etiquette for new employee

We hired new Japanese employee at our office in US. She has been in US 10 years and thus acclimated to US customs. But I want to make sure we are sensitive and not offend or miscommunicate. Is there a good source of info?

Charles,

If this were someone who had transferred straight from Japan, then some allowances for cultural differences should be made, but this is someone who has spent 10 years in the US, right? I think she would probably be most offended to find she was being treated any differently from other employees. I know I would be.

I agree that she should not be treated differently in expectations or requirements. But I interpret the question differently. I think the issue is whether there are cultural norms that would lead an employer to communicate the same information in perhaps different terms. Lots of literature out there on differences in business norms that might apply here

I tend to agree with Dave in that if the employee has spent 10 years in the US that she is already accustomed to US business and cultural practices and would not need any special treatment.

I agree with Dave. I would feel very uncomfortable if anyone treated me differently after living in US for a decade. Perhaps you could just tell her to feel free to ask any questions about the new workplace.

I agree with Dave. I think the OP should welcome her just as he would his native employees without having any biased information beforehand, and then if a problem occurs after she starts working, he can go and look for references to see if it is anything cultural or not.

Usually any Japanese who has been in the U.S. for 10 years would have problems adjusting back to Japan though.

I agree, I would certainly be offended, Imagine yourself in her shoes, you live and work in another country for a decade, you change jobs and your new office treats you like you're someone who just came from another planet.
I wouldn't treat her any different from any employee, and not thinking of her as an outsider who doesn't know how things are done.
The fact is, as someone mentioned, she'd probably have trouble adjusting to a Japanese company then a American one.