When considering hiring Vietnamese talent, many HR professionals wonder what values Vietnamese people hold and how those values differ from Japanese ones. Moving ahead with onboarding without understanding those differences can lead to miscommunication and early turnover.

This article organizes Vietnamese talent values through historical background, views of family, religion, and workplace behavioral traits, and explains concrete points hiring managers should keep in mind in practice. For HR and management leaders searching under keywords such as Vietnamese values, we aim to provide content you can apply on the ground starting tomorrow.

Why understanding Vietnamese talent values matters

Compared with other nationalities, a large number of Vietnamese people work in Japan, contributing across a wide range of industries including nursing care, manufacturing, construction, and food service. In Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare statistics on measures for the employment of foreign workers as well, Vietnam continues to be cited as one of the major sending countries.

Understanding values matters for more than simple “consideration of cultural differences.” Gaps in values affect how instructions are received, the timing of reporting, contacting, and consulting, and how workplace relationships are built. As a result, they become practical issues that directly affect retention and productivity.

Staff at companies accepting international talent for the first time often begin with the institutional side. Checking the overall picture of the status of residence framework in a foundational article on hiring foreign workers makes it easier to advance both value understanding and system understanding in tandem.

Historical and social background that shapes Vietnamese values

A shortcut to understanding Vietnamese values is first learning the social background. Over a long history, Vietnam experienced rule by China and France as well as wars of independence, and has a history of overcoming hardship through family and community. That experience forms the foundation of values that place family and close personal relationships above all else.

Confucian values also remain strongly influential. Respect for elders, care not to disrupt group harmony, and a posture of respecting the views of superiors share much with Japanese workplace culture. At the same time, even within Confucian hierarchical relationships, communication within the family tends to be very close—something to keep in mind as a difference from Japan.

Economically, rapid growth since the Doi Moi reforms has strengthened upward aspiration among younger generations in particular—the sense that effort improves one’s life. Many Vietnamese talent who choose to work in Japan have clear goals such as remittances to family, future independence, and skill development, and they tend to show a highly proactive attitude toward work.

Vietnamese values and behavioral traits that often appear at work

Values that prioritize family and hometown

For Vietnamese talent, family comes first. Many continue sending money home, and their commitment to returning home and to family events can be stronger than Japanese people typically expect. Around Tet, the Lunar New Year, many Vietnamese talent hope to return home or take extended leave. Leave requests in this period call for early coordination and flexible handling.

Respect for elders and supervisors, and indirect expression of intent

Influenced by Confucian values, people tend to avoid direct disagreement or refusal toward superiors. Even when someone replies “I understand,” it is not uncommon that understanding is incomplete or that they hold a different view inside. If you do not know this trait and assume “they must have agreed,” gaps in understanding may surface later.

Values that emphasize face (mentsu)

Another characteristic is that many people strongly resist being scolded in front of others or having failures pointed out harshly. “On-the-spot coaching,” taken for granted in Japanese workplaces, can be highly stressful for Vietnamese talent. Conveying feedback one-on-one in a calm setting helps build trust.

Group harmony and a spirit of mutual help

A culture of helping fellow people from the same hometown and other Vietnamese talent at the same company remains strong. While this brings a sense of security at work, it also carries the risk that information stays only within a particular group and an invisible wall forms with Japanese staff.

Vietnamese values seen through daily life, religion, and events

Buddhists form the majority in Vietnam, and ancestor veneration also remains deeply rooted. Not a few people value ceremonies that honor the deceased on death anniversaries and around periods corresponding to Obon. This religious and lifestyle background is covered in more detail in materials on Vietnam’s religious context as well; reviewing them together helps with workplace consideration.

Food culture is also closely tied to values. People often prefer herbs and distinctive fermented foods, while some Japanese dishes may not suit them. When planning internal gatherings or welcome events, understanding this food culture is a first step toward building trust.

In addition to Tet (Lunar New Year), Vietnam has its own annual events such as the Mid-Autumn Festival. These are not mere holidays; they are positioned as important opportunities to reaffirm family bonds. When building the annual leave schedule, it is desirable to grasp the timing of such events in advance.

Common on-site concerns: communication challenges with Vietnamese talent

Among common on-site concerns shared with YourBright, many voices say “the work result differed from what was instructed” or “they said they understood, but in practice they could not do it.” In most cases, the background is the value of “indirect expression of intent” described above.

Another frequent concern is that “preferred leave dates cluster and we cannot build the shift.” Because many people hope to return home around Tet, advance information sharing and early leave coordination are essential.

In addition, concerns that “distance forms between Japanese and Vietnamese staff” are not uncommon. Beyond the language barrier, insufficient understanding of differences in values and lifestyle is often in the background, so intentionally creating two-way communication opportunities is needed.

Failure patterns and how to avoid them: trouble caused by value differences

Here we organize failure patterns that escalate into turnover or trouble when acceptance proceeds without regard for value differences, along with ways to avoid them.

The first failure pattern is harsh public reprimand. Without understanding values that emphasize face, strongly coaching someone in front of other staff can lower motivation and lead to early departure. As a countermeasure, give guidance one-on-one, explain improvement points specifically, and also acknowledge what went well.

The second is taking an “I understand” reply at face value. Effective countermeasures include having the person repeat back the instructions and checking progress mid-task—introducing a double-check mechanism.

The third is insufficient explanation of leave systems. Some companies fail to grasp long-leave wishes including Tet in advance and fall short of staff at the last minute. Building Vietnam’s major events into the annual acceptance schedule in advance is an effective countermeasure.

Points hiring managers often overlook and decision criteria

A particularly common blind spot for hiring managers is “confusing Japanese language ability with communication ability.” Even with a high Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) level, many people still find it hard to share their true thoughts because of value differences. In interviews, it is desirable to confirm not only Japanese ability but also concrete episodes about how they have communicated in past workplaces.

Another easy-to-miss point is that work styles and future career paths differ greatly by type of status of residence. Permitted duties and periods of stay differ by status, such as Specified Skilled Worker, Technical Intern Training, and Highly Skilled Professional. When hiring highly specialized Vietnamese talent, also reviewing explanations of statuses of residence for highly skilled foreign professionals helps clarify decision criteria for hiring plans.

As decision criteria when judging whether to hire, we recommend emphasizing the following three points. First, whether the company already has an acceptance framework that assumes value differences. Second, whether status of residence requirements match the company’s job content. Third, whether post-hire follow-up is in place—especially a consultation channel in the person’s native language. These are also introduced as items accepting organizations should confirm on the Immigration Services Agency of Japan Specified Skilled Worker system page and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare page on measures for the employment of foreign workers.

If you want to compare acceptance frameworks with talent of other nationalities, articles on workplace communication with Myanmar talent are also useful. Comparing value differences by nationality makes the points of consideration your company needs clearer.

Diagram: pre-hire confirmation flow

Organizing pre-hire checks as a diagram—pre-hire confirmation flow—makes internal sharing easier. In concrete terms, the basic sequence is as follows. At the recruitment stage, confirm fit between the type of status of residence and job content. At document screening, confirm Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) level and prior work history. At the interview stage, draw out concrete episodes about values and workplace communication style. After a job offer, explain leave systems and living-support arrangements in parallel with work visa application procedures. In the final stage of acceptance preparation, it is desirable to provide supervisors with advance training on value differences.

Documenting this flow as an internal manual enables acceptance preparation to proceed at a consistent quality even when the person in charge changes.

Practical checklist

  • Have you confirmed that the type of status of residence matches your company’s job content?
  • Have you reflected the timing of major annual events such as Tet in the annual leave plan?
  • Have you designed one-on-one coaching and feedback separately from public criticism?
  • Is there a double-check mechanism for understanding of instructions through read-back or work confirmation?
  • Have you put in place a native-language consultation channel and post-hire follow-up?
  • Do you regularly create opportunities for Japanese staff and Vietnamese talent to interact?
  • Have you secured consultation routes to public and specialized bodies such as Hello Work and Registered Support Organizations?

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Q. What points of Vietnamese values should be prioritized most? A. Two points are especially important: values that cherish family, and a posture that emphasizes face. Combining consideration in leave systems with thoughtful one-on-one coaching can prevent many problems before they arise.

Q. Where should we start to prevent turnover caused by value differences? A. We recommend starting with advance training for staff responsible for acceptance. Simply sharing coaching methods that assume value differences can greatly reduce early mismatches.

Q. Where can we check the latest information on statuses of residence? A. The latest system information is published on the official websites of the Immigration Services Agency of Japan and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. Details of laws and regulations can also be checked on e-Gov, so we recommend referring to that as well.

Q. Where should we consult about hiring activities themselves? A. In addition to Hello Work, consulting Registered Support Organizations that specialize in introducing international talent is also effective. You can receive support on both system understanding and on-site response.

Summary

Vietnamese talent values can be organized along four axes: strong attachment to family, respect for elders, emphasis on face, and a spirit of mutual help. Building an acceptance framework with these values in mind is key to improving retention.

Key takeaways from this article:

  • Vietnamese values are rooted in historical background and Confucian values
  • Attachment to family and hometown is strong, and consideration for events such as Tet is essential
  • Because of values that emphasize face, coaching methods require individualized handling
  • At hiring, use both status of residence fit and understanding of values as decision criteria
  • Using a practical checklist to systematize acceptance preparation is important

If you have concerns about hiring Vietnamese talent or building an acceptance framework, please feel free to contact us via Foreign Talent Insights. From organizing the institutional side through building post-hire follow-up, we support you in a practice-oriented way.

Where to check official information

Systems, employment management, and official announcements by country are updated over time, so also confirm the following primary sources around the time of publication.

Immigration Services Agency of Japan Specified Skilled Worker system page — check and cross-reference the latest systems, employment management, and official announcements.

Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare page on measures for the employment of foreign workers — check and cross-reference the latest systems, employment management, and official announcements.

e-Gov Law Search — check and cross-reference the latest systems, employment management, and official announcements.

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