod.Goodluck.
Oo, yung extra work. How we work in our own home, ganung attitude. Japanese merit that.
richie
01-09-2006, 11:45 AM
“Ni minsan ay hindi ako nagpakita ng galit o nagdabog.” - Japphi
“hardwork, sincerity, frankness ( if what they asked of me was impossible especially sa schedule ko, I told them no and gave my reasons) and made sure I contributed to the goal of the company.” - Richie
Halos pare-pareho tayo ng na-experience. I hope Stacie got some points from this sharing. Nakakatuwa na nagkukumpra tayo ng notes at halos pare-pareho. Di kaya mas madaling maintindihan kung paano makatrabaho ang mga Hapon kaysa mga Pinoy kung tutuusin dahil pare-pareho lang ang pattern? Pag ganito sila, ganito ang gawin mo type.
Useful minsan iyung ignorance basta may dahilan kung bakit ka nag-ignore. Ang nakakatawa rito… sa atin, pag-usapan kung bakit ka tahimik pero sa mga Hapon, understood na nila kahit walang sabi-sabi bakit siya biglang tumahimik.
Sa corporate culture, common experience iyung may fear sila sa pagsasalita ng Ingles. Takot ang mga Hapon na mag-commit ng mistakes o mapagtawanan kaya sa bagay na ito, dahil kailangan nating makisama, iparamdam natin na concern tayo sa communication at hindi sa grammar. Baka ma-communicate nila sa broken English o sa madaling Japanese ang gusto nilang ipahiwatig, sa umpisa ok na iyun. Then gradually improve your communication strategy with them. Actions speak louder than words. This is something true about the Japanese co-workers that I am dealing with.
One other thing that’s true is Japanese level of insecurity and second is sense of politics. Dito tayo mag-iingat. Pag naramdaman natin o may sign na naiinggit o pinupulitika tayo, i-diplomasya natin agad.
Hope this helps.
I have learned na pag-tumahimik ka na, they perceive it as, umiiwas ka sa pakikipagtalo at the same time, they start to mind their manners. Especially if they observed your concern in your work, somehow asset and indispensable ka na sa company.
It is also helpful paminsan minsan yung pakikihalubilo outside sa company like yung end of the year gatherings.
Japanese level of insecurity~ They also want you to have your own insecurity/ies, hindi yung “tukui” all the way, otherwise if they felt na magaling ka sa lahat ng bagay (kahit hindi totoo at feeling lang nila yun), these will add to their insecurities, they will find ways to put you down. Politics is now visible. On my part, pag may bagong items at bagong rule, “Chotto doki doki desu ne, machigai nara kowai desu.”
I felt their support at this level, I acknowledge them, “okagesama de, arigatou gozaimazu.”
aprilluck
01-09-2006, 04:36 PM
Tonyang
For us foreigners (especially women and Pinays!!), may language, cultural barriers at image-setting talaga… di ito mawawala. It’s up to us to prove that we deserve a better treatment. Matagal na challenge ito pero pag nakuha mo ang loob at respeto ng mga katrabahong Hapon, dire-diretso na iyan.
Hope this helps.
@ Tonyang
I agree with you ,Totoo talaga base sa experience ko ,Lahat ng kasama ko sa trabaho ay puro Japanese,I did a lot of adjustment,I greet them first,justify that I could work with them without being “meiwaku”,nagtiyaga .Four years na ako sa trabaho ko so ngayon naman lahat okey ang pakikisama sa akin,As what you have said “It’s up to us to prove that we deserve a better treatment” Tao lang lang din sila ,pag pinakita mong “Tao” ka ,tao din sila.Pag nakuha mo loob nila "solve " ka na .Dapat kasi positive tayo ,hindi lahat na lang ng butas ang hahanapin natin.Salamat po!
aprilluck
01-09-2006, 05:47 PM
I have learned na pag-tumahimik ka na, they perceive it as, umiiwas ka sa pakikipagtalo at the same time, they start to mind their manners. Especially if they observed your concern in your work, somehow asset and indispensable ka na sa company.
It is also helpful paminsan minsan yung pakikihalubilo outside sa company like yung end of the year gatherings.
"
Hello
@ Richie ,True !!Kasi isa pa rin iyun na hindi sila mahilig makipagtalo to death ,as a matured people, ano naman ang mapapala natin sa walang katapusang pakikipagtalo diba?
And helpful din iyung hihihingan mo sila ng opinion ,para hindi nila ma-feel iyung para na silang na ba-by-pass ng isang "gaijin ".tulad na lang last week,may bagong scanner na gagamitin daw namin starting Jan.16,then binigyan kami ng schedule by group para mapag-aralan kung paano ang pag-gamit, so I asked kung puwedeng dumoble ng schedule dahil hindi ako sigurado sa sarili ko na kaya kong kabisaduhin agad iyun,be honest, hindi iyung para tayong nakikipag compete sa kanila ,imbes na turuan tayo nila makaka-inisan pa ,kapag ang dating mo ay para tayong conceited .Good Luck !!
@ Japphi .Ayos ka talaga 'day !!!talaga na dapat maipakita natin 'yong concern sa pinagtatrabahuhan natin hindi dahil sa suweldo lang,Yes! kailangan nating lahat ng suweldo diba? but kailangan din nating ipakita na karapat-dapat tayong pasuwelduhin .
God Bless.
Stacie Fil
01-13-2006, 12:07 AM
Salamat po sa lahat nang response. Tama po kayo. It’s best to observe and follow the japan/corporate way, stay nice at all time, and work hard. Pasensya na at ngayon lang ulit naka pag post nang reply/log sa TF.
d_southpaw
01-13-2006, 12:36 AM
Good info in these thread.
I guess being “positive and open-minded” can also summarise it all.
Also, except for those who are in very gaishikei (foreign) companies,
genuine interest in learning the Japanese language and culture will
also be a major foundation in building good workplace relationship.
I find that lunching with whoever member of the
organization I am in also helps. It makes me understand each one.
The topic is usually current events and foods. The latter is difficult.
They know a lot, the topic can go deep.
Extra: I know a few Filipinos who also go up high in the ladder. So if one
has the skills, ambition, the right attitude and motivation, he/she can also go up
to the management level. Despite the discrimination, or the difference or
the diversity. This is the area where I hope to see more Filipinos.
We have a fair amount of specialists, but probably just a few going up
high in the corporate ladder.
shonen
01-13-2006, 04:53 PM
Japan culture is totally opposite from the western culture which we know. most specially in work environment.
How would you react, if you once in awhile hear the word “sasuga”? or other words you encounter then?
Do you have some idea or rules on how to make/maintain good relation in your workplace?
natutuwa ang mga hapon pag nakikita ka nilang nagtatanong. ibig sabihin gusto mong matuto or interesado ka sa ginagawa mo. pasa agad ako ng work mo pag tapos na. may mga hapon talaga na masusungit pero ini-ignore ko lang sila. iilan lang naman kasi sila.
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