Globalization has seen multinational Japanese companies operating across the world, including in Indonesia. For recruitment, the mindset of Japanese at the headquarters is also applied fully in Indonesia.
The Japan Agency and Consultancy (JAC) is a recruitment and employment consultancy company that strives to fulfill its clients' requirements for professional human resources.
JAC, which was established in London in 1975, mostly has Japanese companies as clients. The company also offers business center services.
JAC Indonesia is a part of the Tazaki Group, which has spread its wings in Asia, such as in Yokohama, Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and of course, in Indonesia.
"JAC adapts a recruitment method for its recruitment services to suit its clients' requirements. However, its clients in Indonesia are mostly Japanese companies and we therefore apply the Japanese mindset at JAC Indonesia," said the president director of JAC Indonesia, Mariko Asmara, on Nov. 25.
Mariko said Japanese companies prefer to evaluate behavior in candidates, because they believe competency is based on behavior. They also believe it is better to find a good candidate first and that training or honing his or her skills is subsequently done later by the company. This is why Japanese companies always provide regular training.
Another unique thing about Japanese companies in recruitment is that they do not prioritize a candidate's IQ, and they dislike candidates who are self-centered or individualistic, no matter whether he or she is a graduate of a foreign university.
"It is difficult for Japanese companies to accept people who do not work well on a team," explained Mariko.
So, she continued, candidates who may appear to be so-so but have a strong will to work hard on a team are much preferred. The Japanese believe that every successful effort is the fruit of strong intention or will and that experience can be acquired on the job.
Another difference from the Western mindset is that Japanese companies prioritize the work process rather than the end result.
"A good work process will naturally result in a good result, but, of course, it has to be done with good teamwork," added Mariko.
JAC Indonesia mostly provides recruitment services for managerial positions and lower (white collar), because usually the top positions in Japanese companies are filled by Japanese people themselves. JAC Indonesia also recruits Japanese people for Japanese companies here.
Japanese companies rarely have job descriptions as they prefer their employees to be all-rounders. The organizational structure is mostly parallel, so employees have to be ready to be placed anywhere. After a period of time the management will evaluate an employee's performance after they have received regular training to decide upon the employee's competency.
Today, JAC Indonesia, which started its consultancy business at a three story building on Jl. Wahid Hasyim, serves about 1,000 companies, which comprise 45 percent Japanese companies, 23 percent Indonesian companies and the remaining 32 percent other multinational companies.
Well, what about the jobseekers' view or enthusiasm about working for a Japanese company? Mariko said that those with a high IQ and self confidence usually choose not to work for a Japanese company, as they believe it would hamper their career development.
"Such candidates would love to work for American, Australian or European companies to further their careers," Mariko said.
But those who like to work hard on a good team and have a high degree of integrity as well as loyalty would feel that a Japanese company is an ideal place to develop their career further.
JAC Indonesia also has a training division as its core business is recruitment services, but it never stops communication activities and consultancy to meet clients' requirements. It now conducts various in-house training and seminars as required or requested by its clients, such as Horenso, 5-S Management, Cross Culture and Kaizen. Its role for in house-training for Japanese companies is more like bridging or mediating rather than conducting lectures.
Usually such companies encounter cultural clashes or problems due to the presence of some Japanese expatriates who come from a totally different cultural background than the local employees. In role playing sessions, both sides meet and are given cases and are invited to find solutions based on viewpoints that are mutually beneficial.
It is not only Japanese companies that need training based on Japanese-style business or management. Some domestic and other multinational companies have also requested JAC Indonesia conduct in-house training for them due to their interest in the Japanese market or business.
The training material and modules are developed to suit various needs, for example Japanese Social and Cultural Aspects that Affect the Japanese Business, the Key to Success in Dealing with Japanese, Japanese Business Etiquette and How to Deal with Japanese Expatriates.
