Survey findings on childcare leave among company employees in Japan
On 24 March, specialist professional recruitment firm Robert Walters Japan announced the results of a survey regarding childcare leave conducted among company employees working in Japanese and foreign-affiliated companies in Japan.
6 months is the preferred length of time for paternity leave according to female employees
When female employees were asked what they think is ideal length of time for their male partners to take paternity leave, the top response was “6 months” (28%). Ranking in 2nd was “3 months” (26%) followed by “1 year” (24%). Conversely, male employees responded that “1 year” (26%), “3 months” (24%), and “one month” (22%) was the ideal length they would like to take paternity leave. These results indicate that the length of paternity leave desired by men varies considerably from person to person.
Special considerations for employees raising children may not be generally necessary
When asked what kind of special considerations they think are necessary for employees raising children, regardless of whether they have children or not, half of male employees working at foreign companies responded that “consideration should be given after checking aptitude and intentions.” Male employees working for Japanese companies also answered that “consideration should be given after checking aptitude and intentions” (42%); “reduction of workload & work hours” (39%) was also cited as a top priority. On the other hand, the most common response among female employees at foreign companies was that the “system needs to be changed for all employees, not just for those with children” (40%). Women at Japanese companies also responded that a one-size-fits-all approach is not necessary (34%). This indicates that rather than one-sided considerations specifically targeting those with childcare responsibilities, more flexibility in working arrangements offered to all employees is seen as a better approach.
Women more likely to consider how timing of childcare leave impacts promotions
We asked respondents whether employees who take childcare leave are eligible for managerial promotions and the most common response from both men and women was that it “depends on their abilities.” In the case of a woman taking maternity leave, approximately 1 in 5 female respondents (21%) felt that it “depends on the timing,” while only 8% of male respondents agreed.
On the other hand, in the case of male employees taking paternity leave, approximately 80% of female respondents answered that it “depends on their abilities,” while 18% answered that it “depends on the timing.” Men ranked “depends on their abilities” first (87%) and “depends on the timing” second (11%).
Many respondents believed that promotions should be dependent on abilities and skills, indicating that the idea of performance-based management has become widespread. Meanwhile women themselves are more conscious of timing when it comes to promotions to managerial positions.
In response to the survey results, Eri Hasegawa, Marketing Manager at Robert Walters Japan, commented: “Based on the responses received, we found that women are more are more likely to be conscious of timing based on which stage in life they are in. But in this age of diversity, it is important that both company employees and organisations become more aware that changes in working styles can happen to anyone as they move through life stages.”
(Survey period: 21-27 January 2022, 17-28 February 2022, Target: Company employees registered with Robert Walters Japan and living in Japan n=1,185)
Press Release(PDF)
About Robert Walters Japan:
Established in London, United Kingdom, in 1985, Robert Walters is a specialist recruitment consultancy with operations in 31 countries around the world. Robert Walters Japan established its Tokyo office in 2000 and Osaka office in 2007. For over 20 years, we've been a driving force in the Japanese bilingual recruitment market, providing high quality candidates for our clients and access to the best jobs. Our consultants are experts in their respective industries and work in teams to provide recruitment consultation services across a wide range of industries and job categories.
Press contact:
PR & Communications, Robert Walters Japan
Phone: 03-4570-1500 E-mail: info@robertwalters.co.jp
