Will Nestle Japan do away with its welcome ceremonies?
Welcoming ceremonies will become a thing of the past for future Nestle Japan employees.
Nestle Japan has announced it will stop holding the ceremony and thrust new employees straight into the work force. Welcome ceremonies or initiation ceremonies have long been viewed as a “only in Japan” business culture. However because it is such a special occasion, the decision to stop the ceremony has made some netizens furious…
From MY NAVI News:
Nestle Japan — “We Don’t Need Welcome Ceremonies”- New employees To Handle Forty Million Yen Golf Championship Press Conference”
On April 1, Nestle Japan held the “Shingo Katayama Invitational Nestle Japan Championship” press conference. Which was planned by the 9 new members of staff (from planning and management) — in lieu of having a welcoming ceremony, they were thrown straight into work.
“Why is it only Japan, that needs a welcome ceremony for it’s new staff?” questioned the Director and CEO, Mr Shozo Takaoka. According to Mr Takaoka there are only very few companies around the world that hold ceremonies when new staff join, it’s the way things were done in the twentieth century. The company has also decided to take on new staff throughout the year, and made efforts to replace interviews with placing applicants straight into the workforce.
In regards to this particular conference, “it just happens to be on April 1” as they handed over the reigns to the new employees.
Nestle Japan’s Championship is the merging of pro golfer Mr Shingo Katayama’s belief -“to be the top of your game, you have to want to win” and the company’s aim “to succeed on the world stage”. It is to be held across two days; 12th- 14th September and the winner will receive forty million yen and the runner up will receive 10 million yen in support of the Global Challenge. (Nestle Japan is encouraging staff to venture out and gain experience to help Nestle become a international corporate leader after the loss it suffered after the Global Financial Crisis)
Mr Katayama praised the new employees for their hard work and planning for the big event. He also said “they were very enthusiastic when given the project” and advised them “to continue to work hard.” He gave each his trademark cow-boy hat as a present.
From Comments from 2ch.net:
名無しさん:
I don’t think it really matters if they hold a ceremony or not.
名無しさん:
We keep saying “globalisation” and “internationalisation”. What it really is, is copying America and Europe.”
名無しさん:
“That’s it! I’m not buying Nestle coffee anymore.”
名無しさん:
Don’t be doing business in Japan, if you don’t respect Japanese traditions! Go back to Glendale! [Nestle actually originates in Switzerland not the USA]
名無しさん:
“They’re starting work without any training?”
名無しさん:
It doesn’t matter if you start work on the first day or the second day. Idiots.
名無しさん:
It’s probably better if they have a ceremony. Now it looks like they’re just doing it for the money.
名無しさん:
You don’t really need a welcoming ceremony, it’s not like they have a leaving/ retiring ceremony for those who quit. LOL
名無しさん:
I think it’s nice to have a ceremony, but it’s got nothing to do with this being a tradition only Japan has.
Tamao:
Employees who don’t follow tradition will easily quit or be fired.
名無しさん:
This is just because Japan only hires newly graduates once a year. This wouldn’t happen if they hired all year round.
名無しさん:
The welcoming ceremony is only for those newly graduated. No one cares about the employees who join mid year or those who are from employment agencies.
もきゅっと名無しさん:
The people who are complaining have got it wrong. Nestle as an international company is not just favouring newly graduates but starting to hire all year round. To try to mix in some Japanese culture and failing at it, now that’s worth complaining about. Not everything is about Japanese culture; just retaining the thought is good enough.
名無しさん:
When it’s convenient and good for the company, its Japanese style. When it’s bad for the company, its Western style.
名無しさん:
Then lets make sure to pay OT if we’re going to be copying overseas companies. Calling it globalisation is just an excuse…
名無しさん:
It’s only Japan who still focuses on fresh graduates. Overseas companies favour actual skill and it’s much more logical to start with training on the first day.
名無しのガンダム好き:
Nestle Japan is a well known black company. It’s nothing surprising.
名無しのオージャン:
Are the working hours in accordance to international standards too?
名無しさん:
I suddenly got the urge to buy some Nestle Coffee.
名無しさん:
Japan has come a long way from being a small island country. I don’t get why they would not recognize this amazing country’s culture.
