Do foreign-affiliated firms offer more vacation time? “Do foreign-affiliated companies offer paid vacations or long vacations?” Many people would like to know about the vacation conditions at foreign-affiliated companies. In this article, we will explain the characteristics of vacations at foreign-affiliated companies, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of vacations. Please refer to this article if vacation availability is important to you.

The vacation system in foreign-affiliated companies differs from that in Japanese companies in many respects. Let's take a look at some of these characteristics.

Foreign-affiliated companies tend to have a high number of paid holidays

In general, foreign-affiliated companies tend to have a high rate of paid vacations. This is because they recognize the importance of workers' mental health and work-life balance from a global perspective, and have established an environment that facilitates the active use of paid leave.

In fact, according to a survey by Gaishikei Job Hunting, the average number of paid vacations taken by Japanese-affiliated companies is 13.7 days, while that of foreign-affiliated companies is 18 days.

However, according to a survey by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the paid vacation utilization rate at Japanese-affiliated companies is as high as 56.6%, a figure that may be higher than that of foreign-affiliated companies in terms of utilization rate.

No Obon and New Year holidays at foreign-affiliated companies

On the other hand, many foreign-affiliated companies do not take traditional Japanese vacations and vacations. This is because operations are run in accordance with the global flow of business.

For example, many foreign-affiliated companies do not treat Obon and year-end and New Year holidays, which are found in most Japanese companies, as vacations. Instead, some foreign-affiliated companies observe holidays around Christmas, Halloween, and other family events.

If your business partner is a Japanese company, you can take a day off.

Even if you work for a foreign-affiliated company, if your business partner is a Japanese company, you can take vacations according to Japanese holidays. For example, when clients take long vacations such as Obon and New Year's holidays, it is easier for employees of foreign-affiliated companies to take their vacations at the same time. For example, since Japanese companies are closed during the Obon and year-end and New Year holidays, many foreign companies set their holidays to coincide with those holidays.

Therefore, if you want to know information about vacations in advance, it is a good idea to check with your business partners.

The leave systems of Japanese companies have several characteristics when compared to those of foreign-affiliated companies. Unique leave arrangements based on Japanese culture and customs exist, and these are reflected in the working environment of Japanese companies.

Below are some specific characteristics.

Japanese-affiliated companies have a lower paid leave utilization rate than foreign-affiliated companies.

Japanese-affiliated companies tend to have a lower paid leave utilization rate than foreign-affiliated companies. The results of the aforementioned survey show that the rate is lower than that of foreign-affiliated firms.

This is thought to be due to an environment in which employees are less likely to take paid leave due to long working hours and consideration for their surroundings. As a result, there are fewer opportunities to actually take vacations, and overwork is sometimes seen as a problem.

Japanese-affiliated companies offer special holidays such as Obon and year-end and New Year holidays.

On the other hand, Japanese-affiliated firms have their own traditional Japanese vacations, such as Obon and New Year's holidays. During these times, the entire company is often on vacation at the same time, allowing employees to spend time with family and friends.

These special vacations are an important part of Japanese culture.

The following are some of the vacation benefits of a foreign company

• You can take paid leave without worrying about being seen by others
   
• Easy to take long vacations
   
• Easier to adjust your own hours

Each of these advantages is explained below.

Take paid leave without worrying about being seen

A major advantage of working for a foreign-affiliated company is that you do not have to worry about what others think when you take paid leave. Because of the culture of placing emphasis on results, taking leave is left to the discretion of the individual, and as long as it does not interfere with work, you can take your leave without hesitation.

In addition, employees tend to value leave regardless of their position, such as supervisor or coworker, so taking leave is accepted as a matter of course.

In such an environment, it is easier for employees to refresh themselves both mentally and physically, leading to higher productivity.

Easy to take long vacations

Foreign-affiliated companies provide an environment that makes it easy to take long vacations. In particular, it is common for European and U.S. companies to take long vacations during summer vacation and year-end and New Year holidays. It is believed that performance improves when employees return to work refreshed, and many companies as a whole encourage employees to take long vacations. Specifically, some foreign companies take a two-week vacation near Christmas.

Such long vacations provide valuable opportunities to spend more time with family and focus on hobbies and personal investment. Another feature of these companies is that they have team structures in place to ensure that operations are not disrupted even when employees take long vacations.

The healthcare industry in particular provides an environment that encourages extended leaves of absence. In fact, according to Globalway's research, many foreign-owned companies in the pharmaceutical industry are building systems on a global scale to help employees achieve a work-life balance.

Johnson & Johnson and Janssen Pharma, for example, offer a variety of vacations in addition to regular vacation time, including refreshment, volunteer, and donor leave. Astellas Pharma has shortened working hours on Fridays to increase the number of vacation days per year, and its childcare leave program allows employees to take up to three years per child in multiple installments.

Easier to Adjust Your Own Hours

Foreign-affiliated companies provide an environment in which employees can easily adjust their own work hours. Remote work and flextime systems are commonly introduced, allowing employees to flexibly manage their time according to their individual lifestyles and work situations. The percentage of companies that have introduced telework tends to be higher in foreign-affiliated companies.　

This flexibility not only makes it easier to accommodate family situations such as childcare or nursing care, but also helps maximize work effectiveness. Allowing employees to work at their own pace reduces stress and keeps them motivated, which in turn improves the quality of their work.

The disadvantages in terms of vacation for foreign companies are as follows

• Sometimes you can't take vacation at all
   
• Too much vacation time can get you fired.
   
• Too much vacation time means less compensation.

Let's take a closer look below.

There are times when you can't take vacation at all.

In foreign-affiliated companies, depending on performance and the progress of a project, there may be situations where you cannot take any vacation at all. Especially in performance-oriented cultures, it can be difficult to take weekends off when a project is nearing its climax or when important meetings or transactions are going on.

In addition, global companies often need to work with overseas offices due to time differences, making it difficult to take time off at certain times of the year. As a result, long working hours become the norm during busy periods, and opportunities for refreshment may be missed.

Firing Employees Who Take Too Much Vacation Time and Lack of Results

Because of the emphasis on performance-oriented management in foreign-affiliated companies, too much vacation time can affect performance. In some companies, too much leave can lead to poor performance and, in the worst case scenario, risk of termination.

In addition, in project-based work, where results are expected to be achieved within a certain period of time, taking too much leave may not only reduce results, but may also be judged as “low commitment to the job,” which may lead to the risk of being fired.

Furthermore, in some foreign-affiliated companies, vacation time may directly affect compensation. For example, in a company with a strong performance-based system, taking too much leave may result in poor performance, which may result in lower bonuses and incentives. Therefore, there is psychological pressure to take vacation time in foreign-owned companies.

Due to the time difference, urgent calls may be received even when on vacation.

Due to the time difference, foreign-affiliated companies may receive urgent calls even when they are on vacation. If the company is headquartered in the U.S., you may receive a call late at night because it is morning in the U.S. when it is midnight in Japan.

In the case of an emergency, some people feel pressure to “already look at their phones” because they need to return the call immediately.

If you want to take a vacation at a foreign company, the following tips will help you

• Improve your skills and work efficiency
   
• Change jobs to a foreign company that makes it easier to take vacations.

The following tips are explained below.

Improve your skills and work efficiency

At a foreign company, honing your skills and improving your work efficiency are key to making it easier to take time off.

In a results-oriented environment, you are expected to produce results in a limited amount of time. Therefore, improving one's skills will enable one to complete work more efficiently in a shorter amount of time, making it easier to take leave.

For example, by improving your project management and time management skills, you will be able to facilitate the progress of tasks and plan vacations with more time to spare.

In addition, if you acquire expertise and skills that differentiate you from other employees and earn their trust, you will find it easier to gain support from others. As a result, you will be able to take vacations with peace of mind.

Move to a foreign company where it is easier to take vacations.

Another important tip is to change jobs to a foreign-affiliated company that makes it easier to take vacation time.

Even among foreign-affiliated companies, vacation policies and company cultures vary from company to company. For example, European companies are particularly conscious of vacation time, and it is common for employees to take long vacations during the summer and New Year's holidays.

On the other hand, American companies may expect you to maintain a certain level of performance when taking vacation.

Therefore, it is important to choose the right company for you. When considering a career change, you should research the vacation policy and corporate culture in advance to make sure that the company offers an environment conducive to taking vacation time.

However, if you have little experience in changing jobs or have never worked for a foreign-affiliated company before, you may find it difficult to choose the right company. For those people, using a recruitment agent will allow them to gather effective information efficiently and make it easier to find the right company for them.

We recommend the following recruitment agents to those who are considering changing jobs for foreign companies.

• United Whirl
   
• JAC Recruitment
   
• Bizreach

The following is an introduction to the features and recommendations of each recruitment agency.

United World

United World is an agency that specializes in helping people change jobs to foreign companies and global companies.

We are particularly strong in supporting job changes in highly specialized fields such as the financial and IT industries.

Many of United World's agents are professionals with industry backgrounds and experience working for foreign-affiliated companies, providing in-depth understanding and accurate advice to each and every job seeker.

They are also knowledgeable about the selection process specific to foreign-affiliated companies.

In addition, we provide specific guidance on how to demonstrate the high level of communication skills and business performance required by foreign companies, so you can proceed with your job search with peace of mind.

JAC Recruitment

JAC Recruitment has a strong network with domestic and international companies. JAC Recruitment has a strong network with companies in Japan and abroad, and has earned a particularly high reputation for its support for foreign-affiliated companies.

JAC Recruitment is characterized by a wealth of job information and personalized attention from consultants who are well versed in the industry. Consultants specialize in various industries and job types, so they are able to suggest positions that will make the most of your skills and experience.

They can also provide specific advice on cultural adaptation and communication points that are important when working for a foreign company.

BizReach

Bizreach is a recruitment agency that supports high-class job seekers and handles a large number of jobs at foreign companies.

Bizreach is unique in that, in addition to a wealth of job information, you may receive offers directly from companies. This allows you to check your market value and proceed with your job search efficiently.

In addition, since many companies actively approach BizReach using the scout function, there is a high possibility that you will be able to find an attractive position that you would not normally be able to encounter.

This article describes the vacation conditions at foreign-capital companies.

Foreign-affiliated companies tend to offer paid vacations and long vacations more easily than Japanese-affiliated companies. However, it is highly likely that they cannot take long vacations specific to Japan, such as Obon and year-end and New Year holidays, as is the case with Japanese-affiliated companies.

However, it is difficult to make a blanket statement because each foreign company has a different vacation system. Therefore, it is important for those who want to change jobs at foreign-affiliated companies to prepare well in advance, for example, by using a recruitment agent such as United World.