This article summarizes points to keep in mind when hiring and managing talent in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, based on the experiences of local business owners and other entrepreneurs. These insights should also serve as useful tips for employing Nepali talent in Japan.

1. Sense of Responsibility

Workplace environments that demand a strong sense of responsibility from employees tend to be avoided. This cannot be expected not only of new hires but also of mid-level employees with prior work experience. Developing a sense of responsibility that grows with career progression is a difficult challenge in cultivating Nepali talent. Most employers deal with employees on the assumption that they are always in a training period. Reasons why a sense of responsibility tied to career growth is not seen as employee development include the following factors:

※Lower employee motivation due to underdeveloped infrastructure in Nepal
※A tendency for capable talent to shift toward job hunting overseas
※Lack of a concept of career paths

With Nepali employees, rather than strengthening pre-employment training, respond flexibly to problems that arise in practice. Pre-education on a sense of responsibility should be tailored to each individual’s abilities.

2. Employment Duration

Because it is difficult to employ capable talent over the long term, an ideal approach is to start with short-term employment as a guide, then extend to medium-term and long-term periods when continuation is possible. The three reasons listed in item 1 above also apply as reasons why employees’ periods of employment do not last long.

3. Incentive Systems

Employees show a serious attitude toward work for the employer in the first few months after starting. The trust earned during that period, without any particular intention, begins to loosen after several months. Because stamina is limited, outcomes often end without results. For such employees, it is necessary to introduce regular incentive systems, such as motivation boosters and rewards for deliverables.

4. Impact of Underdeveloped Infrastructure

Even in the capital Kathmandu, basic infrastructure development lags behind. Resources for talent development and career development are insufficient, and most capable Nepalis tend to leave for overseas destinations with better infrastructure. When employing talent who remain in the country, an environment that respects and shares individual abilities is needed. Because highly specialized talent is scarce within Nepal, productivity and the quality of deliverables tend to be lower across industries.

5. Illusions About Living Abroad

The illusion that “life becomes easier living abroad” is difficult to remove from Nepali thinking, and acting solely for the purpose of “it’s for the money” does not lead to good results. As a way of dealing with people and employees who think this way, lecture them on the problems caused by modernization through material civilization. Avoidance of this typical thinking pattern—“life becomes easier living abroad”—and self-development are needed.

6. Career Paths

Nepal has no concept of career paths, and the environment for polishing a career is not in place. The idea of pursuing specialization consistently is seen as high-risk; people feel more secure moving toward occupations while considering the situation without fixing on a particular industry. However, for those among Nepali talent who have gained inspiration regarding career paths, we recommend providing incentives and guidance on career paths.

7. Talent with Common Sense

Environments where people with common sense are hard to raise include social problems in Nepal such as poverty, child labor, low education standards, and poor sanitary conditions. Even among personalities formed under harsh conditions, talent with common sense is rare and valuable. There is value in giving incentive rewards to people with common sense who can exercise judgment in social contexts and put it into practice.

8. Impact of a Multi-Ethnic Coexistence Society

In multi-ethnic Nepal, holidays and events differ by ethnic group, making it difficult to manage time off and work schedules in workplaces where multiple ethnic groups coexist. Kathmandu was originally a Newar residential area, but today it has become a multi-ethnic coexistence society due to an increase in people from other ethnic groups from rural areas. Friction often arises over workplace and lifestyle rules as well. Work schedules based on holidays for each ethnic group lead to consecutive days off and become a cause of declining employee motivation. Improvement measures are needed to eliminate such negative workplace environments.

9. The Grass Is Always Greener

The mindset that “the grass is always greener on the other side” is deeply rooted in Nepali consciousness and is a very sticky psychology. From children to adults, politicians, school teachers—regardless of occupation—this “grass is greener” psychology can be glimpsed in conversation. For employees, introduce role-play effects regarding “the grass is always greener” and have them learn about the psychology of reversed positions.

10. The Substitution of “For the Family”

In Nepali family-centered life, where ancestral lineage is the axis across generations, the phrase “for the family” is used in various situations.

When an employee leaves workplace duties for the reason of “for the family,” one can wonder whether it is true or an excuse for something else. “For the family” is sometimes used as a convenient excuse.

Nepali society is characterized by very strong family bonds. Taking time off work for family-related events such as weddings, funerals, celebrations, and farewell parties is generally accepted as common sense in Nepal.

These 10 tips are issues that should be seriously addressed as a direction for breaking down problems and deep-rooted customs in Nepali society. They are likewise points to keep in mind when managing Nepali talent working in Japan.