JITCO

Case 3: Trust Cannot Be Built in A Day (Futaba Co. Ltd)

Many Japanese companies have expanded their markets into China, and the number of trainees and technical interns has risen continuously.  However, there are a considerable number of businesses making their exit due to their inability to build relationships with the Chinese, and many accepting organizations face trust issues that hamper the progress of their training programs.  The organization introduced here is a successful case where the company and the trainees and interns have built a strong trust relationship.

Futaba Co. Ltd. is located in the outskirts of Tokyo, surrounded by quiet residences and a small number of factories.  The company is close to the Chuo Line, which allows trainees and interns convenient access to Ikebukuro and Akihabara.  Mr. Xue at the Tokyo Alloy Casting Industry Cooperative invited us to join him while he was performing his conduct officer duties with he technical interns during the summer break.

The company specializes in alloy casting that provides parts for electrical power infrastructure, railway vehicles, automobiles, ships and vessels, optical devices, and industrial machinery.  The company is also known for its ability to design their products.  In the factory, the machines were off since it was the summer break, but the place was organized and clean, which is the result of adhering to the 6S's (Japanese words all staring with an s - organized, tidy, sanitary, clean, safe, and well-mannered).  Their motto is three "reals": going to the real place in the field; seeing the real thing; and, knowing the reality of the workplace.  Both of these company mottos were posted in the factory.  In the summertime, the factory gets unbelievably hot due to the nature of the alloy casing processes, therefore safety becomes even more important.  Mr. Yonezawa, who is in charge of the interns' conduct and welfare, explains some measures taken:  "All documents, from machine manuals to work rules, are translated into Chinese by Cooperative staff; spot air conditioners are installed above the work areas that get very hot; proper amounts of fluids are provided to avoid dehydration and heat stroke; special training on forklift operation is required for all workers."  Technical interns can concentrate fully in their training thanks to the care extended into their work environment.  There are 10 technical interns who are either in their first or second year, and there will be more trainees arriving this November.

[Postings in the Factory]

The company has 4 dormitories including rented facilities, rooms of which are all in a 3LDK (3 bedrooms, a lounge, a dining room, and a kitchen) format.  4 or 5 trainees and interns join the program at the beginning of each training term, so they can relate to their peers and help one another.  The basic rule is to provide individual rooms to all members so that they have their own spaces even if they have a conflict with one another. This helps them to take time off and relax.  The company doesn't select leaders, but they tend to naturally emerge from each group.  Interns cook their own meals and are provided with their own kitchen appliances.  Vegetables can be purchased at reasonable prices from farmers markets nearby.

Some of the interns bring their own lunch while others purchase the provided lunch at work.  During the long holidays, employees and Cooperative staff visit them at the dormitory for conduct and welfare purposes and invite the interns back for dinner at their homes.  Trips to Mt. Fuji, Tokyo Disney Land, and grape picking in Yamanashi have been made in the past as well.

Once they have reported in, trainees and interns can travel as they wish.  Most seem to spend time being productive by studying at a local Japanese class, exercising at the public gym, reading Chinese newspapers at the library, or watching DVD's in the dormitory.

Accepting organization managers are studying Chinese, despite the fact that the training has been conducted in Japanese, and technical interns have appreciated this positive attitude.  The curriculum for the training has been clearly defined each year, so that interns can set goals and are free from worrying about what's next.  The accepting company owns a factory in China under joint management, and Japanese employees around the same age as the interns are chosen to travel with officials when they are on business. This has raised awareness and improved understanding toward the Chinese culture and people.  Communication between employees and interns has been strong. 

Since the training period is rather long, the company allows interns to visit their family once during the training.  This year, requests for home visits all fell around Golden Week (late April to early May), and the management division was concerned about productivity.  But the factory manager in charge of
manufacturing understood the situation well and was committed to keep productivity at the same level while the interns were gone.  The hard work was greatly appreciated by the interns and built an even stronger trust. 

The understanding on both sides has enabled them to feel secure and relaxed.  Along with a physically safe environment, it is important to facilitate an environment that is mentally supportive for the development of trusting relationships.

This author was invited to visit the dormitories with a Cooperative staff member for the summer break's conduct and welfare visit.  The interns were preparing lunch when we arrived, and others joined in for a big lunch meeting.  The Cooperative staff member introduced each one of them to me including such details as their health, families in China, and their home situations. This gave me the impression that Cooperative staff know the interns as if they were family members.  The interns look happy.  They are laughing and eating well.  They are all from Yangzhou, and in their 20's and 30's.  The weather in Japan is better than that of Yangzhou, and since they did not experience culture shock or stress, they have gained weight since their arrival.  Indeed, they all look healthy although they miss their families, and they spend an hour every week talking with them on the phone using prepaid telephone cards.  One of the interns showed me his family pictures, which were downloaded onto his computer console.  The pictures were from his wedding and also of his son who was born after he had arrived in Japan.
He shared the story where he was at first disappointed when his son did not call him dad, but then started calling any man he saw dad after he left.  These days, Japanese families tend to have less intimate relationships, but Chinese trainees and interns show strong bonds with their families. 

On training and internship, the interns said that job details were clearly outlined and compiled into the manuals, and the lifestyle mentors and the training instructors made it easy for them to ask questions.  The accepting company treats the trainees with respect and lets them decide on many things, which seems to be another reason why trainees feel so secure in devoting themselves to the training.  After lunch, an intern asked a company employee for a ride to the bank so that he could send money to his family.  The employee, though off work duties and on his summer break, gladly complied with the request.  The cooperative staff members also spend extra time interacting with interns by inviting them home for dinner. 

The work hours for interns are kept to a minimum due to the strenuous work regimen required for various tasks.  Overtime work is also kept to a minimum, limited to 2 hours each week.  To compensate for less work hours, the wage is set higher than the market standard.  Interns seem to be able to leave work early, eat well and recover at home, which allows them to keep the boundary of on and off work clear.

After lunch, the Cooperative staff members checked the cleanliness of everyone's room, and gathered all interns warning them to stay away from pachinko parlors and the entertainment district.  All interns were nodding in agreement.

[An accepting company employee (front) and the technical interns]

The cooperative focuses on four things: 1, clarify the purpose and the curriculum of the pre-arrival training, and make sure to follow the curriculum after arrival as well so that the trainees who come to Japan for the first time will not be nervous or concerned; 2, conduct a pre-selection group training of 2 weeks with candidates referred by the former technical interns, or who have been chosen through a search based on family situations to assess their ability in living in a collective setting, and conduct interviews with those candidates in China with the accepting organizations; 3, organize the group training after the interns' arrival, with a clear beginning and closure of the training program with opening and closing ceremonies; and 4, implement the language training thoroughly by requesting assistance from JITCO at the initial group training.

Many young people in China heard about the training by word-of-mouth from returned technical interns, and they have trouble selecting candidates from so many applications for their training.

The author, after the visit and hearing the talks, confirmed that the attitude of the company and the Cooperative, which strictly adheres to laws and regulations, yet allows freedom for the individuals wherever possible, has won the trust from the Chinese interns who are different in both nationality and customs.  The interns mentioned the word "freedom" naturally.  With trust and positive actions, the workplace has been invigorated and has created synergy for the accepting company as well. 

Generally, Japanese companies that hire Chinese workers are required to: make the goals clear and motivate them; avoid bringing in a seniority relationship into workers' private lives; continue the effort to initiate communication; and, trust and delegate work.  Futaba Co. Ltd., seemed to do those things flawlessly.  As for the technical interns, all of them speak fluent Japanese, have a forklift license, and have never dropped out of training or run away.  It is beneficial for the young Chinese workers in their 20's and 30's to build trusting relationships with Japanese accepting companies' staff and spend this impressionable and formative period of their lives usefully in Japan.