Workplace Taboos That Surprise Vietnamese Talent: How Cultural Understanding Improves Retention

Have you ever hired Vietnamese talent only to confuse them with a casual remark or action? Understanding Vietnamese taboos in advance is the first step toward building workplace trust and improving retention. This article explains, from a practical hiring perspective, what recruiters should know about daily culture—communication, food, religion, and holidays.

Why understanding taboos with Vietnamese talent matters

The number of Vietnamese talent working in Japan continues to grow each year, with acceptance expanding across a wide range of industries such as nursing care, manufacturing, construction, and food service. Surveys by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare also show that Vietnam consistently ranks high among foreign workers by nationality, making Vietnamese talent a familiar presence for many companies.

At the same time, differences in cultural background mean that casual words or actions that feel ordinary to Japanese people can cause discomfort or confusion for Vietnamese talent. Conversely, behavior that is natural in Vietnam can sometimes lead to misunderstandings in Japanese workplaces. Such mismatches can become a factor in early turnover.

Do not dismiss taboos as something you “just didn’t know.” Understanding them in advance is the first step toward building a healthy workplace. If you want to learn systematically how to build relationships with international talent, also see our basics of hiring foreign workers.

Common workplace taboos with Vietnamese talent (communication)

In communication, pay attention to the following points.

Avoid touching someone’s head. In Vietnam, the head is considered sacred, and even a well-intentioned gesture can feel unpleasant.
Avoid strongly reprimanding someone in front of others. Vietnamese culture places strong importance on “face” (men-tsu), and harsh criticism in front of other employees can easily make the person feel their dignity has been harmed.
Be careful how you address people by name. In Vietnam it is common to use given names rather than family names, and the Japanese style of “family name + san” can feel unnatural. For name structure, our article on workplace communication with Myanmar talent also introduces shared approaches to cross-cultural communication.
Do not take a simple “yes” at face value. People may say “yes” to keep the atmosphere smooth even when they do not fully understand, so it helps to have them repeat work instructions or confirm with concrete examples.

These are not matters of superiority or inferiority—only differences in cultural background. Approaching others with respect for different cultures forms the foundation of trust.

Taboos and considerations around daily life, food, and religion

There are also points to keep in mind regarding food and religion.

Buddhists make up the majority in Vietnam, but many people are said to take a relatively flexible approach to religion. Even so, for workplace gatherings and company events, consider that some employees may avoid certain ingredients for religious reasons. Checking in advance what people cannot eat helps prevent problems.

Also, while some Vietnamese talent enjoy organ dishes and distinctive herbs, others dislike raw fish or strongly scented fermented foods. Conversely, foods familiar to Japanese people are often unfamiliar to Vietnamese talent. When choosing cafeteria menus or gifts of food, avoid imposing one-sided “Japanese common sense.”

Gifts also call for cultural care. Depending on numbers, colors, or timing, some items are considered unlucky, so when preparing gifts for internal awards or celebrations, it is best to check in advance.

Consideration for holidays and events (such as Tet) and workplace rules

Essential to understanding Vietnamese culture is the Lunar New Year, Tet. Tet is Vietnam’s largest annual event and is regarded as the most important period when families gather to celebrate the new year.

Many Vietnamese talent hope to return home or take leave during this period. Because it differs from the Japanese calendar, it can overlap with a company’s busy season, but the preferred approach is to grasp leave requests in advance and adjust shifts or secure backup staff.

Beyond Tet, there are also lunar-calendar events and ancestral memorial customs, so checking the annual schedule and clearly stating leave rules in the work regulations supports predictable workplace operations for both sides. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare’s page on measures for employing foreign workers publishes information on proper labor management of foreign workers and can be a reference when considering leave systems.

Diagram: Pre-hire confirmation flow

Text alone can make the full picture hard to grasp, so here we organize the flow of what to confirm before hiring. When creating actual materials or manuals, we recommend turning the following flow into a flowchart diagram.

First, at the recruitment stage, confirm the type of status of residence and the scope of permitted work. Next, at the interview stage, ask about the person’s daily habits and any religious considerations. Then, after a job offer, explain internal rules (leave systems, food-related considerations, and how communication is handled) and align expectations. Finally, after joining, use regular one-on-ones to keep checking whether cultural gaps are affecting work.

Building this flow into your internal onboarding manual helps maintain consistent quality even when the person in charge changes.

Common questions from the field

YourBright receives questions like the following from companies that accept Vietnamese talent.

A typical example is, “I didn’t mean to scold them, but they suddenly seemed down.” In many cases, public criticism or a strong tone has hurt the person’s face.

Many companies also say, “They requested long leave around Tet and we struggled to respond.” Grasping leave requests in advance and planning shifts that avoid the busy season can prevent this kind of disruption.

Others report, “Almost none of the food we served at a banquet was eaten.” Checking disliked ingredients and religious restrictions in advance is the most reliable way to prevent such mismatches.

Failure patterns and how to avoid them

Here we organize failure patterns often seen at accepting organizations and how to avoid them.

The first is unilaterally imposing Japanese workplace culture. Proceeding only with a “when in Rome” mindset can deepen isolation and lead to early turnover. An effective countermeasure is to clearly convey, during onboarding orientation, a stance of mutual respect for both cultures.

The second is avoiding even necessary communication out of fear of taboos. Holding back on work-related feedback or guidance can actually deprive the person of growth opportunities. What matters is to be careful about how you communicate while still saying what needs to be said.

The third is generalizing one Vietnamese person’s behavior into “this is how Vietnamese people are.” Assume individual differences and engage with each person without stereotyping.

Points hiring managers often overlook

One point hiring managers often overlook is insufficient interviewing about daily habits at the interview stage. Focusing on skills and Japanese ability can push checks on dietary restrictions and religious considerations to the back burner.

Another easily overlooked point is insufficient explanation to other employees. Even if only the onboarding lead understands the cultural background, if frontline colleagues do not, inconsiderate remarks or actions can occur unconsciously. It is advisable to hold a brief training or information-sharing session before acceptance.

In addition, managing the scope of status of residence and renewal timing is another practical point that is often missed. For statuses of residence such as Specified Skilled Worker, check the latest information on the Immigration Services Agency of Japan’s Specified Skilled Worker system page and put management systems in place so renewals are not missed.

Criteria for deciding acceptance feasibility and the level of accommodation

Not every accommodation needs to be applied uniformly. In practice, it is realistic to have decision criteria based on each company’s industry, workplace environment, and the individual’s preferences. Consider the following three points as your main axes.

First is the direct impact on work. If religious reasons prevent certain tasks, confirm whether alternative duties can be provided. Second is the balance between the individual’s preferences and company rules. For leave and shift flexibility, clarify in advance how far you can accommodate within the work regulations. Third is fairness with other employees. Overly favoring a particular employee can create workplace dissatisfaction, so it is best to document the rules and communicate them to all employees.

Practical checklist

Here is a practical checklist of items to confirm before and after acceptance.

Have you asked about dietary restrictions and religious considerations at the interview?
Have you grasped leave requests for Tet and other lunar-calendar events in advance?
Have you set up a coaching flow that avoids public reprimands and allows one-on-one handling?
Have you run training that shares cultural background with other employees as well?
Are you managing the type of status of residence and renewal timing based on Immigration Services Agency of Japan information?
Have you documented leave and accommodation rules in the work regulations and communicated them to all employees?
Is there a system to check for cultural gaps in regular post-hire one-on-ones?

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Q. What taboos should we be especially careful about with Vietnamese talent? A. Three points need particular care: touching the head, strong public reprimands, and how you address people by name. All relate to personal dignity and cultural background, so advance understanding is essential.

Q. How much should we accommodate leave for Tet? A. Tet is Vietnam’s largest annual event, and many talent hope to return home or take long leave. The preferred approach is to confirm requests in advance and adjust shifts so they do not overlap with the busy season.

Q. How should we balance cultural consideration with work-related guidance? A. Consideration for taboos is necessary, but you do not need to avoid feedback required for the job. What matters is to refine how you communicate while still saying what needs to be said.

Q. How should we share information inside the company? A. Providing brief training or shared materials not only to the onboarding lead but also to frontline colleagues can prevent unconscious lack of consideration. Materials on employing foreign workers from Hello Work and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare are also useful references.

Summary

Understanding taboos with Vietnamese talent is not merely a matter of manners—it is a practical issue that affects workplace retention.

Understand communication taboos such as touching the head, public reprimands, and how names are used
Ask in advance about food and religious considerations and reflect them in company events
Grasp leave requests for Tet and other lunar-calendar events and plan shifts that avoid the busy season
Prepare an onboarding manual and practical checklist so response quality stays consistent even when staff change
Manage status of residence while checking the latest information from the Immigration Services Agency of Japan, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and e-Gov

An acceptance framework based on cultural understanding cannot be built overnight. If handling everything in-house feels uncertain, using support from a Registered Support Organization is one option. If you have concerns about hiring or retaining Vietnamese talent, feel free to contact us via Foreign Talent Insights inquiry. We also accept phone consultations (03-6908-6143, hours 9:00–18:00).

Where to check official information

Systems, employment management, and official announcements by country are updated over time, so also check the following primary sources before and after publication.

Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare page on measures for employing 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.