Dear All, Came to Japan 3 years ago and I worked in a Inaka Traditional Japanese SME since 2 years ago under spouse visa as International sales, I am the only foreigner. I took the company wide stress check survey in November last year. My stress result is considered high and company will arrange a counselling session for me with a mental counselor.
Anyone did the counselling thing before? I am Trilingual, N2 but not business level fluent. I think one of my high stress reason is due to the Showa style Ojisan bosses and the very traditional Japanese way of doing things and micro managing a foreign staff like me which embarrass to say after 2 years I still can\`t fully used to it. I was working in an European MNC for more than 15 years prior to this.
Not sure if is tatemae but So far my company HR is very understanding, supportive, listen to my concerns and “complaints”. They also proposed few options for me, 1 is to continue to work under sales team but same Showa bosses, just change my duty to more supportive role like sales assistant to be less responsibility and they will also ‘talk’ to the bosses.
2nd is partly my wish to move to other department completely (Like QA or Production). This, anyhow, is not guarantee.
Worst case, I am also thinking to go back to my home country for good as my family back there are really worried about me.
As this is my first time facing such high stress in my 20 years of working experiences and first time for the counselling. My questions, is the counselling session helpful? I should speak frankly how I feel during the counselling session right ( I don\`t think I am suicidal but I had dark thought before within 2 years) ? Will normally the company takes the inputs or recommendation from the counselor seriously?
Thanks!
7 comments
Work related stress is a big problem in Japan so your company is probably serious about stress management. What is it about your ojisan bosses’ style that stresses you out, specifically?
First, and most important question: do you *feel stressed?*
Just because a survey says you feel stressed doesn’t mean that you necessarily are. Not saying that you should ignore it, but there’s no way for any survey to completely and accurately assess every single person. We’re all vastly different.
I’ll just ask, do you want counseling? We were always given the option.
My company makes us do this nonsense once a year.
I answered every question so that the result would come out as the maximum level of stress possible.
Nothing was ever followed up.
Waste of time. Company just does it to make them look good.
I`’m sorry that you seem to be suffering in that working environment. I saw your comments also and I want to say that I totally can relate with your stress especially about the Showa style management and being the only foreigner who are expected to perform like Japanese. Have been there also: hi-stress check, counselings, crying in the toilet etc until I ended up taking meds then taking stress leave. Though I admit, I didnt have the sales target and rough micromanagement.
I dont know your company’s overall work culture, but I suggest you to tell what you wanted to tell to the counselor, but make it balance for each portion of the problem: the management and the job that doesnt suit you, and your trouble of adapting to the environment esp as the only foreigner there. there is a chance the counselor explain well about your condition to company and they will follow as per your wish (looking at how you describe HR attitude) although not 100% but you also have to be prepped when it ‘backfires’ you, since no one else had the courage to complain for the sake of harmony. Still, when you know there is no positive change accommodated by the company you will know what to do then. As other said, you should prioritize your mental health, whether you gaman for another months or years, if no change then no change, and you may just suffer more.
As an anecdote, I told my counselor and sangyoui as it is, nothing to hide, because I know they won’t judge and counterback to me (its their work culture, theyre under heavy obligation to comply to roudou kumiai and labor protection); luckily they understand and try to at least ‘suppress’ the problematic managers and let them go (yeah they didnt have the courage to cut them straight), the counselor also refer me to psychiatrist in case I need more help.
And regarding the other stress such as the work culture and job portion, my mind was already too messy and no time for the company to do anything about it so in the end I quickly ask my therapist to let me ‘rest’.
Stress leave might not be your choice, but still I hope you can find amicable solution with company asap.
Yeah I had this. My stress doesn’t come from work though. So, I took the survey again and lied to make it look good. Also, I had loads of family issues at that time.
Plus, the survey is a joke. You either never have the symptom, or you always do. They need to have a more varied scale.
Just out of curiosity, did you ask for the counseling? In my job we get these stress checks too, and I’ve been hitting serious red marks for the past 3 years never even heard a peep from our health advisor.