Although I was the only foreigner in the engineering team at Oisix ra daichi, everyone at the company made me feel nothing less than home. I recently realized that it had been a year and a half at the company and time just flew. However, there are countless memories and learning’s made and through this blog, I would like to give you a glimpse of it.
Communication
Japanese being one of the toughest languages to learn, got me intimidated initially. Before joining, the company had taken the initiative to sponsor my Japanese language study. It lasted for about two months, and here I had learned the basics of the language. The teachers at the language school were also kind enough to teach Japanese etiquette and culture to an extent.
I continued my classes even after coming to Tokyo and apart from language school study, all the team members actively participated in Japanese-English talk time for 15 minutes daily. Conversing with them helped me to further know about my team members and their lifestyle.
For professional use, we have developed a bot that translates a message sent in any language to Japanese and vice-versa in Slack (a business communication) platform.
We also use a language-translation tool called DeepL.
All these have made it easier for a non-native to quickly adapt and work with the Japanese language and this could not have been possible without the support from the company. My confidence in speaking Japanese has gradually improved and it shouldn’t take long before I sound like a native.
Continuous improvement
Although I was a rookie, I was always encouraged to try out new technologies along with my work and had an opportunity to share outcomes and suggestions without a second thought. I have 30 minutes of pair work time with my manager every day, and during this time, we also discuss various things happening in the company, new technologies, and their impact when implemented. He is very supportive and follows the shared responsibility model. Usually, the evaluation of employees is done twice a year and the top-level management always tries to give feedback in a positive way with suggestions for improvement. The company sponsors’ for purchasing books, attending conferences/events, and technical certifications. All these encourage us for improvement with every passing day.
Work-Life Balance
I often hear from my friends about working overtime at their companies. But at Oisix ra daichi, we - in the engineering teams, follow a discretionary work system. This system allows us to completely control the working hours and set them according to our convenience. All the teams here follow a healthy working style, and my team has always tried to stop me from working overtime by setting realistic deadlines for tasks, thus reducing stress.
Apart from work, we discuss various events happening in and around Tokyo during our conversations. Taking their suggestions, I have visited amazing places and restaurants in Japan. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, every month we used to have an office party to spend time with colleagues and rejuvenate ourselves. Now, without breaking tradition, we continue to do it online. We are also allowed to involve in sports and other casual activities.
Double Mission
Along with my job, I got introduced to a social responsibility project named Table For Two. In this project, I was given the freedom to express myself and showcase my leadership skills. Last year we also conducted a campaign named as “Onigiri action” from which we could successfully deliver nine lakh lunches to school children.
Although I came from a different culture, my ideas and opinions were valued and this in return motivated me to do more. I look forward to contributing to many such campaigns in the future.
Conclusion
So this was my journey at Oisix ra daichi and this has helped me develop as an individual and a professional. I am only excited for the coming years and wish to learn and grow always!
I hope this blog will reach individuals aspiring to work for Oisix ra daichi and motivate them to be a part of this wonderful working culture and community.
Please feel free to contact me if you need any further information through Linkedin.
