Back to the Office: 3 Observations on the Japanese Workplace

Please be aware that these are only my personal thoughts and experiences. I still have a lot to learn and of course my background as a European woman (and a foreigner in Japan) both influences and limits my understanding. Writing down these ideas and concepts helps me to engage with my experiences intellectually. Thank you for reading!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1.?????Elevator Etiquette

For many of us, the workday begins at the foot of one of the many skyscrapers that loom over the modern cityscapes. Moreover, this is the place, where the first challenges awaits: riding the elevator in Japan. It is worth knowing here is clear elevator etiquette that most Japanese follow as naturally as lining up in front of an escalator.

This etiquette once again takes a slightly different form in a business setting. You have to analyze the hierarchy of your fellow passengers, classify yourself correctly in the hierarchy, and under no circumstances should you leave the elevator before someone higher in rank.

I would like to refer to the excellent article by Madelaine for a more in-depth treatment of this topic (https://kimi.wiki/work/elevator-manners), in which the key points of this mysterious dance of leaving and entering and holding the elevator doors open are outlined.

To quote, some key points you should be aware of when riding the elevator in Japan:

1. "If you enter the elevator first, congratulations! You just received authority over all the buttons!
2. To fulfill your task, stand in front of the control panel, and push the door open button for everyone else who is getting on. As special service, help communication between passengers and vehicle, by asking on which floor everyone is getting off.
3. Quickly push (and hold) the close door button as soon as everyone is on board until the doors are safely shut. You wouldn’t want to make anyone wait.
4. Pushing the buttons and holding the door let’s you practice your reaction speed at every floor you arrive at. A crowd pushing out, a single person rushing in just as the doors are about to close – your doorman-ship can handle them all.
5. On your floor, again hold the door so everyone can get out. You see everyone out safely before you leave. The closest person now will take over your spot and hold the door for you and incoming passengers.”

(“Elevator Etiquette in Japan”, https://kimi.wiki/work/elevator-manners)

2.?????Greetings

Upon entering the office, greet the already present colleagues with a bright "Good morning!" (おはようございます!) as a sign of respect. This is similar to respectfully announcing that you will now be taking your leave at the end of the workday (お先に失礼します!) which is met with a response from colleagues (お疲れ様です!).

Upon entering the office, greet the already present colleagues with a bright "Good morning!" (おはようございます!) as a sign of respect. This is similar to respectfully announcing that someone is going home at the end of the workday (お先に失礼します!) which is met with a response from colleagues (お疲れ様です!).

Other greetings (depending on the company and work environment) that I find rather charming are:

• When I leave for a meeting, my team members wish me "行ってらっしゃい!”(See you later/Have fun!) , and when I return to my desk I will state "ただいま!" (I'm back) which will be responded to with "おかえりなさい!" (Welcome back!)
• When I run into a colleague in the hallway, or in the elevator, we exchange "お疲れ様です!" (Good job today!)
• At the beginning and end of virtual meetings (which take place during the day), we also wish each other "お疲れ様です!" (Good job today!).

3.?????Desk Hierarchy

My current office is an open-plan office with flexible seating - or at least that's the theory. In reality, our office has designated areas for certain departments and many colleagues have their "regular spots" that one should keep in mind. Desks are connected with no cubicle partitions, which comes with its own advantages and disadvantages. As Paco Alcantra writes,

“It’s too easy to catch an eye of the person in front of you. It’s also unavoidable to notice what colleagues are doing on their desk, even if I don’t try or wish to do so.”

(https://forgetmenot4getmenot.wordpress.com/2017/09/02/japanese-office-layout/)

This particular arrangement is also referred to as "Obeya"（大部屋), which means a large room or space, while seido refers to an organization or institution. The concept describes a literal workplace, where employees often sit at a table together with their teams instead of being alone in a cubicle. This work environment creates connections and openness for communication with colleagues during work and contributes to a harmonious work culture that fosters a good relationship between employees ("Wa" 和).

In addition, depending on the department, you still find instances of the Japanese presentation of hierarchy in the form of desk placement.

Another vivid example of high-context communication with significant meaning in everyday office life is the placement of desks:

The senior manager or department head will sometimes have a table positioned so that they are facing their team and positioned at the head end. Many senior manager and executives no longer follow this tradition but from time to time, you will still encounter this desk hierarchy.

For a deeper exploration of Japanese office culture please find an analysis by the always insightful Rochelle Kopp here: Why Do Japanese Like Open Plan Offices? (https://manabink.com/en/2020/12/26/why-do-japanese-like-open-plan-offices/)

?Thank you for reading!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

?References and further reading:

Madelaine; “Elevator Etiquette in Japan”, https://kimi.wiki/work/elevator-manners

"Obeya in the Workplace", https://www.graphicproducts.com/articles/obeya-in-the-workplace-an-overview/

Rochelle Kopp; Why Do Japanese Like Open Plan Offices?, https://manabink.com/en/2020/12/26/why-do-japanese-like-open-plan-offices/