How To Approach Issues While In China| 2 min read

Working at a Chinese company can be very enriching; surrounded by Chinese colleagues, you will quickly absorb the language and native customs. This environment, however, doesn’t come without it’s problems. Communication issues may arise in the workplace which can lead to some frustrated co-workers. Here are some tips to help you understand how the Chinese usually deal with problems.

Public confrontation in China is almost non-existent, especially in the workplace. The Chinese hold strong beliefs about ‘keeping up appearances’ and like to deal with issues discreetly and out of the public eye, all in an attempt to ‘save face’. Only individuals involved may be called upon to discuss the issue. One of the worst things you can do in China is cause someone to lose face,  it could cause you to ‘lose’ your job.

This approach to troubleshooting is quite different to the way we confront problems in the West, where we tackle issues head on, making sure all involved are aware of the problem and the solution, so as to avoid future mishaps.

On occasions, it may be blindingly clear who is responsible for a particular issue. Even in such cases, it’s best not to lose your temper or place the blame directly with said individual, they would find this very embarrassing and probably lose face. If possible, attempt to report/deal with the problem without mentioning names or passing blame.

Some visitors to China comment on the ‘lack of urgency’ in Chinese business. There is some truth to this, in that you may find yourself repeating things over and over before they are finally acknowledged and dealt with; it’s just that the Chinese have different concepts regarding priorities and time management.

Interning in China should be a smooth ride for most participants; working with different nationalities is often very interesting and exciting; but it’s useful to understand how the Chinese conduct business and to be aware of some of the issues one might encounter.