報連相

• Reading: ほうれんそう
• Romaji: hōrensō
• Kanji breakdown: 報 (report, from 報告) + 連 (contact, from 連絡) + 相 (consult, from 相談) → report + contact + consult
• Pronunciation: /hoː.ɾen.soː/

Meaning

Report-Contact-Consult — the fundamental workplace communication framework of reporting, informing, and consulting with colleagues and superiors.

報連相 is an abbreviation of 報告 (report), 連絡 (contact/inform), and 相談 (consult). It's one of the first things new employees learn in Japanese companies and is considered the foundation of workplace communication. The term cleverly sounds like ほうれんそう (spinach), making it easy to remember. While simple in concept, failing to practice 報連相 is considered a serious workplace offense, and it's frequently cited as the most important business skill for new hires.

Examples

1. 新入社員研修で報連相の大切さを叩き込まれた。 They drilled the importance of 報連相 into us during new employee training.
2. 報連相ちゃんとしてれば、大きなミスは防げるよ。 If you practice proper 報連相, you can prevent major mistakes.
3. 報連相が苦手で、つい一人で抱え込んじゃうんだよね。 I'm bad at 報連相 — I tend to keep problems to myself.

Usage Guide

Context: workplace, business training, casual conversation

Tone: instructive, practical

Do Say

• 困ったことがあったら、まず報連相を徹底して。 (If something's wrong, first and foremost practice 報連相.)
• 報連相ができる人って信頼されるよね。 (People who practice good 報連相 are trusted.)

Don't Say

• 外国人の同僚に報連相を押し付けすぎない (Don't over-impose 報連相 on foreign colleagues who may have different communication norms — explain the concept first)

Common Mistakes

• Thinking 報連相 is just for new employees — it's expected at all levels of the organization
• Overdoing 報連相 to the point of micromanaging or being unable to act independently

Origin & History

Coined by businessman Yamazaki Tomoji (山崎富治) in his 1982 book. The abbreviation 報連相 is a wordplay on ほうれんそう (spinach). It became a cornerstone of Japanese business education and new employee training.

Cultural Context

Era: 1982 coinage, fundamental since the 1980s

Generation: All working-age adults

Social background: Universal in Japanese business culture

Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. Taught in virtually every company's new employee training program.