Workplace terms of address
Japan is known for its seniority culture, where levels of respect are dependent on seniority (age, experience, etc.), and this appears in the language of workplace culture as well.
There are different terms of address used for different corporate positions, such as titles (department leader, director, etc.)
Other common terms of address are related to age, like the honorific senpai. (Note: in many cases, within the workplace, senpai is used for employees with more experience than you; however, this gets tricky to navigate in the case where you have more workplace experience than a person older than you. This is a thorny area even for Japanese people, so be sure to feel it out on a case-by-case basis.)
Different companies have different rules with regard to workplace titles and honorifics. Some are very strict, while others, not at all. At e-Jan Networks, corporate titles are rarely used, and everyone is addressed with the -san honorific.
These rules for workplace terms of address can be an indicator for the company’s culture and style, which is a notable factor when considering working in Japan.
As mentioned, every company has its own style, and navigating these often unspoken rules can sometimes be challenging, but with practice it becomes second-nature!
- N
There are different terms of address used for different corporate positions, such as titles (department leader, director, etc.)
Other common terms of address are related to age, like the honorific senpai. (Note: in many cases, within the workplace, senpai is used for employees with more experience than you; however, this gets tricky to navigate in the case where you have more workplace experience than a person older than you. This is a thorny area even for Japanese people, so be sure to feel it out on a case-by-case basis.)
Different companies have different rules with regard to workplace titles and honorifics. Some are very strict, while others, not at all. At e-Jan Networks, corporate titles are rarely used, and everyone is addressed with the -san honorific.
These rules for workplace terms of address can be an indicator for the company’s culture and style, which is a notable factor when considering working in Japan.
As mentioned, every company has its own style, and navigating these often unspoken rules can sometimes be challenging, but with practice it becomes second-nature!
- N