“No matter how many times we warn them, lateness never stops.” “Maybe they just don’t care about punctuality.” Workplaces that hire Vietnamese talent hear these concerns very often. Vietnam even has the phrase “giờ cao su” (rubber time), which suggests that attitudes toward time differ fundamentally from those in Japan. This article explains the cultural background of Vietnamese time sense and concrete responses that are actually working in Japanese workplaces.

Vietnamese Sense of Time ①: Fundamental Reasons It Differs from Japan

It is not uncommon for people to link Vietnamese lateness with “sloppiness” or “lack of motivation.” Behind it, however, lies a view of time that differs greatly from Japan’s. First, let us look at how time is understood in Vietnamese society.

“Giờ cao su (rubber time)” symbolizes the Vietnamese view of time

Vietnam has the expression “giờ cao su.” Literally “rubber time,” it neatly captures the sense that time stretches and shrinks. In Japan, the premise that “appointment times must be kept absolutely” is widely shared, but in Vietnam, strictness about time is not demanded to the same degree. For example, being about 15 to 30 minutes late to meet a friend is often not treated as a particular problem in Vietnam.

This sense is better understood as arising from cultural values rooted across society, not from individual laziness. That is why pressing someone with “Why are you late?” rarely points to clear malice or idleness on their part. For more on Vietnamese national character and personality tendencies, also see the article “What Are the Characteristics of Vietnamese People?”

Japan’s “arrive five minutes early” habit is not a global standard

In Japan, “arrive five minutes early” is taught as basic professional manners. Being seated and ready five minutes before the start of work is treated as a given. Globally, however, this sense of time is highly unusual. In many regions of Southeast Asia, South America, the Middle East, and elsewhere, scheduled times tend to be treated as rough guidelines.

In other words, it is important to hold the view that Vietnamese people are not simply loose with time; Japan’s sense of time is extremely strict by world standards. Holding that perspective alone can soften emotional reactions to lateness.

How a relationship-first culture produces “lateness”

In Vietnamese society, human relationships tend to take priority over schedule accuracy. For example, running into an acquaintance on the way to work and chatting before heading to the workplace is natural in Vietnam. People also often cannot refuse sudden family errands or requests, and end up late as a result.

In Japan, “keeping time = respect for the other person,” but in Vietnam, “valuing the relationship with the person in front of you = an expression of respect.” This difference in values shows up as differences in behavior around time.

Vietnamese Sense of Time ②: Practical and Environmental Factors Behind “Lateness”

In addition to cultural background, Vietnam’s living environment itself also shapes time sense. For people raised in an environment different from Japan’s, acting on time may be harder than one imagines.

Traffic conditions are nothing like Japan’s

In Vietnamese cities, especially Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, motorcycle traffic congestion is a daily occurrence. Compliance with signals and traffic rules is also less thorough than in Japan, making travel times very hard to predict. As a result, it is difficult to calculate “leave at this time and arrive at that time,” and lateness tends to become normalized.

Even after coming to Japan, this sense does not switch overnight. It is better to understand that the habit of “leaving with extra time” itself is hard to develop in Vietnam’s living environment.

A tropical climate reshapes daily rhythms themselves

Vietnam has a tropical climate, and especially in the south, hot, humid days continue year-round. In such an environment, avoiding the hottest daytime hours is rational, and napping is widely rooted as a Vietnamese style. A rhythm of starting mornings slowly, taking a longer break after lunch, and becoming active from evening onward is not uncommon.

In addition, countries where train schedules are accurate to the minute, as in Japan, are rare worldwide. In Vietnam it is common for public transport not to run on timetable, and limited experience of “moving on time” itself also influences differences in time sense.

Vietnamese Sense of Time ③: Responses You Should Not Take

When lateness continues, it is natural to want to respond strictly. Yet the wrong approach can fail to solve the problem and may damage workplace trust. Here we review responses to avoid.

Scolding head-on with “In Japan, lateness is absolutely unacceptable” backfires

Framing it as “These are Japan’s rules, so follow them” can be received by Vietnamese people as one-sided imposition. Vietnamese culture values face, and strong public reprimand can produce humiliation or resistance before reflection.

Therefore, when giving feedback, set up a private setting, stay unemotional, and take a stance of thinking through concrete improvement measures together. Basics of interaction that respect face are covered in detail in “How to Interact with Vietnamese Employees: Workplace Manners and Communication Skills.”

Peer pressure of “everyone else does it” does not land

In Japanese workplaces, “fitting in with others” functions as an unspoken understanding. In Vietnam, by contrast, individual circumstances and judgment tend to be respected, and lines like “Everyone else is arriving properly” often do not resonate.

That does not mean rules should be loosened. What matters is changing the approach: explain logically why punctuality is necessary in this workplace.

Relying only on penalties can destroy trust

Some workplaces set penalties such as pay cuts or written warnings for lateness. Of course, a certain level of rules is needed. Trying to change behavior with penalties alone, however, can sharply lower Vietnamese employees’ motivation.

In Vietnam, trust with supervisors is said to link strongly to work motivation. Combining understanding of “why it should be kept” with recognition when it is kept is more effective over the long term than penalties alone.

Vietnamese Sense of Time ④: Concrete Responses That Work on the Ground

With cultural background understood, let us look at what responses are actually effective. Here we introduce practical methods based on success cases from sites that hire Vietnamese talent.

Put in writing, with work reasons, why time must be kept

Rather than “because it is common sense in Japan,” it is effective to explain concrete work impact, such as “If you are late, the line stops and everyone else’s work is delayed by 10 minutes.” Vietnamese people tend to value logical explanation; showing real operational impact is more persuasive than abstract manners.

Where possible, document time-management rules and their reasons at onboarding orientation. Oral explanation alone is hard to remember and can later lead to mismatches of “I never heard that.”

State a numeric “arrival time,” not “arrive five minutes early”

“Please arrive five minutes before work starts” works for Japanese people used to unspoken understanding, but can be unclear for Vietnamese people. Stating a concrete arrival time in numbers—“Please be in the changing room by 8:55”—is clearer.

It is also effective to pair time with consequence: “Morning assembly starts at 9:00 sharp. If you are late, you cannot join.” Removing ambiguity and clarifying expected behavior is basic when working with people from different cultures.

When improvement appears, say “I notice and I value it”

Vietnamese people tend to feel very high motivation when effort is recognized. Once lateness decreases, simply saying “It’s a big help that you’ve been arriving on time every day recently” can have a large effect.

There is no need for exaggerated praise. What matters is conveying, in everyday comments, the message that you notice and value the effort. These small accumulations build intrinsic motivation to keep time.

Summary

Vietnamese sense of time, symbolized by “giờ cao su (rubber time),” has a cultural background fundamentally different from Japan’s. Rather than labeling lateness as “sloppiness,” first understand the culture and environment behind it. Then combine logical explanation, communication with concrete numbers, and recognition of improvement, and progress will steadily follow. Viewing people not as “people who are late” but as “people whose grasp of time differs” can help build a workplace that is easier for everyone to work in.