The workplace in Japan has changed dramatically in less than a decade, such as restructurings, acquisitions, introduction of IT to business and communications, adoption of pay-per-performance systems, chronic conditions of working long hours, liquidation of employment, increase of temporary-employment, rise in the labor turnover rate of new graduates, etc. In addition, almost all companies now have headaches in treating employees who have developed stress-related “mental health” disorders. There seems to be no end to executives and regular employees who transfer to competitors even if they promised not to compete after resignation. However, it should be said that these are only a small part of the problems that prevail in the workplace. It is said that human resources that support companies are increasingly isolated and exhausted, mentally and physically, and as a result, lose morale, a sense of ethics, and feelings of loyalty to their companies. For companies, it is important for risk management strategies to come to grips with labor issues, consequently, leading to maintaining and bolstering their competitive strengths.
On the other hand, due to the progress of individuals’ awareness of rights and heightened feelings of compliance in society, people do not hesitate to make accusations, and increasingly people are running to unions associated by individuals. The industrial tribunal system has further lowered the barriers of entry to court. As to the labor administration, it tends to willingly authorize workmen’s compensation and it enforces supervision and retraining through detecting unpaid overtime work and sham contract work. People finally have become aware of labor laws and the need to implement them. As well as updating employment rules and other company regulations according to frequent legislative amendments, we must revise them from a strategic viewpoint.
In such situation, every person in charge of personnel, legal and compliance, etc., should closely coordinate under the leadership of top executives, get assistance from external experts (lawyers, doctors, etc.), and work aggressively on improvement and adjustment of the working environment, as well as prevention and resolution of labor disputes.
Our firm has, from early on, worked on these relevant labor issues utilizing our abundant experience of overall support of personnel and labor affairs for both Japanese and foreign company clients whether their scale is large or small. We provide comprehensive and strategic legal services on “labor” from routine empathetic consulting to effective solution of disputes.
