In the industrial sector, labor shortages are becoming a serious problem. To address this, regional revitalization has been advocated since 2014. Regional revitalization is a policy aimed at creating sustainable and self-reliant local societies through curbing population decline, correcting the over-concentration of population in Tokyo, and revitalizing regional economies. However, results have not yet been seen. It could be said that the content of regional revitalization policies has been heavily influenced by a male perspective and lacking in a female perspective. Despite the key to revitalization being hidden in “what women want,” the situation of not listening to women’s voices continues. And it seems that there are increasing examples of companies that reflect women’s voices solving labor shortage problems and improving their business performance.
One company that has resolved labor shortages and enhanced women’s abilities is Sakai Estec, a countermeasures company. Ms. B, who works there, joined as a general office worker in 2019. Currently, she is in a generalist position, raising two elementary school-aged children while also working on creating drawings for piping and ductwork. One reason she moved from an administrative role to a generalist position was the “parent-child work system.” This system became a key factor in my career development. Here, parents and children can come to work together, and an environment is provided that parents can work while keeping an eye on their children. If a parent needs to leave, a colleague can sometimes look after the child. There’s even a kids’ room converted from a nap room, allowing parents to work in the same room if necessary. It’s possible to balance childcare with work, acquire multiple technical qualifications, and aim for a management position. Creating a flexible environment seems to have increased recruitment power and created a positive cycle of securing talent. In rural areas, it seems that companies need to adapt their systems to accommodate the needs of people who want to work locally, otherwise they won’t be able to get people to join them.
For a long time, Japan has had a male-dominated workplace environment. However, we are gradually seeing more women entering the workforce. Behind this progress is a system that society supports childcare. It goes without saying that this system should ideally be prepared by both the public and private sectors. However, the system has its flaws. Local governments and companies that address these shortcomings seem to be gaining an advantage. Furthermore, recently, a situation has emerged that simply working and raising children is no longer sufficient. Women’s purchasing power has also been rapidly increasing. Women understand women best. The current trend is often that a woman’s proposal goes through a male superior, leading to the development, manufacturing, and sales of products that women desire. It would be more rational to establish a flow that a woman’s proposal goes through a female superior, leading to the development, manufacturing, and sales of products that women desire. The fields in which women’s abilities can be utilized are expanding. It may be that we are entering an era that companies that develop women’s abilities in various fields, abilities that have not been utilized until now, will prosper.
