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Decision Making at Work

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Which Decisions Are Yours?

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Which Decisions Are Yours?

Every working day is full of small decisions: which task to start first, whether a product looks normal, whether a resident seems well enough to take a bath. In a Japanese workplace, a good worker is not someone who decides everything alone, and not someone who asks about everything either. A good worker knows which decisions belong to them and which must be shared.

Three kinds of decisions

TypeExamplesWhat to do
Decide aloneThe order of your routine tasks, preparing tools before a shift, tidying your area, asking a colleague to repeat an instructionDecide, act, and report if it affects others
Decide, then reportSwapping two tasks to finish on time, using a spare part of the same specification, small changes your leader has already allowedAct within the agreed rule and tell your leader soon after
Consult firstAnything that changes a procedure, a recipe, a machine setting, a care plan, other people's schedules, cost, quality or safetyStop, explain the situation, and wait for a decision

Questions to ask yourself

When you are not sure which type a decision is, ask yourself:

  • Is this written in the manual or the work standard (作業標準, sagyou hyoujun, work standard)? If yes, follow it; do not create your own version.
  • Could this affect safety, a resident's health, food hygiene or product quality?
  • Will this change someone else's work or schedule?
  • If it goes wrong, can it be undone easily?
  • Has my leader clearly given me this authority before?

If any answer points to risk, to other people, or to "I am not sure", the decision is one to consult about (相談, soudan, consultation). In Japan, consulting is not a sign of weakness. It shows that you respect the team and the rules.

The link with hou-ren-sou

You learned 報連相 (hou-ren-sou: report, contact, consult) in the course on Japanese work culture. Decision making is where hou-ren-sou becomes practical. A decision you make alone still needs a report. A decision you cannot make alone needs a consultation, ideally with your own idea attached: "I think we should do A, because of B. Is that all right?" This shows that you have thought about it, and it lets your leader decide quickly.

Your area of decision grows

New workers usually have a small area of decision. As you gain experience and trust, leaders give you more. Future team leaders (リーダー, riidaa) make many decisions that affect others, so they must know the rules even better. The surest way to grow your authority is to show that you consult at the right times and report your results honestly.

Each company sets its own rules on who may decide what. Ask your leader or check your workplace rules.

How to tell which decisions you may make alone, which you make and then report, and which you must consult about first.

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