Translated from 日本語 • View original Recently, I often hear the argument that "Japan should also shift from the traditional membership-based employment to job-based employment like in Europe and the United States."
I would like to write what I think about this movement.
Membership vs. Job-Based Employment
Membership-based employment is a form of employment that many Japanese companies have adopted so far. The method is to hire first and then give that person a job.
On the other-based employment is a form of employment that many companies in Europe and the United States have adopted. It is a method of recruiting from the market by recruiting with a job description (job description, a document describing job description).
Membership is designed to stay with one company for a long time. It is assumed that the content of an individual's work will change depending on the surrounding environment. In the past, Japan operated a membership system and lifetime employment as a set, so employment was stable.
The downside is that it is difficult to acquire sharp abilities as a job type. However, on the other hand, there are many opportunities to develop general abilities, so I think it can be said that it is excellent in that respect.
On the other hand, the job type is a method that makes it easy to train specialists.
Since we hire on the premise of job description, it is difficult to mismatch between the imagination before joining the company and the actual work. On the other hand, if a specific job disappears, it is rare to assign another job, so if the company's situation changes or does not meet the level of expectations, you may be fired.
The Current Direction of Japan
From now on, Japanese companies will also make their organizations lean, and at the same time, by improving the expertise of human resources and increasing the mobility of human resources in Japan, we will create a competitive environment and thereby strengthen the economy.
Certainly, it is undeniable that the membership-based employment system and the organizational management that corresponds to it have reduced Japan's competitiveness over the past 30 years.
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So what does it look like when it comes to a job-based employment environment?
Job type is quick to screen executive candidates and others
Ten years ago, I was working in Europe. At that time, I felt firsthand that this way of thinking about employment is very different between Europe, the United States, and Japan.
I feel that job-based employment in Europe and the United States has the effect of increasing the specialization of professionals. At the same time, the selection of whether or not to become a high-level human resource as a company management in the future is overwhelmingly faster than in Japan 。
By the early 30s, the selection of candidates for management high-level human resources or others is almost complete. 90% of people are color-coded as professionals, and the opportunity to become a high-level person is lost early.
On the other hand, in Japanese membership-based companies, many people are left with opportunities until their mid-40s.
However, it is not always a bad thing to determine the future of your career from an early age. You will have a lot of time not only for work but also for creating a total life plan in your own way, so it can be said that both have their advantages and disadvantages.
Problems with Job-Based Employment
I run a company in Europe, and I once thought that it was a problem if it was too job-oriented. Many people say, "I won't do anything other than the work written in the job description."
When working in a team, there is always a gap between people's areas of work. At that time, a team that says "no one will do that" will be in a state where the opposing team will mass-produce potential hits in baseball.
Even if you don't even say "I'll do anything," someone will do what you have to do as a team. I am also in that person."
Therefore, even if the job description is all about it, the company will not work well.
What I was talking to the members at the time was that it would be better to do something that was just halfway between the Western method and the Japanese method.
It was very interesting that I, who grew up in Japanese society, and the European members who had worked in Western companies came together with this kind of idea.
Become the strongest business talent by honing your professional skills while also acquiring general skills
Based on these past experiences, I thought about the direction the company should go in the future.
Is it ideal to move from the traditional Japanese membership type to a large job type, but also to be involved in about 20% of the work outside the specialized field?
By doing so, you can focus on developing your professional skills while also cultivating your general business skills and become a member who can participate in the team with a sense of management.
I believe that the indulgence of membership-based employment will be eliminated in society as a whole, and that an environment will be created in which people can aim for healthier growth, which will also increase the competitiveness of Japan as a whole.
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