Learning from success stories: Initiatives of Japanese companies where Indian new graduates settle and thrive
The recruitment of new Indian graduates is greatly influenced by 'post-employment management.' This article organizes the commonalities of Japanese companies succeeding in retention and performance using concrete examples.
Contents
The '3 principles' common to successful companies
There are several commonalities among the companies that are successful in accepting Indian graduates.
They are the following three:
High transparency in role and career
Onboarding is systematized
Continued support for culture and language
Conversely, companies lacking these three are more likely to experience 'stagnation' or 'turnover' even if they hire talented personnel.
Successful companies can effectively engage Indian talents by carefully developing an 'adaptation and growth mechanism' rather than focusing on nationality.
Example ①: Retention rate over 90% with major manufacturing's 'clear career path'
There is a successful example where a major manufacturing company continued hiring from technical universities in India (NIT, Tier 2) for several years, and the retention rate over 3 years exceeds 90%.
The success factors are as follows:
1st year, 3rd year, 5th year career steps are clearly indicated in advance
Removing the 'generalist ambiguity' common in Japanese companies, they visualize the change of roles.
Sharing the technology roadmap and expanding roles with each achievement
By presenting the 'growth path' instead of tasks, they enhance engagement.
Implementing job rotation in three areas: research & development, production line, and data analysis
Providing opportunities to gain a wide range of experiences, they match well with motivated Indian personnel.
The more a company can create a sense of 'growth realization,' the more strongly Indian personnel will settle.
Example 2: Case where IT company's 'onboarding systematization' expedited readiness by six months
In a mid-sized system development company, they thoroughly standardized the onboarding of Indian engineers and have
reduced the training period by 6 months compared to new Japanese graduates.
The success factors are as follows:
・Created a 90-day onboarding program
Clarified necessary skills in three phases: the first week, one month, and three months, and conducted weekly reviews.
・Focused on designing a 'success experience' in the first month
Assigned small feature improvements and conducted frequent code reviews to build confidence.
・Hybrid communication using both English and Japanese
Separated technical discussions in English and reports in Japanese to prevent confusion.
As a result, within half a year of joining, they have developed to the point where they can 'independently develop small-scale features.'
Case 3: Startup's 'cultural adaptation support' keeps turnover below 10%
Even startups not used to hiring foreigners have succeeded in retaining new Indian graduates.
The measures implemented by this company are as follows:
・Weekly culture sessions (Understanding Japanese corporate culture)
Learn about uniquely Japanese cultures such as 'restraint', 'reading the air', and 'consensus building' through dialogue.
・Shadowing (Aligning work perspectives)
Seniors demonstrate how to think and judge alongside actual work.
・Company covers Japanese language learning + ensures study time during work hours
Reduce language stress and stabilize communication early.
・Complete elimination of isolation through team events and 1-on-1s
Create an environment where there is always someone to consult with.
As a result, **only one Indian talent hired by the 3rd year of establishment left (attrition rate under 10%)**.
Key of successful companies: not special, but all about 'systemization'
Comparing several success cases reveals the following commonalities.
・Assignments and roles are clear from the start
・Growth steps and expectations are visualized
・The onboarding process is standardized
・Feedback and 1on1s are conducted regularly
・A balance of Japanese and English is properly designed
・Support for cultural understanding exists as a system
In other words, successful companies share the common point of not relying on "high awareness", but rather building
"management that fits Indian talent" as a structure.
Instead of doing it personally, making it rule-based, documented, and visible increases reproducibility.
Summary
Indian new graduates do not naturally thrive if hired; the onboarding design by the company side is crucial. Successful companies share three points: career transparency, systematized onboarding, and cultural support; designing these leads to long-term retention and early empowerment.
At Phinx, we optimize and support the creation of mechanisms for utilizing Indian talent with the goal of "retention and success" for each company, including direct collaboration with local universities, Japanese language learning support, 90-day onboarding design, and mentor system construction. If your company seeks practical support based on successful case studies, please feel free to consult us.
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