Understanding Vietnamese Language and Culture to Improve Retention: A Practical Guide for Hiring Managers

Hiring of Vietnamese talent continues to expand year after year, and Vietnamese workers now form one of the largest groups of foreign nationals working in Japan. Acceptance under diverse statuses of residence—including Technical Intern Training, Specified Skilled Worker, Engineer, and Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services—is growing.

At the same time, hiring managers on the ground often raise the following concerns.

  • “Japanese proficiency varies widely, making it hard to manage.”
  • “They say ‘yes’ even when they have not understood the instructions.”
  • “Around Tet, they suddenly say they want to return home.”

Many of these issues stem from a lack of understanding of the structural features of the Vietnamese language and of Vietnam’s distinctive communication style. This article systematically covers foundational language knowledge, the realities of daily life and culture, and practical points for improving retention. We hope it helps you review your acceptance framework.

Structural Features of the Vietnamese Language: A Three-Layer Understanding of Tones, Script, and Dialects

Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) belongs to the Austroasiatic language family and is fundamentally different from Japanese. Hiring managers should first understand the following three features.

1. A tonal language (six tones)

Vietnamese is a tonal language: the same syllable can take on different meanings depending on pitch and contour. In the northern standard variety, six tones are strictly distinguished.

  • The syllable “ma” can mean “ghost,” “mother,” “grave,” “rice seedling,” and other entirely different things depending on the tone
  • Japanese also has pitch accent, but it is fundamentally different from a tonal language system
  • Clarification requests and communication errors caused by pronunciation at work often have this structural language difference in the background

2. Latin-script writing (Quốc ngữ)

Vietnamese uses a Latin-based writing system called Quốc ngữ (Chữ Quốc ngữ). It was devised by Catholic missionaries in the 17th century and standardized during the French colonial period.

  • After arriving in Japan, Vietnamese workers must learn three writing systems from scratch: hiragana, katakana, and kanji
  • Compared with talent from kanji-using cultures (such as China and Taiwan), the burden of learning the scripts is greater, and reading work manuals and instructions takes more time
  • In the early period after joining, always add furigana to difficult kanji and supplement with visual materials

3. Dialect differences across the north, central, and south

Vietnam has a long, narrow territory running north to south. Pronunciation and vocabulary differ substantially among Hanoi (north), Hue and Da Nang (central), and Ho Chi Minh City (south).

  • Northern dialects distinguish tones strictly and are closer to the standard language; southern dialects tend to simplify tones somewhat
  • When a team includes people from both the north and the south, differences in how they hear speech can affect mutual understanding
  • Knowing a candidate’s home region at hiring time provides important reference information for team composition

Common On-Site Concerns: The Reality of Communication Gaps with Vietnamese Staff

The top concern support staff hear from the field is cases where someone said “I understand” but then did the work incorrectly. This is closely tied to the Vietnamese cultural concept of “face” (mentsu).

In Vietnamese, “saving face” is expressed as “giữ thể diện.” In Vietnamese culture, where Confucian hierarchical awareness remains strong, telling a superior “I don’t understand” is often seen as exposing one’s own incompetence. Especially in the tense period right after joining, many people answer “yes (Vâng)” even when they have not understood.

Specific concerns frequently raised from the field

  • They cannot read the kanji in work manuals and need further explanation, but cannot bring themselves to ask
  • They cannot convey shift-change requests until the last minute, leading to sudden absences or lateness
  • They find it hard to join social gatherings with Japanese staff (due to differences in food preferences and lifestyle habits)
  • They use many emoji and stamps in work messages on group LINE, making it hard for Japanese colleagues to read their intent
  • Japanese honorific and polite language does not stick, so customer interactions can appear rough or casual
  • They reset what they were taught the next day and repeat the same mistakes

None of these stem from “malice” or “lack of motivation.” They are behavioral patterns rooted in language and cultural background. Rather than blaming individuals after problems arise, putting organizational systems in place in advance leads to higher retention.

Failure Patterns in Vietnamese Language Acquisition and How to Avoid Them

Materials on foreign worker employment measures published by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare repeatedly cite insufficient communication, isolation, and difficulty adapting to the living environment as major causes of turnover. Here we summarize three failure patterns that often occur on site and how to avoid each.

Failure pattern 1: Assuming “JLPT N4 pass = job-ready”

N4 on the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) is the level at which someone “can understand basic Japanese.” In practice, industry jargon, abbreviations, and fast oral instructions are often beyond reach.

A common failure cycle:

  • Judging “they have N4, so they’ll be fine” and conveying complex procedures only orally
  • The staff member has not understood but nods along
  • Work is done incorrectly, creating quality issues or accident risk

How to avoid it:

  • Supplement work instructions with visuals (photos, illustrations, and videos)
  • For important matters, also use written confirmation in Vietnamese
  • For the first three months after joining, make two-way confirmation a habit: have the person repeat the instructions in their own words

Failure pattern 2: Underestimating demand to return home for Tet (Lunar New Year)

Tet (Tết Nguyên Đán) is Vietnam’s largest annual observance and falls around the first day of the lunar calendar each year (roughly late January to early February on the Gregorian calendar).

Common failures:

  • Not discussing Tet leave at all during hiring
  • Last-minute requests for long leave or return home pile up and disrupt production

How to avoid it:

  • Create an annual leave plan together during orientation after the offer is accepted
  • Establish the practice of building Tet leave into shift design from the start
  • These steps increase staff peace of mind and enable planned staffing at the same time

Failure pattern 3: Leaving Vietnamese-only groups alone and allowing isolation

As the number of Vietnamese staff grows, small groups that converse in their native language form naturally. That itself is natural, but if you leave things as they are without intentionally creating opportunities to interact with Japanese staff, people end up in an environment where they cannot seek help when something is wrong.

How to avoid it:

  • Deliberately design language-crossing touchpoints such as lunch exchanges, OJT buddy systems, and workplace recreation
  • Place simple Japanese–Vietnamese “mutual learning phrase cards” in the workplace
  • These small openings build the foundation for mutual understanding

Individual Differences in Vietnamese Language Ability and North–South Dialects: Points Hiring Managers Often Overlook

The assumption that “all Vietnamese people share the same Japanese-learning background” is a common misconception among hiring managers. In reality, Japanese operational ability varies considerably due to the following factors.

Main factors that affect Japanese ability:

  • Years of stay in Japan
  • Home city and educational background
  • Quality of the Japanese language school attended before coming to Japan
  • Home-region dialect (north, central, or south)

In particular, people from the south (around Ho Chi Minh City) differ from northerners in pronunciation and tone. Differences can appear in how quickly they acquire distinctions such as Japanese sa/za rows and long vowels or geminate consonants. When a candidate who spoke Japanese smoothly in the interview cannot keep up with technical terms or rapid instructions on site, this background is often involved.

Use a three-axis evaluation of education × practical experience × Japanese level

When designing post-hire support systems, it is important to evaluate each staff member individually on the following three axes.

  • University graduates tend to grasp abstract concepts more readily, but may have fewer years of practical experience
  • Technical intern trainees who came to Japan right after finishing junior high or high school often have strong practical skills but may struggle with daily reports and written documentation
  • Evaluating along the three axes of “academic ability, practical experience, and Japanese level” helps prevent misdirected support measures

Workplace Communication with Myanmar Talent compared with Vietnamese talent, Vietnamese workers tend to engage more actively in Japanese study, while a stronger face-consciousness that leads them to say they can do something they cannot has also been noted. Understand these cultural tendencies from the hiring process onward and reflect them in your support framework.

For foundational knowledge on hiring international talent, also see our basic article on hiring foreign workers. In addition, the Immigration Services Agency of Japan page on the Specified Skilled Worker system provides the latest information on the main statuses of residence used by Vietnamese talent.

How Vietnamese Daily Culture, Religion, and Annual Observances Affect Workplace Retention

In Vietnam, roughly 80% of the population holds a spiritual culture that blends Buddhism with Vietnamese folk beliefs. Christians (about 8–10%) and Muslims (including ethnic minorities such as the Cham) are also present, but most Vietnamese people have no halal dietary restrictions and tend to adapt relatively easily to Japanese food, including pork and seafood. That said, faith and customs vary widely by individual, so never assume “no dietary restrictions”—always conduct individual interviews at onboarding.

Responding to Tet (Lunar New Year) and other annual observances

Tet is a national occasion that combines elements of Japan’s New Year and Obon, with family gatherings taking absolute priority. Here are the key points workplaces should keep in mind.

  • Many people begin preparing travel costs and schedules for returning home several months in advance, so planned leave is essential
  • Preparing Tet cards or small gifts at the workplace strengthens staff members’ sense of belonging
  • Many people observe ancestral rites and prayers on the 15th day (full moon) and 1st day (new moon) of the lunar calendar, so leave requests may concentrate around these times
  • Noting major lunar calendar holidays on the annual calendar makes shift management smoother

Food culture and living environment arrangements

Vietnamese cuisine is based on rice, noodles, and fish sauce (nuoc mam), with spiciness tending to increase toward the south. Meals in workplace cafeterias or dormitories that do not suit staff tastes can hinder retention. While accommodating every meal preference is difficult, the following minimum arrangements directly help prevent turnover.

  • Permission to use rice cookers and cooking utensils
  • Information on nearby supermarkets and Vietnamese grocery stores
  • Securing food storage space in the dormitory

Confucian hierarchical awareness and workplace seniority relations

Vietnam is strongly influenced by Confucianism and has a culture that values seniority and hierarchical relationships. Cases arise where staff hold problems to themselves rather than reporting upward. A general invitation to “please talk to us if anything comes up” is not enough; regular one-on-one meetings and a consultation desk that can handle Vietnamese are effective measures.

From Pre-Hire to Retention Support: Confirmation Flow for Accepting Vietnamese Talent

Organizing and addressing confirmation items by hiring phase can substantially reduce post-hire communication gaps. Carry out each step of the flow without omissions.

Recruitment and selection phase

  • Confirm status of residence and period of stay (based on Immigration Services Agency of Japan screening criteria)
  • Confirm practical Japanese proficiency level (conduct role-plays and written tests in addition to JLPT certification)
  • Confirm region of origin (north, central, or south) and understand communication style
  • Individual hearing on religion and dietary restrictions

Onboarding orientation phase

  • Prepare and distribute visual work manuals (Japanese and Vietnamese side by side)
  • Jointly create an annual leave plan (including events such as Tet)
  • Provide emergency contacts and consultation desk information (Vietnamese-language support available)
  • Assign a Japanese buddy (OJT supervisor) and explain their role

Retention support phase

  • Conduct regular one-on-one meetings at 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after joining
  • Provide Japanese language learning support (company-subsidized Japanese classes and e-learning)
  • Confirm living environment arrangements (housing, transportation, and meal environment)
  • Conduct workplace satisfaction surveys (prepare a Vietnamese version in parallel)

Practical Checklist: From Language Support to Retention Support

Using this at each pre-hire and post-hire stage helps systematically minimize language and cultural gaps. Share it across the team so the responsibility does not rest on one person alone.

Pre-hire checklist

  • Have you added furigana and illustrations to difficult kanji in work instructions and manuals?
  • Have you prepared Vietnamese translations of the work rules and harassment consultation guide?
  • Have you conducted advance hearings on leave preferences for annual events including Tet?
  • Have you individually confirmed religion and dietary restrictions?
  • Have you documented rules on using the mother tongue during work?

One-month post-hire checklist

  • Are you routinely conducting two-way confirmation (read-back confirmation)?
  • Is the Japanese buddy regularly checking in and following up?
  • Have you prepared and are you using simple Vietnamese phrase cards in the workplace?
  • Do staff understand emergency contact methods (illness, accidents, etc.)?

Retention confirmation from three months onward

  • Have you confirmed progress in Japanese proficiency and shared the next level-up goals?
  • Have you confirmed in meetings whether there is any sense of isolation in how they spend days off or in their living situation?
  • Do you understand the state of workplace relationships (between Japanese and Vietnamese staff)?
  • Have you explained pay raises, promotions, and career paths, and shared future outlook?

For more detailed consultation on acceptance support systems, please contact Foreign Talent Insights.

FAQ: Common Questions on Language and Communication with Vietnamese Staff

Q1. How different is the difficulty of learning Vietnamese versus Japanese?

Japanese and Vietnamese belong to entirely different language families, so mutual language acquisition is considered highly difficult. For Vietnamese learners, the most challenging aspects of Japanese are mastering the three writing systems (hiragana, katakana, and kanji) and the honorific system. We recommend setting JLPT N3 or higher as a hiring benchmark and combining it with practical tests.

Q2. Is it a problem to place southern and northern natives in the same workplace?

Friction arising solely from regional differences is uncommon. However, dialect-related difficulty in mutual understanding and, very rarely, regional stereotype awareness can have an effect. It is advisable to understand region of origin at hiring and flexibly consider team composition.

Q3. Is there a turnover risk if a Tet leave request is declined?

Tet is a culturally and emotionally very important occasion for spending time with family. When a wish to return home cannot be fulfilled, mental stress rises and cases of considering resignation have been reported in the field. From a long-term retention perspective, it is effective to establish a system that allows planned leave of about two to three weeks around Tet within the scope of work rules.

Q4. Staff go silent when given work-related cautions or guidance. How should we respond?

Feeling that their face has been damaged, going silent instead of arguing or apologizing is a common reaction. Strong public reprimands tend to backfire, so specific, constructive feedback in a private setting is more effective. Actively recognizing improvements builds trust and leads to behavior change.

Q5. Where can we look up legal matters to confirm regarding employment of foreign workers?

You can confirm laws, notifications, and various procedures related to foreign workers on the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare’s Foreign Worker Employment Measures page and e-Gov Law Search. Be sure to also confirm work restrictions by status of residence and the obligation to notify Hello Work (Notification of the Employment Status of Foreign Nationals). Forms and procedures are also explained at your nearest Hello Work office.

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