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- 31 10月
Client Newsletter – October 2019
RECRUITMENT MARKET UPDATE
We again reflect on the Rugby World Cup for this month’s picture, with the Japan national team exceeding expectations to reach the knockout stages, recording victories against top sides such as Ireland and Scotland on the way. Eventually the challenge of South Africa proved too much, but the team has provided some great memories and hopefully their achievements will encourage increased participation in Japan and future victories.
By working together as a team Japan has shown that incredible achievements are possible – we look forward to forming a partnership with you for your upcoming recruitment.
For the Legal market once again healthcare has been a very active sector, with foreign companies seeking qualified lawyers for mid-level roles. Healthcare, as one of the most regulated industries, will always have a high demand for lawyers there is a strong preference for Japan and US qualifications. Another area we are seeing increasing activity is with battery technology companies. Japan is leading the way in lithium-ion batteries and the companies involved are expanding globally, meaning an increased need to formalise their corporate structure and also get involved in cross-border M&A transactions.
In the Accounting and Finance market, the consumption tax increase on October 1st meant that accounting departments became very busy and candidates tended to slow down their searches.
On the other hand, the number of job openings is as high as before, and companies are especially looking for people in their 30s. Of course, this group is very limited in availability and so many companies have expanded their search to include more senior candidates in their 40’s and early 50’s.
In some companies, there are an increasing number of candidates who wish to work beyond retirement age.
There are many job offers in the manufacturing, retail, and food industries and with companies aiming for an IPO. We have also seen an increase in mid-career hires at Japanese global companies.
The following are some examples of offers out this month:
Legal
- US Medical Devices – General Counsel – 25M
- Japanese Technology Firm – Legal Counsel – 12M
- European Infrastructure – Legal Counsel – 10M
Accounting & Finance
- US Service Company – Accounting Director – 15M
- US IT Company – Senior Accountant – 8M
- Japanese Global Company – Internal Audit Manager – 11M
Recruitment Focus – Corporate Social Responsibility
Having a visible corporate social responsibility (CSR) policy has become a vital contributor to a successful organisation. CSR programs may include anything from practising an environmentally sustainable business to sponsoring community drives or voluntary work. It has a strong effect on customers; research in the US has found that a vast majority (90%) would do business with a company which supported an issue they cared about, and 75% would refuse to consider a company they felt were aligned with an issue that they were against. Many surveyed were hopeful CSR programs could even act as social and environmental protection in the face of relaxed government regulations.
It is not only customers who take an interest in a company’s CSR profile, however. It also has a lot of influence in shaping a candidate’s opinions and can be a vital tool in the recruiting process and for long-term employee retention. The current generation of candidates is focusing not only on a company’s financial performance but also what their environmental impact is and what they contribute to society and the local community.
Many companies focus their CSR efforts in the following areas:
Environmental/Green issues
This is probably the most popular and prominent area and is of course especially relevant these days. Taking a close look at your company’s environmental impact, for example, the carbon footprint, and taking steps to reduce this are considered positives for the company (greater energy efficiency will reduce costs for example) and the wider society. Even small reductions in energy usages can have a great effect in the long term.
Philanthropy
Businesses can have an effective CSR policy by donating money, services or products to local causes or non-profits. Especially if yours is a large company, you will have the resources to help charities and other social groups. Researching into what is needed and where is key to making this a success.
Ethical Labour/production practices
Treating employees and suppliers fairly and ethically is a great way to show solid corporate responsibility. This is particularly relevant for companies operating in countries with different or less stringent labour regulations.
Voluntary work
By giving your employees time to give back to local or national social good causes, without any kind of commercial expectation, is probably the most visible way to express concern for specific issues and put your company front and centre.
Building a CSR program is neither cheap nor easy, and can take a lot of time to accomplish. The benefits in terms of employee engagement, retention and recruitment can make it well worth the effort.
One company which has been committed to CSR since its establishment is Aspen Medical, an Australian healthcare company with operations in Japan.
Aspen focuses its efforts in a few main areas:
The Aspen Foundation – established to eradicate specific illness in vulnerable communities
Employee Contributions – about 20% give regularly to charity from their salaries and the company promotes and supports voluntary work in the community
Philanthropy – the company contributes resources to healthcare charities which complement their own pro bono projects
The CEO believes that this has had an effect on retention and points to Aspen’s turnover rate of less than 7%, in an industry that sees 14% on average. With each new hire costing the company about A$75,000, reducing the turnover by half can have a dramatic effect on the company’s bottom line. Further, employee testimonials talk about Aspen’s CSR program as being one of the main reasons they stay with the company, and some have asked to continue to take part even after they have left.
The truth is that these days having a CSR program is no longer an option, it is an essential part of a successful business. As well as the opportunity to give back to society and help others to address some of the challenges we all face, it will go some way to improving the company’s image in the market, which will offer a great tool to attract the best talent and bolster your retention and recruitment efforts.
We provide a free consultation and training session to help clients improve recruitment activity and perfect their agency relations.
For further information on this topic or any other recruitment-related questions, please contact ken@alberto-recruitment.comComments are closed.
