HR Management Consulting for Japanese Business Abroad

确定日本海外子公司的最佳人力资源管理模式是成功扩张的关键. 我们的人力资源咨询服务可以加深您的外国大学对日本工作文化的了解，同时使日本的传统做法与国外的文化规范相协调.
Speak to a cultural specialist consultant

How do overseas business cultures differ from Japanese culture?

日本企业习惯于传统的人力资源管理模式, 每批毕业生在哪里被长期聘用. This recruitment model cannot always be replicated overseas, 职业发展中个人独立和自由的价值观在哪里更突出. To attract talent and ensure that offshore offices remain staffed, 人力资源管理模式需要适应海外不同的工作文化.

Uniqueness of japanese HR management practice

Japan    Outside of Japan

Batch recruitment of fresh graduates

  • Potential based recruitment
  • Provide common training program

Position-based recruitment

  • Capability based recruitment
  • Provide learning opportunities

Life-time employment mindset

  • Focus on internal career
  • Reward based on seniority/ tenure

Employment agreement upon free will

  • Focus on external market value
  • Reward based on position/ job

Value on learning & sharing as a team

  • Responsibility & accountability not clearly defined
  • Tacit knowledge belongs to specific person in the team

Value on independency & collaboration

  • Responsibility & accountability clearly defined and agreed
  • Explicit knowledge to be exchanged through communication

Three guidelines for HR management in Japanese companies

大多数日本公司在长期雇佣模式上取得了成功. However, the business landscape overseas is a lot more heterogeneous. 有些公司可能喜欢忠诚度，而另一些公司则习惯了定期的人员流动. 这给日本子公司培养人才带来了新的挑战. 

 

That said, 优化日本海外子公司的人力资源管理策略并不是一项不可逾越的任务. 以下三点概述了日本公司人力资源团队在海外时可能关注的关键领域:

1. 将日本的实践和商业文化与战略目标结合起来

Generally speaking, 人力资源管理的主要目标是通过组织和员工的发展来加速业务的增长. 不同公司的组织结构和员工发展计划差别很大. 在全球扩张业务将要求日本企业在具体情况下权衡组织和人力资源问题，同时考虑当前和未来的需求.

5 stages of business expansion from Japan to overseas

1. Export from Japan 2. Local operation (Production, Sales etc.) 3. Cross-boarder business management 4. Global/Regional Integration 5. Transnational management

Key features

  • Partnership with local partners
  • Driven from Japan
  • No local HR team

Key features

  • Functional local unit
  • Driven mainly by Japanese expats
  • Operational HR

Key features

  • Business Unit
  • Driven by both Japanese and non-Japanese
  • Multi-functional HR

Key features

  • Global/regional network
  • Driven mainly by non-Japanese
  • Strategic HR

Key features

  • Global conglomerate
  • No concerns on nationality
  • Leading edge HR

Business issue

Market expansion

Business issue

Localization

Business issue

Value maximization & cost optimization

Business issue

Organization change under shared value

Business issue

Business portfolio management

Required Organization

Collaboration with local partner

Required Organization

Cross-functional collaboration

Required Organization

Value chain optimization

Required Organization

Global/regional governance

Required Organization

Reinventing operation model

Required Talent

Bilingual staff

Required Talent

Capable local staff

Required Talent

Experienced manager/ specialist

Required Talent

Visionary leader

Required Talent

Affluent leadership pipeline

2. Focusing on key issues in HR management

两个核心指标指导人力资源管理决策:业务增长和管理资源优化. 根据这些指标评估业务将根据每个业务的发展阶段而有所不同. 在资源有限的情况下，有效地执行人力资源管理, 必须从一开始就正确地确定关键问题，以便能够确定适当的行动方针.

在业务发展的每个阶段，优先关注人力资源管理

Business development stage
Starting Expanding Enhancing Shrinking

Typical business issues

  • Prior investment
  • Market cultivation
  • Process standardization

Typical business issues

  • Continuous investment
  • Driving growth
  • Swift decision making

Typical business issues

  • Optimum investment
  • Customer retention
  • Localization & Governance

Typical business issues

  • Minimum investment
  • Selective targeting
  • Efficient business management

Initiative to Grow

  • Core talent recruitment
  • Initial training
  • On the job training
  • Support from HQ
  • Employee Value Proposition

Initiative to Grow

  • Mass hiring
  • Training structure
  • Leadership development
  • Workforce planning
  • HR capability development

Initiative to Grow

  • Skill-based pay
  • Lateral rotation
  • Decentralized authority
  • Career management
  • Specialized HR function

Initiative to Grow

  • Contract-based capability sourcing
  • Multi-skilling
  • Centralized authority
  • Redesign HR function
  • Employee engagement

Initiative to Optimize

  • Flexible role setting
  • Compensation benchmarking
  • Organization performance bonus
  • Labor cost control

Initiative to Optimize

  • Productivity control
  • Job-based grade structure
  • Performance management
  • Individual performance bonus

Initiative to Optimize

  • Reduce number of expats
  • KPI structure redesign
  • Segmented compensation management
  • Productivity control

Initiative to Optimize

  • Organization restructuring
  • Headcount optimization
  • Labor cost optimization
  • Work sharing

3. In-depth understanding on cultural diversity

Incentives for recruiting, developing, and retaining talent can vary greatly between countries, regions, or even individuals. 对每个国家的文化和社会规范有适当的了解，将为实行业绩评估和奖励标准提供坚实的基础.

Finding common ground between different work cultures

In-depth understanding on cultural diversity

Common factors

  • Hierarchy
  • Respect for the region
  • Pragmatist
  • Fun priority
  • Polite expression
  • Followership
  • Disciplined
  • Strict punctuality
  • Humility
  • Respect for seniors
  • Generosity
  • Emotional sensitivity

日本公司有效工作场所实践的人力资源解决方案

以下六个步骤概述了人力资源管理如何识别关键问题并制定相应的解决方案. Rather than adopting these steps wholesale, 我们的人力资源顾问将帮助您找到一个独特的解决方案，将日本的工作文化和实践融入到有凝聚力的办公环境中.
The six step approach to enhancing HR management 
1. Visualize current state
  • Executive/employee interview
  • Employee engagement survey
  • Diagnosis on policy and practice
  • Job analysis
  • Talent assessment
  • Cultural audit
2. Define future goal
  • HR philosophy / vision 
  • Desired organization / talent
  • Employee Value Proposition
  • HR strategy
  • Multi-year roadmap
  • Action planning
3. Develop required policy
  • Organization structure
  • Workforce planning
  • Accountability setting
  • Reward and benefit policy
  • HR function design
  • HR technology
4. Develop capability
  • Recruitment / development
  • Career management
  • Leadership development
  • Succession planning
  • HR capability development
  • External partnership
5. Manage the change
  • Executive workshop
  • KPI structure design
  • Performance management
  • Cultural alignment workshop
  • Effective communication
  • Corporate governance 
6. Foster as culture
  • Knowledge management
  • Work style change
  • Mission / Vision / Value
  • Grooming next generation
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Employer branding

The right tools for Japanese companies expanding overseas

接收日本企业海外子公司的独特解决方案. 具有强大的双语能力和对日本跨国公司人力资源实践的深入了解, 美世亚洲日本业务咨询团队将使用美世专有的全球方法帮助您的组织顺利向海外过渡.

  • Organization and HR strategy design

    根据美世JBA顾问的全面诊断，制定中期组织和人力资源战略，并完成具体的可执行性.

  • Rewards policy and process design

    根据美世JBA顾问提供的市场基准和政策设计原则，设计一个既能让员工满意又能满足业务需求的奖励计划.

  • Talent management policy and practice design

    Develop comprehensive talent management policies such as recruitment, development, internal mobility, 通过在组织结构和劳动力规划之间建立联系来实现退休.

  • Organizational design and capability development

    美世JBA顾问将帮助明确人力资源职能的未来角色，并通过基于定制分析开发人力资源流程来规划长期组织结构.

  • Designing employee health and benefit policies

    确定员工的健康风险，并了解其与企业弹性的关系，对于设计具有吸引力且具有成本效益的福利计划至关重要. 美世JBA顾问可以帮助您确定合适的外部合作伙伴，为您和您的员工提供最好的保障.

  • Designing retirement benefit policies

    通过美世JBA顾问可以找到的合适的外部合作伙伴，在员工退休后很长一段时间内照顾他们的财务健康. 我们将帮助您制定养老金计划，并提供符合市场基准的模型.

Shaping how you should think about transformation

    Let’s get started

    您将日本商业文化与海外办事处相结合，实现无缝全球扩张的旅程从这里开始