According to a survey from August 2019 asking Japanese managers about problems they faced while working with foreign employees, a share of more than 46 percent of respondents stated their employees' strong self-assertion as a difficulty. Another problem experienced by almost 42 percent was the foreign employees' lacking understanding of Japanese common sense.
Problems experienced by managers when working with foreign employees in Japan as of August 2019
among Japanese managers; multiple answers possible
Method of interview
Online survey
Supplementary notes
The original question asked for traits of foreign employees that went beyond what managers had expected before working with them.
Sample size of managers by type of foreign employees they were working with:
Managers of full time employees: n=530
Managers of part-timers: n=173
Managers of technical intern trainees: n=169
Managers working with foreign employees of different employment types only responded with regard to one designated type.
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Persol Research and Consulting. (December 10, 2019). Problems experienced by managers when working with foreign employees in Japan as of August 2019 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved March 15, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1099740/japan-managers-problems-regarding-work-with-foreign-employees/?__sso_cookie_checker=failed
Persol Research and Consulting. "Problems experienced by managers when working with foreign employees in Japan as of August 2019." Chart. December 10, 2019. Statista. Accessed March 15, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1099740/japan-managers-problems-regarding-work-with-foreign-employees/?__sso_cookie_checker=failed
Persol Research and Consulting. (2019). Problems experienced by managers when working with foreign employees in Japan as of August 2019. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: March 15, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1099740/japan-managers-problems-regarding-work-with-foreign-employees/?__sso_cookie_checker=failed
Persol Research and Consulting. "Problems Experienced by Managers When Working with Foreign Employees in Japan as of August 2019." Statista, Statista Inc., 10 Dec 2019, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1099740/japan-managers-problems-regarding-work-with-foreign-employees/?__sso_cookie_checker=failed
Persol Research and Consulting, Problems experienced by managers when working with foreign employees in Japan as of August 2019 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1099740/japan-managers-problems-regarding-work-with-foreign-employees/?__sso_cookie_checker=failed (last visited March 15, 2025)
Problems experienced by managers when working with foreign employees in Japan as of August 2019 [Graph], Persol Research and Consulting, December 10, 2019. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1099740/japan-managers-problems-regarding-work-with-foreign-employees/?__sso_cookie_checker=failed
