Japan reports highest percentage of formal diversity practices but least diverse workforce in Asia
ダイバシティガイドライン、策定と遵守の割合は日本が最高の一方で、女性管理職の割合は19％で調査国・地域で最低

While the majority of organisations in Japan have formal and strictly adhered diversity practices in place, the country still has the lowest diversity statistics in the region, finds the latest Asia Salary Guide report by leading recruitment experts Hays.
This year marks the 13th edition of the annual Hays Asia Salary Guide, which remains a definitive snapshot of salaries for positions across industries in Asia. The salary and hiring insights, including a thorough market overview of business outlooks, salary policies and recruitment trends, are based on survey responses from close to 6000 working professionals located in the five Hays operating markets in Asia; namely China, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Singapore and Malaysia.

Disparity in diversity practices

Results of the survey showed that 63 per cent of employers in Japan had formal diversity policies and practices in place, a figure that was significantly higher than reported in last year’s guide (56 per cent), as well as all other Asian regions surveyed (Asia average being 50 per cent). In addition, 83 per cent said these policies were well or fairly well adhered to – the highest percentage in Asia to say so by some distance and a marked increase from only 58 per cent who said so last year.
But despite these promising results, Japan reported no increase in the percentage of women in management from last year (19 per cent), the lowest figure in Asia by some distance (closest comparison being Singapore with 30 per cent). This shows a pervading lack of improvement in this area that brings to question the nature of diversity practices being implemented in the workplace and measurements of their efficiency.

More employers open to hiring overseas

Similarly, Japanese employers were also most open to hiring from overseas, with 67 per cent saying they would consider employing or sponsoring an overseas/expatriate candidate for skill-short areas – the highest percentage in Asia to say so. However, the survey revealed that only 11 per cent of employees in Japan were non-citizenship or permanent residence holders – the lowest such percentage in Asia after China (8 per cent).
However, this could be an indication of Japan’s ongoing skills crisis that has increasingly pushed employers in the country to expand their hiring preferences and consider overseas talent.
Richard Eardley, Managing Director for Hays Japan commented, ‘Despite ongoing social challenges, Japan has made significant strides towards improving diversity in the workplace. Last year in particular saw significant legislation in favour of more balanced workplaces and hiring from overseas – a trend that is set to continue alongside the country’s growing skills shortage and ageing population. Our studies have repeatedly shown that workplace diversity is intrinsically linked to increased income, innovation and productivity. More employers in Japan will continue to see these benefits for themselves as they continue to release long-held biases in favour of skilled candidates that are critical to meeting business demands.”

To download your copy of the 2020 Hays Asia Salary Guide, please click here.

About Hays

Hays plc (the "Group") is a leading global professional recruiting group. The Group is the expert at recruiting qualified, professional and skilled people worldwide, being the market leader in the UK and Asia Pacific and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe and Latin America. The Group operates across the private and public sectors, dealing in permanent positions, contract roles and temporary assignments. As at 30 June 2019 the Group employed 11,500 staff operating from 265 offices in 33 markets across 20 specialisms. For the year ended 30 June 2019:

– the Group reported net fees of £1,129.7 billion and operating profit (pre-exceptional items) of £248.8 million;
– the Group placed around 81,000 candidates into permanent jobs and around 254,000 people into temporary assignments;
– 18% of Group net fees were generated in Australia & New Zealand, 27% in Germany, 23% in United Kingdom & Ireland and 32% in Rest of World (RoW);
– the temporary placement business represented 57% of net fees and the permanent placement business represented 43% of net fees;
– Hays operates in the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Chile, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UAE, the UK and the USA