Among the top concerns HR teams raise after hiring Vietnamese talent are three themes: “Why don’t they speak up more?”, “Why is reporting so slow?”, and “They said they could do it, but they were struggling alone.” Much of this behavior stems not from personality or ability, but from cultural norms of hierarchy deeply rooted in Vietnamese society. If you treat it as surface-level “obedience” or “passivity,” you can misdirect retention support and risk early turnover.

This article outlines the cultural and historical background of hierarchy among Vietnamese people and explains how it shows up as concrete workplace behavior. It is structured for HR and leadership responsible for hiring and retention, covering communication approaches you can use on the ground, failure cases and how to avoid them, a practical checklist, and FAQs.

Basics of hiring foreign workers are also available for reference.

Background of hierarchy rooted in Vietnamese society

Vietnam is a country strongly influenced by Confucian thought. Through roughly 1,000 years of Chinese rule (111 BCE–939 CE), the hierarchical concept of human relations known as the “Five Relationships” became embedded in everyday culture. The Five Relationships cover ruler–subject, father–son, husband–wife, elder–younger brother, and friend–friend, each with defined etiquette and duties. In modern Vietnam as well, this hierarchical view of people remains alive in family, school, and workplace settings, and people constantly behave with an awareness of “who is above and who is below.”

Social order shown through age and forms of address

Vietnamese has a system of personal pronouns more finely graded than Japanese. On first meeting, it is customary to confirm the other person’s age; someone older is addressed as “anh” (older brother) or “chị” (older sister), and someone younger as “em” (younger sibling). These forms of address are not mere politeness—they are an explicit declaration of “who leads and who follows.”

In the workplace as well, year of joining, rank, and age intertwine in complex ways, and people constantly keep in mind how they should behave toward whom. There is some overlap with Japan’s “senpai–kohai” culture, but in Vietnam even a one- or two-year age gap can create a clear sense of rank.

“Face” consciousness that prioritizes group harmony

Especially important in Vietnamese hierarchy is protecting face in public settings. Not talking back when scolded by a supervisor is not because someone is “obedient,” but out of concern for group harmony—not disrupting order in that moment. Likewise, admitting failure may be seen not only as personal shame but as something that breaks team harmony.

This value system often creates friction with Japanese workplace practice that expects problems to be reported immediately. Much of the on-site complaint that “reporting is slow” stems from this culture of face.

Vietnamese hierarchy at work: concrete behavior patterns

With that cultural background in mind, here is how it tends to appear as actual workplace behavior.

Strong dependence on supervisors and a wait-for-instructions tendency

In Vietnamese schooling, the teacher’s words carry absolute authority. Because people are used to a learning style in which “the correct answer is something you are taught,” the psychological hurdle to “thinking for yourself and acting independently” can be high. At work, people may not move without clear instructions from a supervisor and end up labeled as “waiting for instructions.”

This is often not passivity, but consideration that “acting outside the supervisor’s intent would be disrespectful.” Making instructions more detailed and increasing confirmation frequency makes it easier to draw out independent action.

Agreement patterns in which people cannot say “no”

Linked to face consciousness, Vietnamese people feel strong resistance to rejecting a supervisor’s or senior colleague’s proposal in public. Replies such as “I understand” or “I can do it” are often formal agreement that still hides incomplete understanding or an unrealistic load. Many situations in which managers feel “they said they understood, but nothing was done” come from this pattern.

Strong solidarity among peers and people from the same hometown

On the other hand, horizontal solidarity with peers of the same age group or hometown is very strong, and workplace communities form quickly. If a cohort mate or someone from the same region resigns first, there is a risk of chain resignations among those who follow. Using this solidarity network for turnover prevention is a key to retention support.

Conflict when seniority and rank do not align

Being coached by a younger Japanese employee can be a latent stress factor for older Vietnamese staff. The person may not show resistance outwardly while carrying internal conflict, which can appear as silence, passive behavior, and ultimately resignation.

Common on-site concerns, failure patterns, and how to avoid them

Here we organize typical concerns raised by HR and frontline managers, along with common failure patterns and ways to avoid them.

Concern 1: “They seem unmotivated and report late”

A common failure pattern is treating lateness or delayed reporting as a “motivation problem” and reprimanding the person directly—especially calling them out by name in morning meetings or all-hands settings. Public criticism damages face and can collapse trust.

As a way to avoid this, switch to one-on-one meetings and make concrete, action-based requests such as “Please report on this matter by ○ day at ○ time.” When reporting is late, asking first “What made it hard to report?” rather than interrogating them builds the relationship.

Concern 2: “They said they could do it, but they couldn’t at all”

Failure patterns include holding meetings that press “Why can’t you do it?” and scolding with “If you couldn’t, you should have said so from the start.” Both damage the person’s face and further delay information sharing afterward.

The way to avoid this is to set a process after giving instructions to break work into steps and confirm together: “Let’s check specifically how you will proceed.” Role-play style checks are also effective for gauging understanding.

Concern 3: “They don’t speak Japanese in the group and seem isolated”

A blanket rule that “Japanese must be used during work hours” often backfires. Allow mother-tongue use during breaks and internal community settings while carefully encouraging Japanese where the job requires it—that balance matters. Appointing a senior Vietnamese staff member as a mentor and bridge improves the quality and speed of information sharing.

Communication examples with Myanmar talent are also useful. Compare points of care shared across Asian talent with different cultural backgrounds.

Quick reference: situation-by-situation communication guide

Below is a quick-reference table of preferred and avoidable responses for situations managers often face when interacting with Vietnamese staff.

Situation 1: Giving work instructions

  • Preferred response: Explain purpose, steps, and deadline in order, then check understanding with an action-based question such as “Which step will you start with?”
  • Response to avoid: Ending with a one-word “Got it?” (this only draws a vague “yes”)

Situation 2: Pointing out a mistake

  • Preferred response: Give fact-based feedback in a private room or 1-on-1, and show a posture of thinking through improvements together
  • Response to avoid: Calling someone out by name in a morning meeting or all-hands (damages face and breaks trust)

Situation 3: Holding a career discussion

  • Preferred response: Start with “What do you enjoy most in your current work?” rather than “Where do you want to be in five years?” to encourage self-disclosure
  • Response to avoid: Unilaterally imposing a career image such as “You are suited to be a leader” (it may conflict with family, return-home, or job-change plans)

Situation 4: Requesting overtime or holiday work

  • Preferred response: Consult by the day before, show consideration for family and personal plans, then make the request. Also explain compensatory leave and allowances together
  • Response to avoid: Suddenly asking on the day, “Please stay late today” (because family is highly valued, abrupt changes easily damage trust)

Situation 5: Praising results

  • Preferred response: Praise by pointing to specific behavior (“Your quick report that time really helped us”)
  • Response to avoid: Only saying something abstract like “You’re working hard” (the person cannot tell what is being valued and may feel anxious)

Points hiring managers often overlook

Below are easy-to-miss points that arise from insufficient understanding of cultural background during hiring and onboarding.

Insufficient confirmation of pre-joining “expectation gaps”

Many Vietnamese workers come to Japan after sending organizations or intermediaries strongly impress on them that “life in Japan is comfortable” and “pay is high.” If actual workplace conditions, pay, and job content diverge sharply from expectations, the risk of leaving within three to six months after joining rises. In pre-joining orientation, putting in place a process to explain Japanese workplace culture in concrete terms in Vietnamese—realities of overtime, honorific language, and the importance of reporting, contacting, and consulting—directly improves retention.

Lack of understanding of religion, festivals, and commemorative days

Vietnam mixes Buddhist customs and folk beliefs, and practices based on the lunar calendar—such as Tet (Lunar New Year) and memorial days—remain strong. Requests to return home increase around Tet (January–February), so paid-leave rules and application deadlines need to be shared in advance. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare’s “Guidelines on Improving Employment Management of Foreign Workers” also lists consideration for religious and cultural backgrounds as an important employment-management matter and can be referenced as a basis for building systems.

Reference: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare — Employment management of foreign workers

The company does not track status-of-residence renewal timing

There are cases where both the individual and the company forget procedures even as the status-of-residence renewal deadline approaches, disrupting continued employment. On the Immigration Services Agency of Japan’s online residence application system, a staff member of the affiliated organization can also file as a proxy. Companies should register periods of stay in a management ledger and set a process to notify the individual three months before the deadline.

Reference: Immigration Services Agency of Japan — Online residence application system

Hello Work notifications are not linked to internal management

Employers who hire foreign nationals are required to file a “Notification of the Employment Status of Foreign Nationals” with Hello Work (Article 28 of the Employment Measures Act). Cross-checking notification records against the residence management ledger helps detect missed renewals and document gaps early.

Decision criteria: identifying the root cause of hierarchy-related trouble

When communication issues arise with Vietnamese staff, correctly distinguishing whether it is “the individual’s issue” or “a culture, system, or management issue” is the premise for an accurate response. Use the decision criteria below.

As decision criteria when “waiting for instructions” continues, first check whether work manuals are provided only in Japanese. Many cases resolve once materials are multilingualized or furigana is added. If a supervisor only says “Tell me if anything comes up,” the cause is often that concrete reporting timing and methods were not communicated as a set. If the person does not understand “what goal they are working toward,” holding a goal-setting meeting is effective.

As decision criteria when “unexcused absence or delayed contact” occurs, family emergencies (illness or bereavement of family living in Vietnam, for example) are often in the background. Also check whether the person is isolated (cut off from hometown peers) and whether contact channels (such as LINE) are working.

As decision criteria when a “sudden resignation request” comes in, check two points: whether it overlaps with return-home seasons around Tet (January–February) or summer (July–August), and whether a colleague or cohort mate has already left. If chain resignations are suspected, quickly assess the situation of other Vietnamese staff still employed.

Practical checklist: toward workplace retention of Vietnamese talent

Use the checklist below in each phase of hiring, onboarding, and retention support.

Hiring and pre-joining phase

  • Have you prepared onboarding orientation materials in Vietnamese?
  • Have you explained the assigned team’s age and rank composition to Vietnamese staff in advance?
  • Have you clearly stated paid-leave application rules and deadlines around Tet?
  • Have you registered the status-of-residence validity period and renewal schedule in the company’s management ledger?
  • Does the responsible staff member understand the procedure for the Notification of the Employment Status of Foreign Nationals to Hello Work?

1–3 months after joining

  • Have you set 1-on-1 meetings at least once a week?
  • Are work instructions given as a three-point set of purpose, steps, and deadline?
  • Have you introduced a mentor system with senior Vietnamese staff?
  • Have you set up a channel for raising concerns (a contact person, LINE group, etc.)?
  • Have you informed managers not to issue public reprimands by name?

3–12 month phase

  • Are you conducting career interviews to align the individual’s aspirations with the company’s expectations?
  • Have you clearly explained raise and evaluation criteria in a language other than Japanese as well?
  • Have you communicated the advance application rules for Tet home-leave requests at the start of the fiscal year?
  • Are you regularly monitoring signs of turnover (increased absences, silence, withdrawal from colleagues)?

If you have questions about hiring or retention, or need individual consultation, please contact us via inquiries to the Foreign Talent Insights editorial team.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1. Why do Vietnamese staff members never speak up in meetings?

In Vietnam, contradicting a superior’s opinion or assertively stating one’s own views in a meeting can be seen as impolite. Especially in all-hands meetings where a Japanese manager is present, staff carefully judge whether they are in a position to speak. Opinion exchange is often lively in small groups or among fellow nationals, so it is effective to create opportunities to draw out views in small groups before the full meeting.

Q2. What approaches are needed when a younger Japanese employee manages older Vietnamese staff?

The first step is to carefully explain, with concrete examples, that in Japanese companies “position (job title) takes priority over age.” At the same time, continuously showing through words and actions that you “respect” the older staff member’s experience and knowledge can ease psychological resistance.

Q3. A Vietnamese staff member suddenly said they “want to return home.” How should you respond?

First, it is important to carefully listen to the underlying reasons. The response will differ depending on whether it is a family emergency, dissatisfaction with the workplace, or a career opportunity in their home country. Check the remaining period of stay on their status of residence and consider support on the procedural side as well. Because this tends to occur more often around Tet and in summer, establishing advance application rules for home-leave requests throughout the year is a preventive measure.

Q4. Does a flat organizational culture not suit Vietnamese talent from a culture that “values hierarchy”?

Not necessarily. Younger generations in Vietnam, especially those from urban areas, often adapt well to flat organizational cultures and may even prefer such environments. However, the fundamental value of “respect for superiors” remains strong across generations, so even when introducing a flat culture, clearly stating “who holds what authority and responsibility” helps create a sense of security.

Q5. Does the company need to handle management of status of residence?

Legally, the individual bears the application obligation, but in practice, having the company put support systems in place improves retention and helps avoid the risk of unauthorized employment. In the Immigration Services Agency of Japan’s online residence application system, a staff member of the affiliated organization can also file applications as a proxy. We recommend establishing a company-wide centralized management system together with the foreign worker employment status notification to Hello Work.

---

Vietnamese hierarchy is not a cause of “problematic behavior” in the workplace. When properly understood, it is a cultural asset that can be leveraged as a positive force for maintaining workplace order, team cohesion, and careful workmanship. Revisiting communication design in light of Confucian hierarchical awareness and values of group harmony directly helps prevent early turnover among Vietnamese talent and builds long-term capability.

HR professionals who want to take a systematic approach from hiring international talent through retention support should also see our basics of foreign worker recruitment page. For individual challenges, feel free to consult the Foreign Talent Insights editorial team.

Related articles: Practical topics to review together

Please also review practical articles on related themes as needed.