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1 A More Diverse Workplace: Increasing Women’s Power In Japan
T H E L E A D E R S H I P C O M PA N Y ®
A MORE DIVERSE WORKPLACE Increasing Women’s Power in Japan Facilitated by Aya Iinuma and Christoffer Black
T H E L E A D E R S H I P C O M PA N Y ®
Heidrick & Struggles 2
Contents
Copyright ©2014 Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Trademarks and logos are copyrights of their respective owners.
Executive Summary 03
The Background 05
Behind the Scenes: The economic background and causes 05
Japan vs the world: A comparative view 07
Heidrick & Struggles Research 09
Methodology 09
The respondent pool 10
Breaking through the glass ceiling 11
The Obstacles:
• The heavy burden of family obligations 12
• Work environment: a man’s world 15
• Women’s traditional mindsets 18
• Knowing how to make change happen 20
• Unappealing careers 21
Identifying Solutions 22
H&S Research: Shared and divergent views of men and women 22
Best Practices: firms that promote diversity 26
Summary: Critical Success Factors – H&S conclusions 31
3 A More Diverse Workplace: Increasing Women’s Power In Japan
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
As Japan grapples with an aging population, labor shortages and increasingly fierce competition from neighboring economies, the country is turning its attention to a long-undervalued resource: women. Japanese women comprise more than 60% of the workforce. They are highly educated and most are motivated to climb to the top of the corporate ladder. Now the government is giving their ambition a vital boost - with a view to strengthening the country’s economy, prime minister Shinzo Abe has launched a plan to increase the number of women in the workplace. "We have set the goal of boosting women’s workforce participation from the current 68% to 73% by the year 2020," he wrote in September 2013.
But change will not come easy. While companies are finally showing signs of welcoming more women into the workplace, male-dominated middle management has been slow to recognize the need for change and is still unsure about how to encourage women in the workplace and remove the barriers to their career success. And while both men and women agree that it is essential to break the glass ceiling that is hindering women, they differ markedly in their opinions about what is stopping women from increasing their participation in the workforce and reaching the top.
1 Source: Wall Street Journal, Op Ed by Shinzo Abe, 25 September 2013
Heidrick & Struggles 4
For their part, women are struggling against the constraints of a highly traditional environment to find a balance between the demands of high-level roles and a heavy burden of family obligations. Crucially, after long experience of being sidelined in the workplace, women – rightly or wrongly – believe that their professional competence is greatly undervalued by men and that they are excluded from the powerful male networks that dominate Japan’s corporate culture. Men recognize many of the problems faced by women, but rarely to the same extent.
Now, finally, the strong business case for finding a solution to the labor shortage means that a powerful impetus for change is on the agenda. For the first time in decades, Japan is encouraging frank and open debate about the obstacles to women’s participation in the workforce at senior levels and creating an environment for real change in workplaces to foster a mentality that will allow women to achieve their full potential alongside men in the upper echelons of management. This paper highlights the current status of women executives in Japan, reveals the obstacles they face, and recommends ways for foreign and Japanese companies in Japan to leverage this highly competent leadership resource.
5 A More Diverse Workplace: Increasing Women’s Power In Japan
THE BACKGROUND
"Women are Japan’s most underused resource." That’s according
to Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. And the statistics back him
up – there are far too few female executives in Japan’s powerhouse
economy. 91% of companies have no women managers2, and where
they do exist, most are stuck at middle management level. Japan
is ranked 105 out of 135 countries in the World Economic Forum’s
Gender Gap Index 2013, and has slipped in the ranking every year
since 20063.
The Gender Gap Index is based on four pillars: (1) Economic
Participation and Opportunity (2) Educational Attainment, (3) Health
and Survival, and (4) Political Empowerment. While Japan has scores
high on the second and third pillars, (91st and 34th respectively),
indicating that the government is on the right track in two
fundamental indicators, it received disappointing scores on the first
(104th) and fourth (118th) pillars.
Since the passage of the Equal Employment Opportunity Law
in 1986, Japan has been making slow progress towards a more
diverse workplace. Company support for working mothers grew
throughout the 2000s, and since 2010 the value of women’s
contributions in the workplace have gained increased recognition
thanks to the overseas expansion of Japanese businesses and the
country’s search for talent.
BEHIND THE SCENES: THE ECONOMIC BACKGROUND AND CAUSES
2 Source: International Monetary Fund, Can Women Save Japan (and Asia Too)?, October 2012
3 Source: World Economic Forum, The Global Gender Gap Report 2013
Michiko Achilles, a Director of the NPO GEWEL and former Corporate Officer of Shiseido interviewed by H&S identifies
three key phases in Japan’s history of diversity:
1st phase: Started with the 1986 Equal Employment Opportunity Law. Talented women began entering companies
as sogoshoku – employees with management potential.
2nd phase: From 2000 onward: Greater corporate awareness of corporate social responsibility and
corporate image; implementation of new systems to support working mothers resulting in
good support infrastructure today in many Japanese companies.
3rd phase: From 2010 to date: Overseas expansion of Japanese businesses and concurrent recognition of
the need for diversity; women becoming strategically important.
Heidrick & Struggles 6
Now, the government has upped the ante. Prime Minister Abe is
proposing to close the gender gap in the workplace to give the
economy an additional 8.2 million much-needed workers and
potentially increase GDP by 15%4. Falling under 'Abenomics'– a
collection of policy measures designed to improve the country’s
economy – these targeted efforts aim to create more female leaders
in companies and to increase the number of female managers to
30% by 20205.
The signs are positive that this is more than mere rhetoric. In 2013,
for the first time, the government published official statistics on
the number of women in leadership positions in the public sector,
government and private enterprises, and government ministries are
now placing record numbers of women in prefectural government
posts. Other government policies include encouraging corporations
to nominate at least one female executive to their board of directors
and offering tax incentives to companies to hire mothers.
Losses along the corporation pipeline in Japan (% of women)
4 Source: The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., Japan: Portfolio Strategy Womenomics 3.0: The Time Is Now by Kathy Matsui, 1 October 2010
5 Source: Japan Today, Women in Business Summit offers tips for success, 20 June 2013
6 Source of graphic: McKinsey, Women Matter – An Asian Perspective
49UniversityGraduates
45Entry-level
professionals
11Middle-to-senior
management
1Executive
committee
<1CEO
2Board
Losses along the corporation pipeline in Japan (% of women)
7 A More Diverse Workplace: Increasing Women’s Power In Japan
Compared with other Asian nations, Japan’s female participation rate
is relatively high at 68%, higher than Hong Kong (52%), Singapore
(60%) or South Korea’s 55%.
But although it fares quite well in terms of general working
population, Japan falls far behind most of its regional competitors,
except for South Korea, when it comes to moving women up to
board and C-suite level.
Women make up only 2% of Japanese boards, compared with 9%
in Hong Kong and 7% in Singapore; and executive committees
have only 1% female representation, far below Hong Kong’s 11% and
Singapore’s 15%, and even falling below South Korea’s 2%7.
Japan’s prime minister has asked the country’s companies to promote
more women to senior roles, suggesting they appoint at least one
female board director in every company.
Below board level the picture is not much more encouraging: where
female managers do exist, many are stuck at lower, kacho (manager
or section head)-level. Few succeed in reaching the higher bucho
(department or division head) or shikko yakuin (corporate executive
officer) levels.
Japanese companies also fall behind their higher-performing
counterparts in making plans to implement diversity programs.
Just one-quarter of Japanese companies have put diversity on their
strategic agenda compared to South Korea, where twice the number
of companies are planning diversity programs. And while two-thirds
of South Korean companies are planning to accelerate their gender
diversity programs, Japan lags far behind at just under one-third.
JAPAN VS THE WORLD: A COMPARATIVE VIEW OF JAPAN’S FEMALE EXECUTIVES
7 Source: Mckinsey, Women Matter: An Asian Perspective, June 2012
Heidrick & Struggles 8
Source 4: Plan for diversity programs in Asia PacificImportance of diversity on company's strategic agenda (% of those in
top 10)
Expect to accelerate gender diversity programmes
There are signs of change however. Opinion leaders interviewed
by Heidrick & Struggles see positive momentum now, driven by
pressure from government, Keidanren (Japanese Business Federation)
and Keizai Doyukai (The Japan Association of Corporate Executives)
among others, to slowly build a pipeline of female leaders in large
Japanese companies.
So here is the puzzle: With so many women in the Japanese
workforce, why do so few reach the top? Where is the glass ceiling
and how can women break through it? And what are the obstacles to
the government’s proposed diversity measures?
India MalaysiaTaiwan HongKong
Indonesia S. KoreaSingaporeJapan AustraliaChina
21% 23% 23% 25% 27%
48%
36% 37% 39%45%
IndiaMalaysiaTaiwanHongKong
Indonesia S. KoreaSingaporeJapan AustraliaChina
25%32% 35% 37% 41%
66%
42% 47% 48% 51%
9 A More Diverse Workplace: Increasing Women’s Power In Japan
Heidrick & Struggles' perspective as a global advisor on talent issues
with a long established presence both in broader Asia and in Japan
have enabled us, firstly, to recognize that structural problems are
hampering the advancement of Japanese women, and then to garner
the views of senior female – and male – leaders working in Japan to
pinpoint the impediments blocking women’s advancement to find
out how to remedy the problem.
The objective of our survey was to establish possible reasons for the
lack of women leaders in Japan and to suggest possible solutions.
To find out what Japanese women feel about the current workplace
situation and hear their views on what they think might improve
women’s representation at senior levels, Heidrick & Struggles
interviewed nine senior female executives who were asked qualitative
questions about their experiences and challenges at work.
We also conducted an online survey of women working for foreign
and local firms to compare their experiences. In addition, we asked
them about their ambitions to work in top management and
obstacles to promotion.
To gain a more balanced and broader perspective, we also asked
Country CEOs and other senior male executives about their support
for diversity, and their perceptions of women in the workplace and
the obstacles they face.
The survey was sent to 1,080 executives, 959 women and 121 men. The
response rate from women was 22% and from men 37%. The sample
of male executives is small and the results should therefore be treated
with caution.
HEIDRICK & STRUGGLES RESEARCHMETHODOLOGY
Heidrick & Struggles 10
These varied sources of information from a substantial sample provide
more information on the reasons behind the lack of top female talent
and offer a valuable resource for enhancing women’s standing in the
Japanese workplace.
THE RESPONDENT POOL:
In top managementpositions:
44%82%
On executive committees:
41%67%
More than 15 years ofwork experience:
67% 60%
In top management positions:
28% 72%Total: 76
19% 91%Total: 107
On executive committees:
30% 73%Total: 102
More than 15 years of work experience:
11 A More Diverse Workplace: Increasing Women’s Power In Japan
The existence of a glass ceiling hampering Japanese women’s
professional progress is not in dispute - 84% of women in our survey
believe a glass ceiling exists, and 78% of men agree.
To break the glass ceiling it is important to understand how it got
there in the first place. The Japanese glass ceiling is composed
of multiple layers - family obligations, a male-dominated work
environment, a hesitancy in women about their professional
aspirations and competence, and a disconnect between recognizing
the need for change and achieving it.
Our survey findings highlight some of the key components that make
up this barrier to the advancement of female executives.
BREAKING THROUGH THE GLASS CEILING
KEY COMPONENTS THAT MAKE UP THE BARRIER OF FEMALE EXECUTIVES
Responses from Female Executives Responses from Male Executives
Women lack the necessary networking skills to besuccessful in integrating into male executives’ network
80%
10%10%
Agree
Disagree
Neither Agree NorDisagree
Women find it difficult to maintain a balancebetween family life & professional requirementsof top management positions.
51%26%
21%2%
51%
Agree
Disagree
Neither Agree NorDisagree
Don’t Know/Can’t Say
Agree
Disagree
Neither Agree NorDisagree
Don’t Know/Can’t Say
Women are less keen on changing their joblocations domestically and internationally
72%
20%
8%Agree
Disagree
Neither Agree NorDisagree
There are not enough female role modelsand mentors within my company.
58%24%
16%2%
Women lack the necessary networking skills to besuccessful in integrating into male executives’ network
80%
10%10%
Agree
Disagree
Neither Agree NorDisagree
Women find it difficult to maintain a balancebetween family life & professional requirementsof top management positions.
51%26%
21%2%
51%
Agree
Disagree
Neither Agree NorDisagree
Don’t Know/Can’t Say
Agree
Disagree
Neither Agree NorDisagree
Don’t Know/Can’t Say
Women are less keen on changing their joblocations domestically and internationally
72%
20%
8%Agree
Disagree
Neither Agree NorDisagree
There are not enough female role modelsand mentors within my company.
58%24%
16%2%
Heidrick & Struggles 12
Before they have children, about 70% of women work. Yet after
childbirth, only 30% return to the workforce.8 This is markedly different
from the US and Europe, where 50–60% of mothers return to work.
Our survey found that 80% of women find it difficult to maintain a
balance between family life and the professional requirements of top
management positions, and 51% of male respondents agreed with
them. The reasons include the burdens of housework and childcare, a
tradition of leaving work once married, and putting the man’s career
first.
Housework and ChildcareHousework and childcare are still traditionally seen as a woman’s
responsibility in Japan, and it is difficult for women to find help, not
least because of the social stigma that means women are often
judged harshly if they delegate their childcare or housework duties.
Those with young children who are prepared to suffer the stigma
face a dilemma – who will look after their children when they are at
the office, often for 15 hours a day? Japan has a notorious shortage
of public daycare options. Babysitters or au pairs are not commonly
accepted solutions in Japan. And even if there were sufficient
babysitters available, Japanese families do not generally like strangers
in their homes. That means that the live-in domestic help that is
widely available to their neighbors in Asia is not a feasible solution in
Japan. In Hong Kong and Singapore, working parents can employ a
maid for about USD 500 a month while in China this rate is about USD
3 an hour. Although childcare in Korea is more expensive, it is much
less costly than the average rate of about USD 15 per hour in Japan.
Asako Hoshino, Corporate Vice-President of Nissan, sees childcare as
a major reason that few women return to work after having children.
Women struggle to get access to childcare so they leave their jobs or
stay away from them for too long and then struggle to get back onto
the career ladder. In her view, childcare leave should be shorter (than
Obstacle A: The Heavy Burden of Family Obligations
8 Source: Facts and Details, 'Working Women in Japan: Low-status jobs, lack of opportunities, wasted education few female executives'
13 A More Diverse Workplace: Increasing Women’s Power In Japan
the current three years), but the company should be more flexible
and supportive of women who want to go back to work quickly.
Makiko Fukui, founder and President of Harmony Residence, a
specialist recruitment company focused on placing mid-career
women says she knows too many female doctors, lawyers and
accountants who leave work because of family obligations, which is
"a waste of talent". She believes that the key thing holding Japanese
women back is the burden of housework.
Data from Japan’s health ministry shows that 24,825 children
nationwide were denied day care in 2012. Tokyo led all areas by far
with 7,257 such cases. While there is certainly no shortage of private
nursery schools options in Tokyo, these can be very expensive,
sometimes costing around 100,000 yen (approx. $1,075) a month to
have two children in daycare.
If families are lucky enough to get their children into daycare, another
conundrum arises. Most daycare centers close by 7pm, so one parent
needs to leave work early to collect the children and take them home.
In a country where employees are usually expected to work very
long hours, such ‘absenteeism’ on a regular basis can negatively affect
promotion prospects.
Social PressureMichiko Achilles of GEWEL says that although the younger generation
tends to think differently about issues concerning household
management and family duties, some things haven’t changed: 70%
of women still leave their jobs when they have their first child9. Later,
they may return to work part-time. In her view, the lack of childcare
options and difficulties in finding household help are only part of the
problem. The availability of more domestic helpers would certainly be
helpful, but at the same in Japan there is social pressure for women to
do housework.
9 Source: Goldman Sachs, Womenomics 3 – The Time is Now, 1 October 2010
Heidrick & Struggles 14
Follow That ManMitsuru Claire Chino, Executive Officer and General Manager of Legal
at ITOCHU Corporation, says that she also sees a lot of women who
leave work once they get married. It is not necessarily because they
want to, but because their husbands are often transferred to several
different locations during the early years of their career, which is
typical in Japanese companies. That makes it almost impossible for
women to maintain their own career.
15 A More Diverse Workplace: Increasing Women’s Power In Japan
In Japan’s workplace culture, the top positions are traditionally and
overwhelmingly held by men, who are in turn more likely to promote
men than women. This situation is a fundamental obstacle to change.
Unconscious BiasA senior female leader interviewed by Heidrick & Struggles says social
norms and unconscious bias play a big part in the lack of career
progression for women. Managers’ unconscious bias affects decisions
about whom to delegate to and which assignments to give, with
women often second choice to men.
The intentions are sometimes good; with male managers giving
less challenging jobs to female subordinates (e.g. working mothers)
thinking they are being considerate, but not realizing this will limit
their growth potential.
Women’s promotion prospects also suffer because of a failure to
receive as much constructive criticism as male colleagues receive.
Some men fail to give constructive criticism or feedback to female
subordinates because they are afraid of making them cry, says the
senior executive. From the beginning of their career, because of the
assignments they are given and through lack of feedback, women
employees in this way get less opportunity to be challenged and
grow. She therefore suggests that companies need to take action
to raise awareness of this bias, and one way to do this is to require
managers to find and develop women they can promote.
This deep-rooted bias makes male managers blinkered in how
they treat women. Another woman leader says men often fail to
see women as peers or important members of the team. Instead,
they perceive only risk factors: that women will take a long leave of
absence if they have children.
Several female leaders interviewed by Heidrick & Struggles felt that
male managers are often not equipped to manage female executives.
Female executives tend to question more, whereas men are more
Obstacle B: Work Environment – A Man’s World
Heidrick & Struggles 16
likely to accept orders, suggests Michiko Achilles. To address this
problem, setting top-down numerical targets for developing women
managers, combined with training for male managers might work.
Corporate CultureIn Japan’s relationship driven corporate world the power networks
are still predominantly male. While the previously almost constant
nights of drinking and socializing with bosses and colleagues are
reputedly easing, many important deals are signed on the golf
course or during late-night corporate drinking sessions (so-called
‘nominication’). Women are often left out of such activities because of
their commitments at home or simply because these are considered
male-only activities.
Women feel excluded from these networks by lack of networking
skills, but men do not agree. 58% of women we surveyed feel
that they lack the necessary networking skills to be successful in
integrating into male executives’ networks. Only 24% men agreed
with this statement, with 49% responding that women have the
necessary skills to integrate into male executives’ networks.
Another aspect is the lack of performance based evaluation systems
in Japanese companies, which historically have focused more on long
term commitment and hours spent at work, rather than outcomes
and efficiency.
Companies increasingly have the technology to allow employees to
work more flexibly including remotely, but there are cultural barriers,
notably an ingrained culture of face time, says Janelle Sasaki, Inclusion
& Diversity leader of Cisco Japan.
The core issue to which everything else is secondary is changing the
evaluation systems in Japanese businesses, which should be focused
on output, says Yoko Ishikura, professor at Keio University and non-
executive director of Nissin Foods. Opinion leaders interviewed by
Heidrick & Struggles say that the face time model should be changed
17 A More Diverse Workplace: Increasing Women’s Power In Japan
to a model that focuses instead on flexibility and efficiency.
Japan’s traditional gender roles are entrenched in the business
culture, and clearly exclude women from vital discussions and
networks. Serious consideration needs to be given to finding new and
inclusive official business channels.
Heidrick & Struggles 18
10 Source: Wall Street Journal , Japan Investors: Why No Women, Foreigners in the Boardroom?, 30 June 2010
In many cases, women do not put themselves forward for leadership
roles.
While most women (57%) who responded to the survey aspire to
reach top management, more than half of both women (67%) and
men (51%) believe that women are less ambitious about their careers
and less assertive when it comes to contending for top management
positions.
Investors raised the issue with leaders at Toshiba Corp., asking why the
major electronics maker did not have any female executive officers.
"We are not discriminating at all," a Toshiba executive said in
response to the question. "It’s just that we haven’t found appropriate
candidates. We expect to have female executives in near future."10
There are obstacles on the women’s side, says Misa Yamashita, General
Manager of Human Resources for Asia Pacific at GE Healthcare: "(1)
mindset - they don't seek promotion; (2) their perception that it is
hard to be in a senior role; (3) their preoccupation with family and
work-life balance."
Obstacle C: Women’s Traditional Mindsets
49%
35%
16%
0%
I aspire to reaching topmanagement in my currentcompany.
43%57%
No Yes
If No, which statementbest describes the reason:
Because of workculture a top
management role isnot desirable to me
I doubt mycapability to take a leadership position
A top managementrole would require
me to sacrificefamily life
I need to stayflexible because of
my husband’scareer
Base: 209
19 A More Diverse Workplace: Increasing Women’s Power In Japan
Traditionally accepted rules of behavior for Japanese women are
another facet of the problem. One specific issue for female Japanese
executives is the limited range of socially acceptable female behavior,
according to one senior woman leader. The male range is broad and
can go quite far to the "tough" even aggressive end of the spectrum,
whereas women have a narrower range of what is accepted. This
range is internalized and women need to understand how they come
across and how that determines how they are treated.
Just as male executives need to be better equipped to manage
female employees, senior executives we interviewed suggested
there is scope for women to learn from men, and improve their
communication skills.
Heidrick & Struggles 20
Women have clear ideas about what is stopping them from reaching
the top and what needs to change to help them get there. But
fundamental change in the Japanese workplace is not yet apparent.
There is a disconnect between recognition of the need to promote
women, and the know-how to make the changes, with a blockage
apparent at the male dominated middle-management level.
While the concept of diversity is well understood, many Japanese
companies are struggling with change. One senior female executive
interviewed by Heidrick & Struggles commented that many large
Japanese companies have no pipeline of female talent and no culture
to promote women. Small companies are faster to adopt; for them
diversity is a matter of remaining competitive, of surviving. The big
companies are the bottleneck.
Christina Ahmadjian, Professor at Hitotsubashi University and Non-
Executive Director of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries says that there
has been a big change in mindset at the top, and a recognition
of the need for female leaders. "In the boardroom, there is a sense
that if we don’t hire/develop women, then there is no future. The
leadership gets it, but maybe don’t know what to do. And the middle
management levels are a barrier – they are not equipped to manage
or promote women."
Japanese companies’ efforts tend to be bottom-up, such as creating
a more friendly work environment for women. But such efforts
don’t necessarily lead to developing high-potential next generation
female leaders. In addition to bottom-up initiatives, a top-down
approach (backed up by strong commitment from the CEO and
senior leadership team) should also be there to accelerate the female
leadership development/pipeline development, says Misa Yamashita
of GE Healthcare.
Obstacle D: Knowing how to make change happen
21 A More Diverse Workplace: Increasing Women’s Power In Japan
In a tight labor market, an attractive career path becomes an
important tool in encouraging people to commit to a career with the
company. For women in Japan, that career path often looks far from
appealing.
Nearly two-thirds of women (63%) say that they quit their job because
their career was not satisfying, and 49% left because they felt stymied
and stalled.
"When companies are flexible and women can see their career path,
women find a way to have career and family," says one female leader.
"They give up when their career isn’t interesting." Several opinion
leaders we interviewed echoed this sentiment.
Japan’s working environment is not very attractive, says Christina
Ahmadjian. "People have little control of their careers, and are
expected to work long hours."
Another woman leader thinks it is important to help women visualize
their careers, but says that for Japanese women, the entrenched
tradition of overlooking women for promotion in favor of men adds
to the lack of workplace appeal.
"For a long time, Japanese companies kept hiring men for their core
businesses and women only for supplementary roles, and those
separate schemes have resulted in a huge discrepancy in their
positions within the company," Satsuki Ichiroku, an official at the
Japanese labor ministry’s equal employment, children and families
bureau, told The Wall Street Journal. Such schemes have changed
somewhat under equal employment law revisions since the 1980s.
But "it takes more than the law to fill the gap created by the old
system and mentality," she said11.
Obstacle E: Unappealing Careers
11 Source : Wall Street Journal, Japan Investors: Why No Women, Foreigners in the Boardroom?, 30 June 2013
Heidrick & Struggles 22
IDENTIFYING SOLUTIONS
Our research revealed areas where men and women’s views diverge
on how to smooth the path to women’s career progression, and other
areas where they agree.
Diverging Views of Men and WomenWomen and men agree that it’s hard for women to balance family
and high-level work commitments, however while women (80%) see
this as the single biggest impediment to their career progress men
(51%) see it as much less relevant.
Japanese women have a marked tendency to lack faith in their
professional abilities, perhaps because of entrenched views of women
as being secondary to men. Women see themselves as lacking the
networking skills that are key to success in the Japanese workplace,
while most men do not agree. Perhaps most noteworthy is that
women perceive men as having less faith in women’s competence
(59% of women believe this), while just 9% of men actually see
women that way. The first barrier women may need to break through
is their own negative perceptions of their professional value.
Men are less willing to see progress on gender diversity become an
integral part of performance evaluations, but women believe this is
very important to making changes.
Shared Views of Men and WomenMost notably, both men and women agree that a glass ceiling exists,
and more than 60% of respondents to Heidrick & Struggles' survey,
both women and men, agree on steps that will help women move to
senior positions.
• Workplace services and support will help women to balance their
work with their family obligations, agree 76% of women and 78%
of men.
• The C-Suite needs to get involved. Three-quarters (76%) of
women want to see the C-suite taking an active and visible
23 A More Diverse Workplace: Increasing Women’s Power In Japan
interest in gender diversity, and most men – who comprise most
of the C-suite – agree (62%).
• Companies can help by setting up in-house programs to hire,
retain, promote and develop women, agree 67% of women and
60% of men.
• Flexible working conditions and/or locations would benefit
women’s career paths, according to 64% of women and 67% of
men.
• A hands-on approach such as senior executives mentoring junior
women would help to encourage women agree 64% of women
and men.
• Women’s networks and female role models can help women
envisage a career path, and 62% of women and 60% of men
would like to see them happen.
Government measures: What’s in the pipelineThe Japanese government wants women to make up 30% of
workplace leaders in Japan by 2020, and is encouraging more family-
friendly workplaces to this end. These include a promise made in April
2013 by Prime Minister Abe to eliminate current childcare waiting lists
by creating thousands of new daycare openings. He also plans to
extend childcare leave for mothers.
The Child-rearing and Nursing Care Law from the 1990s could be
further enforced, encouraging all mothers with young children to take
extra leave and work shorter hours. Women could also have more say
in government policy through the Headquarters for the Promotion
of Gender Equality, which was set up in the cabinet in 1994. The
Gender Equality Bureau is another forum for women to push for legal
changes.
Heidrick & Struggles 24
The Private SectorIt is clear from our research that the way that men view women needs
to shift. In addition to having a drive to encourage the transparent
discussion of business issues within working hours, work should be
allocated according to competency rather than gender. Training can
help to overcome this unconscious bias against women.
Companies should either provide daycare facilities on their premises
or give women subsidies for daycare. Companies could also offer
more childcare leave – according to the Child and Family Care Leave
Law revised in 1995, employees can care for a child or close relative
for a specified time and still be guaranteed of their job. However, this
needs to be enforced without these women being discriminated
against.
Organizations should better enforce the revised 1999 Equal
Employment Opportunities Law to ensure fairness in hiring and
promotion.
By introducing flexible working hours for all employees, male and
female, companies can alleviate the burden on women and ultimately
improve their productivity.
Civil SocietyOrganizations that address gender issues and provide positive role
models for future senior executives include the following:
The Global Enhancement of Women’s Executive Leadership (GEWEL),
established in 2003, which promotes women leaders by working with
companies, providing networking and mentoring opportunities for
female executives and also supporting women entrepreneurs.
New Japan Women’s Association (NJWA or Shinfujin), which was
established more than 50 years ago and focuses on creating equality
and achieving equal rights for its more than 150,000 members.
25 A More Diverse Workplace: Increasing Women’s Power In Japan
J-Win was established in 2007 with the objective to promote
diversity as a business strategy. The organization works closely with
corporations as well as the government, and has established two
programs to support member companies in the development and
encouragement of female leaders.
These organizations have the platform and capabilities to provide
mentoring opportunities, develop and nurture the pipeline of future
female leaders, lobby organizations to embrace gender diversity,
communicate the importance of gender diversity to the public, and
act as a conduit to share practices from outside Japan.
Heidrick & Struggles 26
Not all companies in Japan are failing to empower women
employees. IBM Japan, Nissan and Shiseido are some of the bright
spots with inspiring stories to share.
IBM Japan’s experience is a reminiscent of the challenges facing the
entire Japanese economy. When the company’s business began to
decline in 1998, IBM Japan realized that only 1.8% of its managers in
Japan were women, and it began to focus on building diversity to
resolve its business weakness.
The company found that many women were resigning for three
main reasons: the lack of female role models, the struggle to achieve
a work-life balance, and the impossibility of breaking through the
brotherhood of male colleagues. In response, IBM set up a five-
year career plan for women and built networks for them. It allowed
women to work from home, provided mentors for them and set up
an organization to support women across Japan.12
The measures paid off. In 2013, IBM Japan was ranked number 1 in
Nikkei Woman’s “Survey on Female Workers’ Workplace Opportunities”,
based on measures including the quality of work-life balance the
company provides and number of female managers.13
Nissan also came to diversity through the business route. After
realizing that women influence two-thirds of car purchase decisions,
it decided to increase the involvement and potential of women in
all aspects of the company. It provides career advisors specifically for
women, highlights female role models through networking events,
offers flexible working hours and extended parental leave, and has
also reduced overtime and adapted its facilities and equipment to
be more female-friendly. It promotes working from home one day
a week, and the lights now go out at 8pm, encouraging shorter
working days than before. Although the percentage of female leaders
BEST PRACTICES: FIRMS THAT PROMOTE DIVERSITY
12 Source: University of Tokyo, ‘Strategic Contribution of Gender Equality and Diversity in a Company’, FEMC Journal No. 6, 2012.3, Mizuno Yukari,
Tohoku University, ISS
13 Source: Nikkei BP, ‘Nikkei Woman announces Female Workers’ Workplace Opportunity Rankings: IBM Tops in the Overall Best 100 Companies', 8
April 2013
27 A More Diverse Workplace: Increasing Women’s Power In Japan
in the company remains low, the numbers of female managers has
doubled since 2004.14
Because of the changes at Nissan, Asako Hoshino thinks talented
women are now at an advantage because they get additional training
and mentoring. The company is also working to build its female
pipeline, hiring equal numbers of men and women at entry level.
As part of the company’s diversity plan Shiseido Japan set out an aim
to have 30% female managers in the organization by October 2013,
in an effort to close the gap with Shiseido’s overseas branches where
60% of managers are female. To meet the goal, it has introduced
a range of women-friendly measures, including holding forums to
promote career advancement, enhanced management training for
female staff, and funding the work of exceptional female researchers.
To ease the burden on working parents, Shiseido has updated its
policies in alignment with new laws to allow women with younger
children to work shorter days, providing subsidies to cover the cost of
daycare, setting a limit to the number of overtime hours women can
work, and offering paternity leave. The company has also opened a
daycare facility in Tokyo, to allow parents to be near their children and
is attempting to improve employees' work-life balance with a 'lights
off by 10pm' policy to discourage excessive overtime.15
The lessons to be learnt from these companies are clear. To be
effective, diversity needs to be based on more than rhetoric, and
companies have a variety of proven options at their disposal.
Women at work in Japan need a combination of both practical and
professional measures. Flexible working hours and shorter working
days give them the flexibility they need to balance family and work
commitments. Financial help can ease the burden of childcare.
14 Source: Catalyst, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd – Women in the Driver’s Seat: Gender Diversity as a Lever in Japan, 30 January 2008
15 Source: Shiseido, Respect Diversity
Heidrick & Struggles 28
Company wide lights-out policies and paternal leave increase family
time for both parents.
On a professional level, women also need access to skills training,
mentoring and role models to encourage their vision of a career path,
and networking that is accessible to women so that they can build
their profile and professional knowledge within the company.
Yoko Ishikura of Keio University, is positive about the likelihood of
change. She says real momentum for action is coming from a variety
of sources: pressure from the IMF and World Economic Forum, the
Abe government setting a clear numerical target, and the Tokyo Stock
Exchange pushing for disclosure for listed companies.
29 A More Diverse Workplace: Increasing Women’s Power In Japan
During our focus group interviews, female leaders were very keen
to share their experience with Japanese women executives. Having
surmounted many of the same obstacles themselves, they hope their
advice will help other women achieve their goals.
Building leadership abilityRoyanne Doi, Corporate Chief Ethics Officer of Prudential Financial
believes that female executives should build their confidence and aim
to take a leadership role. "Getting involved in outside organizations
in a leadership role is the best way to develop one’s soft skills," she
noted. "Volunteer for one organization of personal interest and be a
leader there, make mistakes and learn, develop your leadership style,
then get involved in an organization within your industry. In time, you
will grow your leadership capability and your network."
Overcoming mindset obstacles and focusing on self-developmentBuilding confidence comes with building skills. "Invest in yourself,
especially during the 35-45 age range," says Doi. Focus on learning
specific skills, such as presentation skills, advises Janelle Sasaki of
Cisco. "Develop your own brand," she says. Be up front with your
manager, and be open about what you are finding difficult, says
Christina Ahmadjian of Hitotsubashi. "Ask for advice and support, and
talk about your problems," she says. Being too hard on yourself and
trying to achieve perfection won’t help, advises Michiko Achilles of
GEWEL. Instead, focus on getting practical help at home and at work,
and be honest about who you are and what you want. "Rather than
being frustrated, see it as a learning experience and enjoy it," she says.
NetworkingTake a bigger perspective on building networks, advises Asako
Hoshino of Nissan. "Go global," she suggests. Don’t just focus on your
peer group, says Christina Ahmadjian. "Know lots of people, older and
younger," she advises. And look at networking opportunities outside
the workplace. "Some women have a tendency to shy away from
institutional networking. Smart women have both internal and strong
Advice to women executives from opinion leaders
Heidrick & Struggles 30
external networks," says Royanne Doi.
Taking ActionAim to develop international experience, great communication skills
and take steps to promote yourself. "Global experience is essential
to differentiate yourself to become a leader, and self-marketing
is important," says Asako Hoshino. As you rise through the ranks,
focus more on soft skills rather than hard skills. Communication,
knowing how to speak to (older) men, is valuable, says Christina
Ahmadjian. And don’t be afraid to break with traditions at home, says
Makiko Fukui. She is therefore advocating greater acceptance of the
outsourcing of housework and childcare.
31 A More Diverse Workplace: Increasing Women’s Power In Japan
From listening to the views of women, men, companies and
governments, we see the following factors as crucial to achieving real
change for Japan’s working women.
Men and women agree on some crucial issues, such as the existence
of a glass ceiling, but on the practical impediments to women’s
participation at senior levels, such as networking and the burden
of childcare, men tend to underestimate the difficulties faced by
women. More frank discussion is needed to share experiences and
propose workable solutions to these problems.
The Japanese government is moving in the right direction, both from
a policy perspective and by supporting the debate, explaining the
need for change and proposing how companies can achieve real
diversity. It now needs to provide more detailed guidance and case
studies about how to implement meaningful diversity in companies
that understand the need for change, but need help to make it
happen.
Japan’s labor shortage is acute and growing, and the business case is
clear for encouraging women to stay in the workplace and helping
them achieve equal career prospects. Governments, companies,
NGOs, male managers, but also women themselves need to recognize
their shared responsibility. By working together, the diversity goal will
be achieved faster and more smoothly.
As well as opportunities and skills training, women need role models
and mentors. Networking events that promote women leaders and
mentoring programs both within companies and in professional
associations can help women fast-track their careers by offering
relevant role models and advice from experienced managers – male
or female.
Our research shows that the likelihood of achieving real diversity in
Japan is high. Both men and women understand the need and have
a positive attitude towards women’s abilities. There are powerful
SUMMARY: CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS IN MOVING FORWARD
Heidrick & Struggles 32
women leaders in Japanese companies who can provide a wealth
of advice, experience and encouragement. Japanese companies are
willing to change and lack only the expertise to bring about changes
to their practices. Some of the country’s most successful companies
are already leading the way. Government measures and efforts to
bring these best practices to the fore will give this project the final
impetus it needs to bring these strands together. At Heidrick &
Struggles, we look forward to being part of the solution.
33 A More Diverse Workplace: Increasing Women’s Power In Japan
SPECIAL THANKS TO:
Michiko Achilles
Director, GEWEL
Christina Ahmadjian
Professor, Graduate School of Commerce and Management,
Hitotsubashi University
Claire Mitsuru Chino
Executive Officer and General Manager, Legal, ITOCHU Corporation
Royanne Doi
Corporate Chief Ethics Officer, Prudential Financial
Makiko Fukui
President, Harmony Residence Inc.
Asako Hoshino
Corporate Vice President, Nissan Motor Co.
Yoko Ishikura
Professor, Keio University Graduate School of Media Design
Janelle Sasaki
Inclusion & Diversity Leader, Cisco Systems Japan
Misa Yamashita
General Manager, Human Resources, GE Healthcare Asia Pacific
Note: The titles of the leaders reflected on this page indicate their roles as at the end of 2013 when we completed the interviews.
Heidrick & Struggles 34
APPENDIX
17%1%
15%67%
RESPONSES FROM FEMALE EXECUTIVES
49%
35%
16%
0%
I aspire to reaching topmanagement in my currentcompany.
43%57%
No Yes
If No, which statementbest describes the reason:
Because of workculture a top
management role isnot desirable to me
I doubt mycapability to take a leadership position
A top managementrole would require
me to sacrificefamily life
I need to stayflexible because of
my husband’scareer
8%6%84%
2%
There exists a glass ceiling orinvisible barrier for women inJapan when it comes to upwardadvancement.
There is a lack of professionaltraining and education forwomen.
32%
21%
45%
2%
There is less faith in the profes-sional competence of women
Women are less assertive when itcomes to contending for topmanagement positions
24%
16%60%
Women are less ambitious abouttheir careers
Women prefer jobs that requiresless travel (such as in Sales) andthis may affect their prospects
36%
22%
40%
2%
Agree Disagree Neither Agree Nor Disagree Don't Know/Can’t Say
59%14%
26%1%
35 A More Diverse Workplace: Increasing Women’s Power In Japan
24%
16%
2%
58%
Base: 209
Women find it difficult to maintaina balance between family life &professional requirements of topmanagement positions.
Women lack the necessa rynetworking skills to be successfulin integrating into maleexecutives’ network
Women are less keen onchanging their job locationsdomestically and internationally
There are not enough female rolemodels and mentors within mycompany.
10%
10%80%
26%
21%
51%
2%
20%
8%
72%
Agree Disagree Neither Agree Nor Disagree Don't Know/Can’t Say
Heidrick & Struggles 36
4%1%
11%84%
RESPONSES FROM MALE EXECUTIVES
I think my company is successfulat promoting diversity in theworkplace.
Implementing diversity ispractically not easy.
I am a sponsor of diversity in mycompany.
16%
22%62%
38%
20%
42%
38%
22%
40%
Promoting diversity in mybusiness will help drive results inthe short term.
There exists a glass ceiling orinvisible barrier for women inJapan when it comes to upwardadvancement.
Better representation of femaleexecutives at all levels would begood for the business.
9%
40%51% 11%
9%
78%2%
There is a lack of professionaltraining and education forwomen.
I have less faith in the profes-sional competence of my femalethan male subordinates.
Women are less assertive when itcomes to contending for topmanagement positions.
38%
29%
31%
2% 58%
31%
9%2% 33%
18%
47%
2%
31%
16%
51%
2%
Women are less ambitious abouttheir careers.
Agree Disagree Neither Agree Nor Disagree Don't Know/Can’t Say
4%1%
11%84%
RESPONSES FROM MALE EXECUTIVES
I think my company is successfulat promoting diversity in theworkplace.
Implementing diversity ispractically not easy.
I am a sponsor of diversity in mycompany.
16%
22%62%
38%
20%
42%
38%
22%
40%
Promoting diversity in mybusiness will help drive results inthe short term.
There exists a glass ceiling orinvisible barrier for women inJapan when it comes to upwardadvancement.
Better representation of femaleexecutives at all levels would begood for the business.
9%
40%51% 11%
9%
78%2%
There is a lack of professionaltraining and education forwomen.
I have less faith in the profes-sional competence of my femalethan male subordinates.
Women are less assertive when itcomes to contending for topmanagement positions.
38%
29%
31%
2% 58%
31%
9%2% 33%
18%
47%
2%
31%
16%
51%
2%
Women are less ambitious abouttheir careers.
Agree Disagree Neither Agree Nor Disagree Don't Know/Can’t Say
37 A More Diverse Workplace: Increasing Women’s Power In Japan
22%
24%
51%
3%
31%
33%
33%
3%
Women prefer jobs that requireless travel (such as in Sales) andthis may affect their prospects.
Women find it difficult tomaintain a balance betweenfamily life and professionalrequirements of top manage-ment positions.
Women lack the necessa rynetworking skills to be successfulin integrating into male execu-tives’ network
49%
27%24%
Agree Disagree Neither Agree Nor Disagree Don't Know/Can’t Say
Base: 45
Heidrick & Struggles 38
COMPARISON OF RESPONSES FROM MALE AND FEMALE EXECUTIVES
33%
31%
24%
9%
47%
51%
51%
78%
40%
45%
58%
59%
60%
67%
80%
84%
0% 20% 40% 60%
Responses from Female Executives (base 209) Responses from Male Executives (base 45)
80% 100%
There exists a glass ceiling or invisible barrier forwomen in Japan when it comes to upward advancement
Women find it difficult to maintain a balance betweenfamily life & professional requirements of top manage-
ment positions
Women are less ambitious about their careers
Women are less assertive when it comes to contendingfor top management positions
There is less faith in the professional competence ofwomen
Women lack the necessary networking skills to besuccessful in integrating into male executives’ network
There is a lack of professional training and education forwomen
Women prefer jobs that require less travel (such as inSales) and this may affect their prospects
The chart below shows the agreement scores for the corresponding statements
39 A More Diverse Workplace: Increasing Women’s Power In Japan
Responses from Female Executives Responses from Male Executives
16%
19%
64%
1%
Flexible working conditions and/or locations willencourage women to further their career in theircurrent company.
Support services and facilities at work to helpwomen balance work and family life will encouragethem to further their career in their currentcompany.
11%
11%76%
2%
Flexible working conditions and/or locations willencourage women to further their career in theircurrent company.
2%
29%
67%
2%
Support services and facilities at work to helpwomen balance work and family life will encouragethem to further their career in their currentcompany.
7%
13%78%
2%
Company in-house programs to hire, retain,promote and develop will help women to move tosenior positions.
15%
17%
67%
1%
Company in-house programs to hire, retain,promote and develop will help women to move tosenior positions.
20%
20%
60%
Agree Disagree Neither Agree Nor Disagree Don't Know/Can’t Say
DIVERSITY PROGRAMS : NEED FOR A CHANGE IN JAPAN
Responses from Female Executives Responses from Male Executives
Encouragement or mandates for senior executivesto mentor junior women will help women to moveto senior positions.
Visible monitoring by CEO and executive team ofprogress made in gender diversity programs willhelp women move to senior positions.
Encouragement or mandates for senior executivesto mentor junior women will help women to moveto senior positions.
Visible monitoring by CEO and executive team ofprogress made in gender diversity programs willhelp women move to senior positions.
Agree Disagree Neither Agree Nor Disagree Don't Know/Can’t Say
16%
19%
64%
1%
10%
15%76%
9%
27%64%
9%
27%62%
2%
Base: 209 Base: 45
Responses from Female Executives Responses from Male Executives
Heidrick & Struggles 40
Responses from Female Executives Responses from Male Executives
Gender quotas will help women to move to seniorpositions.
38%
18%
43%
1%
Gender quotas will help women to move to seniorpositions.
53%
13%
1%
33%
Agree Disagree Neither Agree Nor Disagree Don't Know/Can’t Say
Programs to encourage female networking androle models will help women move to seniorpositions.
19%
17%
62%
2%
Programs to encourage female networking androle models will help women move to seniorpositions.
20%
2%
18%
60%
Skill-building programs aimed at women will helpthem move to senior positions.
33%
17%
50%
Skill-building programs aimed at women will helpthem move to senior positions.
24%
5%
20%
51%
41 A More Diverse Workplace: Increasing Women’s Power In Japan
Responses from Female Executives Responses from Male ExecutivesResponses from Female Executives Responses from Male Executives
16%
19%
64%
1%
Flexible working conditions and/or locations willencourage women to further their career in theircurrent company.
Support services and facilities at work to helpwomen balance work and family life will encouragethem to further their career in their currentcompany.
11%
11%76%
2%
Flexible working conditions and/or locations willencourage women to further their career in theircurrent company.
2%
29%
67%
2%
Support services and facilities at work to helpwomen balance work and family life will encouragethem to further their career in their currentcompany.
7%
13%78%
2%
Company in-house programs to hire, retain,promote and develop will help women to move tosenior positions.
15%
17%
67%
1%
Company in-house programs to hire, retain,promote and develop will help women to move tosenior positions.
20%
20%
60%
Agree Disagree Neither Agree Nor Disagree Don't Know/Can’t Say
Encouragement or mandates for senior executivesto mentor junior women will help women to moveto senior positions.
Visible monitoring by CEO and executive team ofprogress made in gender diversity programs willhelp women move to senior positions.
Encouragement or mandates for senior executivesto mentor junior women will help women to moveto senior positions.
Visible monitoring by CEO and executive team ofprogress made in gender diversity programs willhelp women move to senior positions.
Agree Disagree Neither Agree Nor Disagree Don't Know/Can’t Say
16%
19%
64%
1%
9%
15%76%
9%
27%64%
9%
27%62%
2%
Heidrick & Struggles 42
Responses from Female Executives Responses from Male ExecutivesResponses from Female Executives Responses from Male Executives
16%
19%
64%
1%
Flexible working conditions and/or locations willencourage women to further their career in theircurrent company.
Support services and facilities at work to helpwomen balance work and family life will encouragethem to further their career in their currentcompany.
11%
11%76%
2%
Flexible working conditions and/or locations willencourage women to further their career in theircurrent company.
2%
29%
67%
2%
Support services and facilities at work to helpwomen balance work and family life will encouragethem to further their career in their currentcompany.
7%
13%78%
2%
Company in-house programs to hire, retain,promote and develop will help women to move tosenior positions.
15%
17%
67%
1%
Company in-house programs to hire, retain,promote and develop will help women to move tosenior positions.
20%
20%
60%
Agree Disagree Neither Agree Nor Disagree Don't Know/Can’t Say
Inclusion of gender diversity indicators in topexecutives’ performance reviews will help womenmove to senior positions.
Company hiring criteria requiring at least onefemale candidate in each promotion pool will helpwomen move to senior positions.
Inclusion of gender diversity indicators in topexecutives’ performance reviews will help womenmove to senior positions.
Company hiring criteria requiring at least onefemale candidate in each promotion pool will helpwomen move to senior positions.
Agree Disagree Neither Agree Nor Disagree Don't Know/Can’t Say
14%
21%
65%16%
33%
49%
2%
23%
22%
55% 42%
18%
36%
4%
Base: 209 Base: 45
43 A More Diverse Workplace: Increasing Women’s Power In Japan
% Japan women's choice of diversity programmes
Source: Heidrick & Struggles, A More Diverse WorkplaceIncreasing Women's Power In Japan
% Asia Pacific women's choice of diversity programmes
Source: Women Matter An Asian Perspective - Mckinsey & Company 2012(235 companies 1768 web - based survey)
Visible monitoring by CEO and executive team ofprogress made in gender diversity programs will help
women move to senior positions
Support services and facilities at work to help me balancework and family life will encourage me to further my
career at my current company
Company in-house programs to hire, retain, promote anddevelop will help women to move to senior positions
Inclusion of gender diversity indicators in top executives’performance reviews will help women move to senior
positions
Encouragement or mandates for senior executives tomentor junior women will help women to move to
senior positions
Flexible working conditions and/or locations willencourage me to further my career at my current
company
Programs to encourage female networking and rolemodels will help women move to senior positions
Skill-building programs aimed at women will help themmove to senior positions
Gender quotas will help women to move to seniorpositions
Company hiring criteria that at least one femalecandidate must be in each promotion pool for senior
positions will see more women moving into seniorpositions
43%12%
50%17%
55%13%
62%25%
64%32%
64%17%
65%10%
67%17%
76%28%
15%76%
DIVERSITY PROGRAMS PREFERRED BY JAPANESE WOMEN EXECUTIVES
Heidrick & Struggles 44
DEMOGRAPHICS : FEMALE RESPONDENTS
Company is headquartered in Age Group
Base: 209 for all the statements
Marital Status Children
24%76% Japan
It’s a foreign multinational6%
12%
22%
27%
21% 12% 41 - 45
46 - 50
51 - 55
More than 55
Less than 35
36 - 40
Married
Single
No Children
Yes, Two
Yes, Three or more
Yes, One43%57% 60%
24%
14%
1%
More than 15 years
Other
MBA
Highest qualification Number of years workexperience
Member of company’s executivecommittee
3%14%
21%
58%
4%Graduate
Post Graduate
Doctorate/PHD
No
Yes
Less than 5 years
6 to 10 years
11 to 15 years
9%
10%
14%
67%41%
59%
Broad function area that describes your role :
22%
2%
4%
8%
14%
21%
21%
5%
1%
Others
Technology
Legal
Finance
Marketing
Human Resources
General Management (includes BU head)
CEO (includes divisional)
Board Member
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%
Number of years currently away from moving into a top management position in the company :
27%5%
6%1%
7%10%
Not sure
1 - 2 years
2.1 - 3 years
3.1 - 4 years
4.1 - 5 years
More than 5 years
0% 10% 20% 30%
45 A More Diverse Workplace: Increasing Women’s Power In Japan
DEMOGRAPHICS : FEMALE RESPONDENTS
Company is headquartered in Age Group
Base: 209 for all the statements
Marital Status Children
24%76% Japan
It’s a foreign multinational6%
12%
22%
27%
21% 12% 41 - 45
46 - 50
51 - 55
More than 55
Less than 35
36 - 40
Married
Single
No Children
Yes, Two
Yes, Three or more
Yes, One43%57% 60%
24%
14%
1%
36 - 40
Less than 35
More than 55
51 - 55
Base: 209
46 - 50
Company is Headquartered in Age Group
Marital Status Children
24%76% Japan
Foreign multinational6%
12%
22%
27%
21% 12%
41 - 45
Married
Single
No Children
Yes, Two
Yes, Three or more
Don't Know/Can’t Say
Yes, One43%57%
60%24%
14%1%1%
Heidrick & Struggles 46
DEMOGRAPHICS : MALE RESPONDENTS
Company is Headquartered in Age Group
Base: 45 for all the statements
Marital Status Children
Japan
It’s a foreign multinational
41 - 45
46 - 50
51 - 55
More than 55
Married
Single
No Children
Yes, Two
Yes, Three or more
Yes, One
20%
80%11%
27%22%
40%
13%
87%
11%33%
40%
16%
2%20%
4%71%
2%1%
No
YesMore than 15 years
Highest qualification Number of years workexperience
Member of company’s executivecommittee
Other
Don’t Know/Can’t Say
Post Graduate
Graduate
MBA
Doctorate/PHD
Less than 5 years
6 to 10 years
Broad function area that describes your role :
Number of years currently away from moving into a top management position in the company :
0%4%
2%
2%
9%
82%
1 - 2 years
2.1 - 3 years
3.1 - 4 years
4.1 - 5 years
More than 5 years
Already in a top management position
29%
11%
60%67%
33%
11%
4%
18%36%
31%
Others
Marketing
Human Resources
CEO (includes divisional)
General Management (includes BU head
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%
0% 50% 100%
47 A More Diverse Workplace: Increasing Women’s Power In Japan
DEMOGRAPHICS : MALE RESPONDENTS
Company is Headquartered in Age Group
Base: 45 for all the statements
Marital Status Children
Japan
It’s a foreign multinational
41 - 45
46 - 50
51 - 55
More than 55
Married
Single
No Children
Yes, Two
Yes, Three or more
Yes, One
20%
80%11%
27%22%
40%
13%
87%
11%33%
40%
16%
Base: 45
Company is Headquartered in Age Group
Marital Status Children
Japan
It’s a foreign multinational
41 - 45
46 - 50
51 - 55
More than 55
Married
Single
No Children
Yes, Two
Yes, Three or more
Yes, One
20%
80%11%
27%22%
40%
13%
87%
11%33%
40%
16%
Heidrick & Struggles 48
About the Authors
Aya Iinuma
Aya Iinuma is partner-in-charge of Heidrick & Struggles Tokyo, and leads the Financial Services; Professional Services and Legal, Risk, Compliance & Government Affairs practices in Japan, recruiting senior leadership and attorneys for both in-house and private firms. She has more than 10 years’ experience in the search industry and has worked extensively on financial services infrastructure assignments with emphasis on the compliance, legal, audit, risk, finance, operations and IT sectors. Aya has spent the past seven years at Heidrick & Struggles, serving clients in her specialist areas, frequently working on cross-border assignments. She has also been advocating gender diversity by managing a variety of related initiatives.
Prior to joining Heidrick & Struggles, Aya completed numerous senior-level search assignments with a Tokyo-based boutique executive search firm. Her career began with Mizuho Trust & Banking, where she worked for 12 years in the areas of corporate finance, distressed assets, and marketing and business planning. Aya is a graduate of Tsuda College. She can be reached at +81 3 4520 7808 or [email protected]
Christoffer Black
Christoffer Black is an associate principal in Heidrick & Struggles’ Tokyo office and leads the firm’s Financial Officers Practice in Japan. He joined the firm in London as a member of the Private Equity Practice before relocating to Asia. Christoffer focuses on leadership searches for private equity and other financial services clients.
Prior to joining Heidrick & Struggles, Christoffer was a consultant with a leading European private equity-focused advisory firm, specialized in evaluating and recruiting leadership teams for private equity and venture capital-backed businesses. Prior to that, he was responsible for strategy and business development at a privately held group of recruitment businesses, where he managed the creation of a primary research unit serving institutional, hedge fund and private equity investors. He began his career with The Bank of New York.
Christoffer received his MBA from the University of Cambridge and his bachelor's degree from University College London. He can be reached at +81 3 4520 7834 or [email protected]
49 A More Diverse Workplace: Increasing Women’s Power In Japan
T H E L E A D E R S H I P C O M PA N Y ®
T H E L E A D E R S H I P C O M PA N Y ®
About Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.
Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc. (NASDAQ: HSII) is the premier provider of senior-level Executive Search, Culture Shaping and Leadership Consulting services.
For 60 years, we have focused on quality service and built strong leadership teams through our relationships with clients and individuals worldwide. Today, Heidrick & Struggles’ leadership experts operate from principal business centers in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific. For more information about Heidrick & Struggles, please visit www.heidrick.com
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