Although Japanese tend to be extremely hard workers, they aren’t always happy about it. Global surveys have placed Japan at, or near, the bottom among all countries in terms of employee engagement. Indeed, many Japanese managers have concerns about the motivation levels of their employees. Bored or unsatisfied workers are less dedicated, leading to low productivity, poor customer service, and lack of innovation. They also tend to go elsewhere, leading to costly turnover for the company.
Japan Intercultural Consulting founder Rochelle Kopp explored this theme in her best-selling book Nihon Kigyo no Shain wa Naze Konna ni mo Motivation ga Hikui no ka? (forthcoming in English titled Creating Engaged Employees in Japan). Applying the ideas she put forth, our company has helped clients increase employee motivation and improve employee retention.
We have seen significant interest in the topic of motivation from Japanese companies and overseas firms operating in Japan. We are often brought in by overseas firms after their global engagement surveys uncover low scores in Japan when compared with other locations.
We have seen significant interest in the topic of motivation from Japanese companies and overseas firms operating in Japan. We are often brought in by overseas firms after their global engagement surveys uncover low scores in Japan when compared with other locations.
Specific features of many Japanese work environments, including command-and-control management styles and bureaucratic human resources practices, can contribute to low motivation and, when employees are confident they can find another job, poor retention. Having advised numerous firms on these issues, we have a wealth of experience to draw on in making assessments and recommendations to avoid costly employee turnover.
Among the tools we have found effective in improving employee motivation are focus groups, interviews, workshops, and training programs. We have also formed partnerships with two HR Tech companies that offer unique data-based approaches to improving employee motivation.
One of these partners offers a tool to assess each employee’s unique motivators. In addition to giving the employees personalized insight they can use to improve their performance, the tool helps managers to better understand what motivates their employees. Knowing this helps a manager choose assignments and give feedback in a way that will be most impactful for each individual. The tool’s initial assessment is followed by regular pulse surveys using questions that are customized for each worker based on their motivators.
In a sense, the wide variation in motivators between individuals can be viewed as another aspect of diversity: By informing management techniques with an understanding and appreciation of different motivations, companies can bring out the best in each employee.
Our other partner is a firm that offers a people analytics tool that leverages HR data and surveys to predict employee retention. This tool is an excellent choice for firms that want to pinpoint the areas of the company (and even individual employees) most at risk for turnover so that they can direct their efforts to increase motivation and retention where they are most needed.
As the supply of qualified employees in Japan and many other countries becomes ever more limited, motivation and retention are increasingly important. We expect that more firms will need support in this area going forward.
