Change Management in Japan: What's Working

Ditching the 360

In another case study, one company decided to ditch its 360 degree appraisal, and switch to a 180 degree process, where line managers were only assessed by their teams ‘from the bottom up,’ rather than by superiors. Leaders were given workshops on how to handle the process, where they were trained not to react in a knee-jerk’ way to the feedback they received. The HR leader made herself available if the manager wanted her to attend and/or moderate the meetings. This allowed for a more open dialogue between co-workers, and action plans were created after each meeting, which resulted in many tangible successes.

It was evident in all discussions that Japan is experimenting with many new ways to incorporate change in organisations. One company, uniquely, used the job description as the starting point for their change management exercise. By simply changing job descriptions to include an increased focus on sales performance and other quantifiable performance targets, employees received a very clear message on reinvigorating their lethargic sales culture. Naturally, communication was needed before and after the re-drafting, but the document itself was the ‘centrepiece’ of the change strategy.

In each of these meetings, attendees shared best practice in implementing and managing change within their organisations. This topic is likely to remain a high priority for Japan HR Leaders, as we enter 2014 and the market continues to develop. Many thanks go to our hosts in Tokyo and Osaka, and we look forward to reconnecting and taking a gauge on how the market evolves.

Here's What People are Saying...

"I really enjoyed sharing knowledge. This forum gives us a great chance to get connected with other HR people, so I hope it will be continued."- Masato Mizukami, Japan Head of HR, Philips

“It was a very good opportunity for us to network and learn from the HR leaders of various industries.” - Nozomu Ikeda, Japan Head of HR, AT&T

“I really did enjoy the event. Having the chance to hear the varying issues that HR professionals across the industry spectrum face, and discuss solutions and ideas, is informative and thought provoking. I hope the others gained as much as I did.” - Jeffrey Peel, Japan Head of HR, RBS

“I was impressed with the quality of people who attended, and enjoyed our discussion. I learned a lot from the rich experiences and insights everyone brought to the session.” - Takehiko Aoki, Japan Head of HR, McDonald's

“I very much enjoyed the meeting and I appreciate the opportunity to meet so many HR professionals. The set up was very open, relaxed and informal; thus, we could speak up freely.” - Miyuki Kawakami, Japan head of HR, Ace Insurance

"I enjoyed exchanging opinions with diversified people there, which enhanced my capacity to change my own mindset." - Masateru Kawanishi, Japan Head of HR, EMC

"I really enjoyed sharing and exchanging experiences and insights on HR transformation. It is interesting for me that many companies are applying a similar model, while there are different choices made in details. I am definitely looking forward to the next session and having further valuable discussions with HR leaders." - Keisuke Suzuki, Japan Head of HR, Adidas

"As a new HR leader in Japan, the HR roundtables have been an excellent opportunity for me to network and meet the HR community in Japan. The discussions have helped me to learn about the business climate in Japan, and how avoid potential mistakes. I now have resources from multiple industries to benchmark with." - Patricia Miller, Japan Head of HR, FedEx

"It was a very good networking event, as Kansai is a special market so exchanging ideas on HR topics is actually even more crucial. Therefore the first meeting of HR professionals in Kansai, initiated by The Chapman Consulting Group, was very helpful." - Markus Dressel, Japan Head of HR, Henkel

"This was a precious opportunity for us to share best/worst practices with each other. Everybody was open and learnt a lot from eachother. We promised to keep in touch with each other." - Katsuyoshi Sugita, Japan Head of HR, AstraZeneca

• All industries
• All HR functions
• Generalist HR
• HR Transformation and Business Partnering