Firms Boosting Student-Employee Interactions to Secure New Talent

Tokyo, March 30 (Jiji Press)–A Jiji Press survey of 100 major Japanese companies has found that some of them are increasing opportunities for students seeking jobs to interact with employees, in a bid to prevent job offer rejections and early turnover. The companies want students to understand them better, by providing the prospective workers with chances to hear directly from employees about actual work and corporate culture. At least 15 companies said they have provided opportunities other than internships for students to interact with employees other than those in charge of hiring personnel. At Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., prospective workers had dialogue sessions with employees from departments to which they were expected to be assigned, while general contractor Kajima Corp. hosted tours of construction sites. Department store operator Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd. focused on increasing the frequency and quality of interaction events for students and employees. Companies are also seeking to woo students by boosting salaries, with 33 of the survey respondents said they will raise starting pay this spring. As reasons for the hikes, Osaka Gas Co. cited “social trends such as intensifying competition for talent,” and Dai Nippon Printing Co. said it needs to secure talented workers. While 10 companies said they would not increase starting salaries this spring, one of them, Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Co., said that it has already done so, in spring 2024 and spring 2025. With demand outpacing supply in the labor market for new graduates, 17 surveyed companies said they were unable to hire the number of workers they wanted for spring 2026. Seven of them said that this was due to successful job applicants turning down their job offers. According to a survey by career change assistance firm BizReach Inc., students who received job offers from two or more companies said they were influenced most by meetings with employees in deciding which company to join. Firms need to provide information that goes beyond standard company briefings, such as work details, corporate culture and salary levels, a BizReach official said. The questionnaire for the Jiji Press survey was sent to the 100 companies from mid-February. Answers were collected by late this month. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]