Half a century ago, Japanese businessmen were found everywhere in the world and often labeled as “economic animals.” They shared the same work ethics including “shakaijin,” which is a practitioner of social norms characterized by financial independence, self-responsibility, self-management, mutual connection to society, teamwork, using proper language with bosses and customers, and following company rules. This norm enabled companies to maximize teamwork and communication, which contributed to Japan’s rapid economic growth.
However, this norm is also considered to be a notorious culture in Japan. Because of this, employees sometimes work until death which is called karoshi. They willingly accept darker exploitation and get manipulated by their employers and bosses.
In Japan, after graduating from schools, most students get jobs and step into a bigger society. This is more than being employed by signing a labor contract. They become a “shakaijin.” It is a concept opposed to a student. “Shakai” means “society” and “jin” “human.” So the literal translation would be “Socialhuman.” The problem with this norm is that it is strongly tied to work ethics convenient for companies and often abused.
For example, you apply for paid time off 1 month in advance. Your boss permits it. However, on the day right before the planned day off, your boss tells you you just got an urgent work so you need to cancel the vacation and work. If you say you are sorry and you can’t, then the boss yells at you saying you are a shakaijin and your top priority is work.
Other examples are:
“You are absent from work due to a cold? Can’t you manage your health? You are not a shakaijin!”
“(In a newcomer training, pointing out inappropriate behavior of attendees) you guys are still student-ish! Are you really shakaijins?”
“Why is the quality of your report so bad? How many years have you spent as a shakaijin?”
I think you are starting to get the notion of shakaijin. Shakaijin is an ideal company worker who obeys work ethics beneficial to companies and whose top priority is work over their private life, family, and friends.
Every time you make a mistake somebody will criticize you for not being a shakaijin because shakaijin is perfect and never makes a mistake. This world of Japanese work ethics is so tight.
In addition to that, some are not recognized as a shakaijin even though they are involved in the society.
- Students working part-time
- Researchers in universities and facilities
- Teachers
- A part-time worker who graduated from schools
- Investor
- Freelance workers
- The unemployed even though they perform consumption activity
They are considered to live in a “smaller” world and are not considered shakaijins. They are kind of looked down on from the world of corporate workers. In Japan, many students graduate from university and directly become teachers so they are often criticized for being “naive” or ignorant about the outer society. This outer society means the world full of regular employees in companies who are shakaijins.
However, lawyers and doctors are not shakaijin and they are highly esteemed maybe because of their intelligence passing difficult exams, high social status, and tremendous income.
The norms of being a syakaijin have helped Japanese companies maintain high-quality work, but it is questionable whether they have truly contributed to productivity. Japan has struggled with low economic growth over the past 30 years. Improving productivity, which contributes to the economy, should be achieved not through the psychological norms of being a shakaijin, but through deregulation and the introduction of digital technologies. The antiquated notion shakaijin should be abolished.
