Roles, assumptions, expectations, communication style for women in Japanese companies. What can non-Japanese women do to overcome perceived barriers?

1. Women in Japanese
companies
Pernille Rudlin
Rudlin Consulting Ltd

2. • Japanese social and historical
context and recent changes
• Cultural and gender influences on
communication style
• What to do?

3. Confucian influence
• 5 relationships with
mutual obligations righteous behaviour in the
husband and obedience in
the wife
• Carry out obligations of
role, for harmonious
society

4. The Office Lady – 1980s Japan

5. Changes
• Equal Opportunity Law in effect from 1986
• Temporary and part time workers increased
since 1990s, now make up >36% of workforce
• Declining birth, marriage rate
• Abenomics – target of women filling 30 percent
of senior positions in all parts of society by
2020, improve childcare, extend parental leave
• Overtime…

6. Communication in Japan
•
•
•
•
•
Male/female language
High female voice considered sexy
Subject-Verb-Object order different
Polite – don’t use “I”, use passive tense
After hours “nominication”

7. Meetings
•
•
•
•
Nemawashi
Prepare the ground
Consensus
No open expression of
disagreement
• Juniors stay quiet
• No one decision maker

8. Final thoughts
• Use “feminine” communication style to gain trust of Japanese
colleagues (less threatening than Western males)
• Do nemawashi and show that it has been done
• Offer to transfer to Japan headquarters
• Explain to Western men that intelligence, seniority,
competence more important to Japanese than gender
• Send signals to Japanese men that not “administrative”
– Make sure job status/qualifications clear
– Willingness to do overtime when needed
– Socialising
• Seek out Japanese “sempai” (mentors)

9. Contact Us
Pernille Rudlin
Rudlin Consulting
96 Kingston Road, Leatherhead, Surrey KT22 7BT
Pernille.rudlin@rudlinconsulting.com
www.rudlinconsulting.com
@pernilleru
All contents of this presentation are copyrighted and may not be reproduced or used
without permission

10. Contact Us
Pernille Rudlin
Rudlin Consulting
96 Kingston Road, Leatherhead, Surrey KT22 7BT
Pernille.rudlin@rudlinconsulting.com
www.rudlinconsulting.com
@pernilleru
All contents of this presentation are copyrighted and may not be reproduced or used
without permission