"Real Salary?""Working on Holidays?"... Japanese Employees Quitting from Their First Day at Work

In Japan, the fiscal year runs from April to March of the following year. Most new employees also start their first day of work in April. However, shortly after their hopeful beginnings, many new employees are submitting their resignations within a week of joining due to situations that differ from their expectations.

On the 3rd, Japan's TV Asahi reported, citing recruitment information and resignation agency services, that "the number of resignations immediately after joining has more than doubled." According to the report, an employee of a company providing resignation agency services stated, "We keep receiving requests to send resignation letters by mail."

Shinji Tanimoto, CEO of the resignation agency service 'Mourmuri,' revealed, "Yesterday there were 8 people, but today the number has sharply increased to 18." On April 1st, the day of the entrance ceremony, 5 people requested resignation agency services, 8 on the 2nd, and as of 3 PM on the 3rd, a total of 31 people had applied for resignation. This figure is nearly double compared to the same period last year. Tanimoto explained, "The main reason is that the stories heard before joining and the actual work environment were different," adding, "For example, the salary was lower than the amount previously informed, or the working conditions were different in many cases."

Actual cases received during resignation agency consultations include ▲"I was told after joining that weekend work was required, but there was no mention of this before joining." ▲"The job posting stated a base salary of 1.6 million yen plus various allowances, but the actual base salary did not even meet the minimum wage." ▲"I was shocked to learn I had been lied to after joining, and I did not want to face the company anymore."

Complaints related to corporate culture were also among the reasons for resignation. Some reported that "they were forced to repeatedly chant the company motto or undergo repetitive tests and criticism during training camps," or "when they asked questions because they did not understand the work, they were told to 'think for themselves,' but when they tried to solve problems on their own, they were told 'if you don’t know, you should ask.'" There was even a case where "during the entrance ceremony, the president had an argument with a new employee, sent him out to the hallway, and scolded him saying, ‘Are you joking right now?’"

Although more companies are announcing increases in starting salaries, this has ironically led to an increase in resignations. Tanimoto analyzed, "Companies often offer excessively good conditions to secure talent, but if the actual work environment differs from what job seekers expected, the resignation rate inevitably rises." He further explained, "According to our analysis, 20% of resignation causes are due to company issues (so-called black companies), 60% are misunderstandings or communication gaps between companies and new employees, and the remaining 20% are personal issues of the new employees."

According to data released last year by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the resignation rate of university graduates within three years is about 35%, the highest level in the past 15 years. TV Asahi introduced opinions from senior workers, noting that reactions vary by generation. A worker in their 40s said, "I think there can be such people in this era," while a worker in their 60s commented, "The work environment has improved a lot compared to 30 to 40 years ago. It’s a pity to quit easily." On the other hand, a worker in their 30s said, "Making quick decisions and finding new paths cannot be seen as entirely negative."