Hey folks, would love to get some advice. Just for some background, I worked at a big chain Eikaiwa for a while but never really enjoyed it. After I got my Japanese level to where I felt it needed to be I started seriously applying for jobs and after a tough year or so of job hunting I finally got an offer in the overseas sales department at what I believed to be a fairly progressive company. The salary wasn’t really any higher than I was making before but I’d have weekends off, flextime, and a few work from home days a week plus I’d be getting experience in a field closer to what I wanted to be doing.
For the first month or so everything seemed great. I might have to answer some calls from overseas customers early in the morning or late at night, pull a little overtime here or there, and I’ve just had to take a fairly long overseas business trip but I was still enjoying it far far more than teaching English. I found the work more engaging and was able to spend more time with my family outside work.
However just in the last couple of weeks while I’ve been on this business trip with my boss, he has started to constantly pull me aside to complain and criticize anything and everything. Things like choosing the “wrong” seat at our trade show booth, not being fast enough to unload his suitcases from the car, not meeting him in the lobby at least five minutes BEFORE the time he scheduled for us to meet, not anticipating what he wants me to do before he asks (???) and more.
Just now he asked me to sit down with him so he could rant for 30 minutes or so about how I’m not doing enough work or showing enough initiative, not enthusiastic enough etc. etc. and finally ended the rant by saying that this isn’t a company where one can value their private life and explicitly saying I need to stay in the office later. However, he is usually the last person left in the office while nearly everyone else is gone by 6:00pm. I asked for him to give me more concrete examples of what exactly it is he would like for me to be doing but he just talked around that without actually telling me what it is he wants, only giving vague statements about how I should be doing more work.
Keep in mind I only started two months ago in a field I have absolutely no experience in. It’s not as if I lied during my job interview, they knew all this when they hired me. I’ve only just gotten to the point where I can feel fairly confident in explaining our range of products and fielding questions from customers so I’m not really sure how much more “initiative” I can show there.
This has become a bit of a rant but I’m just really at a loss for what to do and after just a few short weeks it’s already started taking a toll on my mental health. Of course I guess I’ll start applying to other jobs when I can but I’m worried about how it will look to be trying to leave after such a short time here. Does anyone have experience going to HR with something like this? Would it rise to the level of power harassment? I would really appreciate any guidance here!
[EDIT] I have studied and do try to be mindful of Japanese workplace manners as much as I can. Truthfully though this company has quite a few foreign employees and most everyone is fairly lax about that sort of thing. Those aren’t a huge deal but the constant assertion that I’m not doing enough work without actually specifically outlining and assigning tasks and refusing to explain what that “more work” should be is what I am most concerned with.
19 comments
Don’t put up with that kind of behavior. I would start looking for a new job quick.
Yes, that is indeed, “black”.
Edit: But maybe just your department based on your extra comments.
>>Things like choosing the “wrong” seat at our trade show booth,
Have you heard of the “kamiza?” The boss is supposed to sit in the most inner part of a place, while the lower members of the company sit on the outside. Not sure if this was what your boss was specifically criticizing you for, but it may be he wanted you to show him respect in this way.
>>not meeting him in the lobby at least five minutes BEFORE the time he scheduled for us to meet,
In Japan, early is on time. :/
>>not anticipating what he wants me to do before he asks (???) and more.
Yeah, this is because of high context culture. There’s some 4D chess going on in all social situations. Supposedly you’re supposed to be a mind-reader and understand what everyone wants, especially your superiors.
I wouldn’t say this is a black company based on your boss’s criticism, but I do empathize with your situation. It’s difficult to be in a traditional Japanese company because of the social expectations. Sorry you’re getting chewed out. Maybe read up on some office manners so you can anticipate what expectations your boss has.
EDIT: about the part where he wants you to work more, that’s pretty bullshit, but it’s a normal expectation. In my company everyone stays after work hours but I just leave on time LOL. In this case I would consider leaving for a different company, but be aware that bosses will expect you to show that you care about the company by working overtime.
Can’t say much without more context. From your vague descriptions, he SOUNDS like an awful manager, but the concrete feedback he gave are indeed things you should know or at least ask about. Things like seat order, or arriving for meetings 5 minutes beforehand (isn’t that just common sense?), etc.
So it could be a matter of you being especially bad at your job and your boss losing patience. I think you should take a honest look at the situation before making any decisions.
I once got a 30 minute scolding from my boss for hankoing at the wrong side of the page…
Yeah. I’d tell the boss to shove it and quit.
Let me start off by saying that I don’t necessarily agree with any of the following views, nor do I outright side with your boss.
This is simply feedback from of a native Japanese on how things work here.
>Things like choosing the “wrong” seat at our trade show booth
Your boss is rather conservative, but this is just one of those things you need to brush up on. He is expecting you to conform to traditional Japanese business customs such as 上座 / 下座 , etc. Your mistakes reflect badly on him in these public situations.
Is it silly? Sure. But still, it’s what people do here, and your boss doesn’t want to be seen as running an incompetent crew.
>not being fast enough to unload his suitcases from the car
This one is kind of silly.
>not meeting him in the lobby at least five minutes BEFORE the time he scheduled for us to meet
This one isn’t unreasonable, in my opinion. Being a few minutes early looks good in almost any situation. Do you always show up right on time for work, or do you arrive a few minutes early?
>Just now he asked me to sit down with him so he could rant for 30 minutes or so about how I’m not doing enough work or showing enough initiative
He doesn’t want to have to teach you the ropes, which is somewhat understandable. It does take time to learn how things work, but it’s also your responsibility to study up before joining the real working world.
>explicitly saying I need to stay in the office later.
That’s just how it is at traditional companies. Showing effort is more important than results. 140 working hours per month is the legal minimum, but many companies expect at least 160.
>I asked for him to give me more concrete examples of what exactly it is he would like for me to be doing but he just talked around that without actually telling me what it is he wants, only giving vague statements about how I should be doing more work.
Because his goal here is to scold you, vent his frustrations, and feel like he is the boss.
“It’s up to you to figure out what you’re doing wrong” is the unspoken motto in many workplaces.
>Keep in mind I only started two months ago in a field I have absolutely no experience in. It’s not as if I lied during my job interview, they knew all this when they hired me.
These are basic business etiquette issues and have nothing to do with your field.
Yes, they knew that you were inexperienced, but they also hoped that you would pick up on things more quickly.
I know that everyone will tell you to leave asap but the reality is that you don’t have enough experience yet to be valuable in your new market
I would recommand you to endure at least 1-3years to get a first clean experience to show on your resume so you can look for a new job without saying in interview that is because your current company is not good, but because you want a new challenge (or any other bullshit)
also it looks like you may not understand few things of Japanese working culture so think of it as good opportunity to learn how the things works here because this will be the same almost everywhere, just to different extend
For better or worse – your boss is probably training / treating you like he would *any* underling. You probably haven’t gone through the typical experiences someone going to school / uni in Japan has so some of this is new, and your boss is trying to tell you what’s expected.
If you can develop a bit of a thick skin, you will learn a tremendous amount from it. Watch, listen and learn; understanding how you can anticipate what your boss wants / needs is a skill that has universal application.
Knowing where the boss is supposed to sit, being (at least) five minutes early to business meetings – I mean, this really is common sense stuff, IMHO. At least in Japan.
Sounds more like power harassment by an individual, rather than black company. My company has consultation office (相談窓口) for reporting harassment, so you might wanna check if yours have one too
These things sound more like just a shitty boss than a “black” company. Are you not getting paid as contractually promised? Are you being asked to work excessive overtime without pay? Are you being asked to do unethical things to land business for the company? A “yes” to any would point to a bad company.
I’ve worked in top name companies and they have plenty of bosses like yours. You can be in a great group and the next aisle over is total shit due to the boss and lack of real teeth in any harassment enforcement.
I don’t think its ”black”, just difference in expectation.
As many people pointed out, it seems like you are being compared to a typical Japanese 社会人, and you are expected to have prepared, studied the unwritten rules to be a ”desired” 社会人, small things like 報連相, take the initiative to pour drinks take take orders at 飲み会, to big things like Kamiza, greetings and be punctual.
[here](https://workinjapan.today/work/japanese-business-philosophy-horenso/#:~:text=H%C5%8CRENS%C5%8C%20is%20a%20basic%20rule,efficient%20system%20of%20information%20sharing.)
Read about Japanese business culture
HO.REN.SO
It’s the basic of the basic stuff but it helps in communication.
It’s a complex culture but if you learn it,it should be useful.
That guy sounds like an asshat. If you can’t avoid him, I’d suggest that you take your experience elswhere.
It’s been two months?
He may be trying to get you to quit before the three month trial period ends – after which you generally become a “real employee” with benefits.
Because it’s much more difficult to fire an “employee” than to release someone who “didn’t work out” or “quit.”
This on top of all the other very valid comments above regarding culture issues/concerns.
If it’s me – I’m looking for a new income source.
I think it’s typical Japanese behavior, what has happened is your boss realizes he’s taken a hit by hiring you and is not used to the new expense, so he’s trying to justify paying you by getting you to grind. If you quit he wins.
Micromanagement is the worst form of management, if your visa isn’t dependent you can always just start looking for new work. Talk to your colleagues and see how they feel about the boss?
To put it simply: He wants you to be around more in the office and chat. You also should be 5 minute before schedule plus talk to others more about his expectations. You going for this business trip was an investment and you blew it a little tbh.
Not black company but he sounds like an old-style Japanese boss.
Fairly long overseas trip in your first month? Aren’t you like brand new to this industry? Another business trip whilst with a boss?
Aren’t you supposed to be training? That should be more of a red flag