A recent survey conducted by Hays reveals that male professionals in Japan feel there are both advantages and disadvantages in the government’s initiatives to promote women’s active participation and advancement in the workplace (women’s empowerment).
Responding to a question about the advantages of women’s empowerment, 68% said it helps companies to secure excellent talent. A further 57% said more women in the company promotes innovation in product development and processes. Men also recognise that by bringing women to the workplace, it helps address the declining workforce and the issues around Japan’s aging population.
Meanwhile, 41% of these male respondents acknowledged the fact that there may be occasions where unqualified female workers could be promoted just on the fact that they are women, exhibiting a sense of unfairness in the workplace. About 30% said they feel a ‘risk’ in assigning key roles to female workers because of the time constraints they have from childrearing or the underlying uncertainty of them leaving once they are married or when they have children.
When asked to freely comment on women’s empowerment, there were various thoughts around the subject, from negative to encouraging.
- Women who have a balanced emotional view and judgement are few
- There is a strong fixed thinking that men should be in leading positions
- We should start thinking about women’s empowerment at school and home, not at work
- Before considering women to be promoted, we should realise that Japanese companies are still male-dominated, making it difficult for women to even have jobs other than clerical jobs; without improving this situation, it will be a struggle for women to be truly active in a company
“Almost a year has passed since the Act of Promotion of Women's Participation and Advancement in the Workplace was implemented in Japan,” says Hays Managing Director Marc Burrage. “This survey has brought forth the honest opinions and perceptions that many male workers may have. Companies should be promoting women not just to attain a certain number, but by fully implementing programs to foster female managers and candidates so they can eliminate worries of co-workers and bosses who are indispensable in building a female-friendly environment.”
This survey was conducted online in January 2017 and analysis was based on responses from 250 male workers.