et me give this another shot. The Japanese world - intimidating to your average foreigner. Most of us come over here with little-to-no idea of what is in store. All we have is a company name, a city, a contact. And just like with any new experience, be it a new boyfriend/girlfriend, a new car, or something as complex as working in a foreign country, there is a "honeymoon period" - a time when you can only see the positives to living in Japan, ignoring any small problems in the face of a great experience.
There's nothing wrong with this; in fact, it's unavoidable. But once you do "come down" and start tobe objective about your work environment, you might notice some remarkable differences. Some cultural, some personal. After talking to several eikaiwa teachers, I have come to a few conclusions regarding expected behavior in the Japanese workplace - now, whether this is true from the highest corporate ladder in Tokyo to the smallest bank in Matsuyama, I'm not
sure. All I do is report my observations and hope that others will benefit and learn from the example.
I believe genkiness in the workplace is two-faced coin. As my fellow gaijins are no doubt aware, the business environment is Japan is remarkably different from anywhere else in the world; co-workers, managers, and janitors alike are expected to behave according to a certain code. In Japanese terms, they are expected
to be genki while in the workplace.
What is genki? Genki is the term in Japan associated with energy, being upbeat, even downright happy to the
point of psychotic. If you wake up late, don't get the chance to exercise, skip breakfast, get caught in the rain, and lose your wallet on the way to work, you think you can let it show through? Guess what, you
can't. You have to be genki to be considered a model worker.
For the most part, I can understand this phenomenon in Japan. It's not by nature good or bad for workers, just a different code of standards on behavior. However, I believe that under some circumstances, especially with Japanese higher-ups dealing with gaijin workers, genkiness is not only rude, but downright condescending. For example - consider the banks in Japan. Unlike in America, where you might expect a bank teller to have a low-energy persona
while on the job and save their strength for their off-hours, Japan doesn't operate that way. To customers, you have to give off an extremely high level of energy and enthusiasm, regardless of how dismal your job or the task at hand might be.
Now, I can understand this, and even recognize the importance of it in the workplace - as far as customers are concerned; you should "advertise" that you enjoy their business, and appreciate the money they bring in. But what about interactions among fellow employees, or the employee-manager relationship? Surely genkiness isn't expected, since after hours or behind the scenes, no customers are in sight?
Yet this is precisely what happens. Managers relay some trivial information to employees (e.g. "We had
two new accounts today! We raised ¥403!"), and they are expected to react with cheering, clapping, smiling over results they really had no or little influence over. Are employees supposed to be excited at all hours during the workday? What do they care if the business raises this much money, or this little money? How does it affect them? It won't affect salaries, it won't affect hours... The only thing extra work does is put more money into the corporation. I don't see how anyone could exactly get a thrill from that. But that's genkiness for you - the other employees may not care either, but they are expected to react with energy and enthusiasm over insignificant figures.
This is even more pronouced when you introduce a foreign worker into the mix - American, Canadian, Korean, or whatnot, we're all gaijins - and try to enforce the same code of behavior on him. We gaijins aren't prepared for that; we don't understand it, and we may never understand it. But what really strikes me like a slap in the face, and makes me realize I'm never going to entirely fit in, even in something as familiar as the eikaiwa environment, is someone
exhibiting the facade of genkiness instead of their true personality.
Case in point - you decide to take a day off during a busy time of the year for your business, something you
are entirely within your right to do. And although your manager might grant this request, you sense that he is holding some resentment back, keeping his "honne" to himself rather that just explaining that he doesn't appreciate your request at this time. But this doesn't happen in the workplace - managers maintain the facade and act completely upbeat, completely genki, even though they are a little resentful.
I know this may be standard behavior in the Japanese workplace, but for me, showing genkiness rather than a
genuine reaction is no better than shouting a lie right into my face - it's insulting, and above all, it's condescending; it says to me, "you don't have the intelligence to understand the true reason behind my feelings, so here, enjoy this genki persona. Leave the serious emotions and work to us Japanese, ok, little gaijin boy?"
If you have anger, show it! Let it out of your heart! I get a feeling that working in Japan is like being around a girlfriend after you do something stupid: she may say "everything's ok," (and act genki, of course) but we both know that she's hiding her true feelings. Such is the case here. I would give anything just to get an honest reaction from some people, instead of this veiled, confusing, misinterpreting genkiness.
Posted at 10:39am on Wednesday, November 25th, 2009
Thank you for this article/rant! MY gf is Japanese and we live in UK but I still get irritated at this genkiness face as opposed to through emotion whenever my mates are about!
Consequently I look obstinate and angry but of course my mates misunderstands her genkiness for the real emotion and vice versa.
sweech kamakura
Posted at 9:44am on Sunday, May 24th, 2009
have anyone really thought of
communism in an industrialize country!
this is noting more than a 'zombie' country!
when everyone jumps off the cliff....we have to start jumping too!! the society works in an
implicit 'propoganda' that lurks in their culture!
Shelly Memphis, TN
Posted at 1:41pm on Thursday, April 2nd, 2009
They would kick me out for sure then if I worked there. I hate fake happiness. It's annoying. I alwa**ay, "If you're sad be sad; if you're mad be mad". That's not saying that you have to be rude.
john Yokohama
Posted at 1:53am on Friday, September 5th, 2008
I dont know about all this genki...in an automotive company...everyone is sullen and dull and boring all the time. I wishe they were genki a little bit at least.
I do hate Japan with all my heart and will leave soon.
kawaii_chan USA
Posted at 2:43pm on Tuesday, July 29th, 2008
Typically, workers in any country are actually supposed to enforce the Genki attitude. It is in the packet, contract, or mutual understanding at the time of the employment agreement. It seems that people in other countries such as Europe and the United States think it is OK to impose their negative personal issues on others rather than reflect on on them in a private way. I have to say that workers in those previously mentioned countries have forgotten the meaning of customer service in the face of the ever expanding service industry. It is not about being fake, or in denial. It is about company loyalty, putting yourself last on the list, and pushing yourself to the limit to take care of the customer/company agenda. In addition to the imposed negative thought of this article, I would like to say that Japan holds a great standard of work ethic and customer service that should be an example for companies in Europe and the United States.
It is not a wonder that I have been subjected to the Japanese Gaijin criticism before even being considered for employment with Japanese organizations or companies.
Japanese people have told me about this type of problems that they have with foreign workers. I have to say, I can agree with their bias due to the number of foreigners living in Japan who cannot cope with or understand Japanese work culture, and so on.
Hopefully, foreigners who are seeking work in Japan with positive work ethics and maturity will be able to change that opinion in the years to come.
From what I understand now, the Japanese foreign ministry is looking to enforce a Japanese language requirement for all foreigners looking to get a visa for long term employment in Japan. I think it is a great idea, due to the fact that learning Japanese language consists of learning Japanese culture. And taking Japanese language courses for business persons requires even more understanding of Japanese work environments.
Check out the article at:
http://www.hiraganatimes.com/hp/scenes/kiji/kiji260-6e.html
Yannick Westmalle
Posted at 9:13am on Thursday, March 6th, 2008
jimmy matsuyama
There you say racism. Well it is naturally for people to want their kids to get involved with 'their own'. And now you feel how it is for all the foreigners coming out of Africa or the middle east and so on.
hmm
Btw Turner thank you for the read it was somewhat eyeopening since I too had contact with Japanese and didn't fully understand what was going on until now.
Thank you.
jimmy matsuyama
Posted at 6:49am on Tuesday, March 4th, 2008
alger, nagoya.
i've experienced EXACTLY the same thing myself, i too recieved presents when meeting family. Later, i realised they would much prefer it if their daughter had a Japanese partner. I've done nothing wrong at all, and, like you, i experience real difficulty when my girlfriend lets all her emotions out on me. I completely accept all Japanese customs and traditions, i think its great, but when they wont except you, especially when you have done everything in your power to live by their customs, it borders on racism. Despite all this, i love being in Japan!!
Maikahi Paris, France
Posted at 4:41am on Tuesday, February 12th, 2008
I work of the Japanese here in Paris France. I am of American and Swiss origins nad have worked all over the world and nothing has compared to the condescension and public humiliation I have enured working here. Furthermore, they refuse to follow French labour laws and customs. I fully sympathize with Turner. And no, it doesn't work for the Japanese... have you seen the huge suicide rates?
Stache San Francisco
Posted at 8:24pm on Sunday, December 23rd, 2007
Why is it us foreigner always want the other country/culture to conform to us? They didn’t ask you to come to their country and change it. The Japanese society is thousands of years old and their system seems to work for them. I haven’t seen other Asian countries change and become a first rate country like Japan after a destructive war where they lost everything. Seems to me “genki” seems to work for them and what give us foreigners the right to complain about their system?
I have lived and work on and off for 30-years and plan to retire in Japan. Maybe because I accept their culture I fit in. I believe here in America we call it assimilation. For Gods sake if you don’t like the Japanese style they you should really leave.
I to dated a Japanese girl and it took 10-year to meet the elder of the family its there culture. You have to gain their respect, but being a foreigner I wouldn’t expect a non-Japanese to fully understand respect. If I might suggest you read the book The Way of the Samurai it might open your eyes a litter about the culture and its depth.
I don’t expect Japanese to fully accept me and why should I? I chose to live I their culture and abide by their way of life and don’t expect them to change just for me so quit complaining you sound like a regular ugly American.
livi Vancouver
Posted at 9:10pm on Friday, October 26th, 2007
Of course, I never was engaged in working relation in Japan, but after several prolonged stays and making some good friends over there, including one distinguished family in Chiba, I never anywhere in Japan felt to be looked down on or had found them rude or condescending.Rather opposite is true. Even if so perceived, certainly less than elsewhere in this world ( I am a seasoned traveler and visited about 35 countries, some on a prolonged stays.)
Several young Japanese expressed to me concerns as suggested above, what they are facing in their particular employments, so this does not, although understandably may be so perceived, is specifically in regard to foreigners, at lest not Westerners.
A young and intelligent lady, a lawyer in Tokyo, described to me in some details how demanding and "hard life is in Japan."
I also think, that many, not all, but many young Westerners, are not prepared for a rather formal social conduct and overall presentation, which includes a proper dress and manners, albeit what is actually true anywhere in developed countries.
