Effective workplace communication in Japanese style

Applying the business mantra "HORENSO" to Achieve 360-degree Communication

Published on: July 13, 2022
Last updated: October 20, 2025 Read in fullscreen view

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Horensou is one of the most famous business etiquettes practiced in Japan. It is short for Report, Contact, and Consult in Japanese Business

The meaning of HORENSO

The concept of ho-ren-so, which are Japanese abbreviations for report, update and consult respectively, was originally developed for use in the manufacturing industry. It assumed a strict hierarchy, and the concept was designed for factory-workers to send a continual stream of information up to their managers, to ensure that they could make decisions with full information.

Ho-ren-so is a strictly one-way process, with no information being passed back down the hierarchy. In that model, it is assumed that all decisions are made at the top and passed back down the chain of command, with little to no feedback to what factory workers communicated upwards. Another major weakness is that decisions are concentrated at the top, which often leads to slow decisions and a lack of empowerment among employees.

Horenso meaning

Things to keep in mind:

HO – Keep Everyone Informed
REN – Stay in Touch and Follow Up
SO – Consulting

Ho-Hōkoku (報告) refers to reporting. Regular reporting from subordinates to their supervisors on the work progress is essential. Junior staff must keep their immediate boss or any affected co-workers informed on the status of the task including items such as how a job is going when a job is done, or whether there are any hiccups or issues. Specifically, when problems arise, they must be reported immediately as the senior colleagues are usually the ones who are responsible for them. Ren-Renraku (連絡) means communication. Proper communication of simple information between co-workers must be facilitated regardless of rank or status. Such information refers to important details that could affect the work of your team. In contrast to hokoku where you report to a senior colleague, renraku is free sharing of important information amongst all ranks. For instance, if there are any project delays, you should communicate this information to all affected colleagues so they can adapt accordingly to the new work situation and minimize disruptions as much as possible. So-Sōdan (相談) is simply consulting with senior colleagues. When you need to make work decisions, the Japanese approach is that advice should be sought from seniors in order to lessen the burden of having to deal with the situation alone. Consultations between junior and senior colleagues are essential for building trust and resolving issues as a team. While it is fine to make your own decisions if you feel confident to do so, you should still keep your superiors in the loop about your decision and the eventual outcome.

Visualizing Horenso to Ensure Effective Communication with Visual Wall Chart

Applying Horenso to your work to facilitate communication

To apply Ho, the idea is that everyone should be informed on what’s going on in the company. Taking the chance to speak up and offer information, being an active listener, and participating more in daily meetings would strengthen the exchange of information within your organization, especially when conferences are mostly conducted online these days. If your company does not have many meetings, it may be worth pitching 5-minute group chats at the start or end of each working day to stay on top of things as a team.

Ren could be applied by staying in touch and following up with one another. Email may not be the best medium for communication so it could be better to schedule a video call to your co-workers or bosses if physical check-ins are not possible these days. If you do need to email someone, be sure to follow up with a call or in-person as your co-workers may be bombarded by so many emails each day that they may not have seen your messages.

Looking before you leap is the key to applying So. Double-check with your colleagues before you make any work decisions. They may offer suggestions to revisions regarding your decision to learn to take it in your stride. The collectivist culture of making a decision works to ensure that the very best decision is made in the interest of the company. Anyway, it doesn’t hurt to have an extra pair of eyes to check what you are doing before you take your next step in the decision-making process.

Wrapping

HORENSO can be a Japanese concept used in Japanese companies, but it can be easily applied to the work culture of any country. If you feel that your workplace has difficulty maintaining the flow of information, try to implement the HORENSO model with your colleagues.

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