How do you navigate teamwork in a globalised work culture and environment today? A “good team” looks different depending on where you are. A team in Kuala Lumpur doesn’t work the same way as a team in Tokyo, Shanghai, or New York — not because one group tries harder, but because each culture has its own idea of what teamwork even means. Two simple ideas help explain this. First, Hofstede’s cultural framework, which looks at things like how much people respect hierarchy, and whether they think of themselves as part of a group or as individuals. Second, Herzberg’s motivation theory, which splits workplace factors into two types: things that stop people from being unhappy (like fair pay and decent conditions), and things that actually push people to give their best (like recognition and a sense of achievement).
“Culture is the collective programming of the mind distinguishing the members of one group or category of people from others.”
Geert Hofstede
Put both frameworks together, and you get a clearer picture of how teams form in each culture — and what actually makes people want to contribute.
Malaysia: Gotong-Royong, Malay and Islamic Style
In Malaysia, people generally respect their bosses and don’t openly argue with decisions from above — that’s normal here, not seen as weakness. But when it comes to getting work done, Malaysians lean heavily on teamwork. This comes from the old kampung spirit of gotong-royong — everyone pitching in together to carry the load, whether it’s building a house or finishing a work deadline. For Malays, this isn’t just a nice habit, it’s tied to Islamic values — helping each other out is seen almost as a duty, part of being a good member of the community (ummah), not just being a good colleague.
“It’s about working as a team, not individuals… In AirAsia, we consider ourselves basically a dream factory.”
Tony Fernandes, AirAsia Group CEO
What keeps a Malaysian team content (hygiene factors):
- Respect and fairness from the boss
- Job security and stable working conditions
- No unnecessary drama or public conflict between colleagues
What actually motivates them (motivators):
- Being seen as someone who helped the team succeed
- Belonging and group recognition, not individual spotlight
Showing off individual achievement can actually feel a bit “malu” (awkward) in this setting. Being a reliable team player matters more than being the star.
Japan: Harmony Comes First
Japan is also very group-focused, but with one extra layer — a strong dislike of surprises or conflict. That’s why before any big decision is made, there’s a quiet process called nemawashi, where people are consulted one by one behind the scenes, so that by the time a decision is announced officially, everyone already agrees.
“Make decisions slowly by consensus, thoroughly considering all options; implement decisions rapidly.”
Toyota Way, Principle 13
What keeps a Japanese team content (hygiene factors):
- Predictability and avoiding surprises
- Being consulted before decisions are made, not just informed after
What actually motivates them (motivators):
- Being trusted enough to be part of the quiet consultation
- Long-term loyalty and belonging to the group, not personal glory
It’s slower than a top-down call, but it means decisions land with full buy-in and little resistance later.
China: Relationships Come First
In China, teamwork runs on guanxi — personal relationships and favors owed between people. You work well with someone because there’s trust built up over time, not just because you’re on the same project. Confucian values back this up: respect your elders, respect the hierarchy, and don’t rock the boat.
What keeps a Chinese team content (hygiene factors):
- Not being embarrassed in front of others — “face” matters a lot
- Respect for hierarchy and seniority
What actually motivates them (motivators):
- Being seen as trustworthy and well-connected within the group
- Recognition that strengthens their standing in the network
US and UK: Teamwork, But Everyone Wants Their Own Credit
Interestingly, the US and UK are very individualistic — yet teamwork is still highly valued there. The difference is that Western teamwork works more like a group of individuals who choose to cooperate, rather than a tightly-knit unit.
“If your business success relies on your ability to work successfully with people from around the world, you need to have an appreciation for cultural differences as well as respect for individual differences. Both are essential.”
Erin Meyer, author of The Culture Map
What keeps a Western team content (hygiene factors):
- Open, direct communication and the freedom to disagree
- Fair process and transparent feedback
What actually motivates them (motivators):
- Individual recognition and visible credit for their specific contribution
- Career advancement and personal achievement, even inside a team project
The Pay Problem
“If you want people motivated to do a good job, give them a good job to do.”
Frederick Herzberg
Here’s the catch: in team-first cultures like Malaysia and Japan, the actual pay and bonus system is often still built around individual performance — usually copied from Western-style HR practices. Japan traditionally paid people based on seniority (nenkō joretsu), which fit the group mindset well. But now, more companies use individual performance bonuses, and this creates friction — people who were raised to value teamwork suddenly get judged and rewarded like lone competitors.
Malaysia has the same issue. The culture says “we succeed together,” but the KPI system at work often says “you get paid based on your own numbers.” Studies show employees are fine with individual KPIs only when the result is truly within their own control — but get frustrated when their bonus depends on a target that only happened because the whole team pulled together.
In the US and UK, this isn’t a problem, because the pay system and the culture already match — individual pay for individual effort. But drop that same system into a Malaysian or Japanese team without adjusting it, and you’re quietly telling people that the teamwork they gave doesn’t actually count when it’s time to get paid.
Quick Tips: Applying This to Your Own Team
- Leading a Malaysian or Japanese team? Recognise contributions publicly at the group level before singling out individuals — a team shout-out lands better than a solo spotlight.
- Setting KPIs or bonuses in a collectivist culture? Split targets into what’s truly within a person’s own control versus what depends on the whole team, and reward the team-dependent portion as a team, not per head.
- Leading a US or UK team? Keep the team rituals, but don’t skip individual credit — people will disengage if their specific contribution disappears into “the team did it.”
- Working across cultures on the same project? Ask early how each side prefers to be recognised — quietly and collectively, or openly and individually — instead of assuming your own culture’s default is universal.
- Rolling out a global HR or engagement survey? Localise the questions on “recognition” and “achievement” — the same word means a different thing in Tokyo than it does in Texas.
The Takeaway
There’s no one right way to build a team, and no one right way to motivate people either. Hofstede tells you the shape of the culture — hierarchical or not, group-minded or individual-minded. Herzberg tells you what actually gets people to try harder once you understand that shape. Copy a system from one culture and drop it into another without adjusting it, and you’ll get it wrong every time — whether that’s expecting a Malaysian team to argue openly like Americans, or paying a Japanese team as if they were lone competitors. The real skill in managing across cultures isn’t picking the “best” model of teamwork. It’s noticing which one you’re actually standing in, and making sure how you recognise and reward people matches it.
Sources: Hofstede Insights country comparisons; Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory (SimplyPsychology); Erin Meyer, The Culture Map; Toyota Way 14 Principles; AirAsia leadership interviews (CNBC, HRM Asia); research on gotong-royong and Islamic values in Malay work culture; studies on nemawashi/ringi decision-making in Japanese firms; analyses of guanxi and Confucian workplace values in China; research on Japan’s seniority (nenkō joretsu) vs. individual performance pay tension; studies on individual KPI appraisal tension in collectivist Malaysian workplaces.
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