Global Business
The companies will need to have a careful employee selection process that will provide the individual best suited for the job. In this sense, a test and interview will check variables such as capability to work in a multicultural environment, adaptability to different cultures, capacity to learn new languages (a specific linguistic test can be useful in this case) etc.
In order to prepare the future expatriates in Japan for the business and social life their, seminars and courses, either with Japanese individuals or other foreigners who have successfully moved and integrated in the Japanese way of life, will be useful. In these courses, learning the business etiquette is essential. For example, the future employee in Japan will need to know what to do when exchanging a business card (spend a couple of moments reading the information on it), how to greet (different levels of bows etc.), how to relate to a Japanese business partner etc. Even more practical things, such as using chopsticks, can be useful in learning how to adapt to the Japanese way of life.
In order to anticipate diversity issues and conflicts, the company will need to have a direct feedback from people who have previously lived and worked in Japan. In this sense, it is useful to see the problems that have arisen in other similar situation and, proactively, to discover ways by which such problems can either be anticipated or their effect minimized. The employees will then need to be taught the importance of age in the Japanese organizational culture, as well as different other useful information that can help them in their relationship with Japanese counterparts.
In order to prevent premature returns, one needs to have not only the right integration tools and preparatory instruments, but also the appropriate motivational elements by which the individual will want to remain and work in Japan for the company, such as a good salary, a good home, appreciation incentives etc.
