Sakura Kozo, a consulting firmarchitectarchitect based in Hokkaido, in the north of Japan, established this new managerial system in 2019. At the time, the Japanese company was faced with a turnover of around 11%, according to the Japanese public channel NHK. A very high staff turnover rate which led to fears of the worst for Sakura Kozo in a country plagued by significant labor shortages.
The group has therefore decided to rethink its management to retain the loyalty of its approximately 120 employees. Once a year, Sakura Kozo employees are invited to complete a questionnaire in which they evaluate their line managers according to 14 criteria. In particular, they judge their ability to take into account the anxieties of their subordinates or their skills in sharing knowledge.
Managers do their own self-examination by completing a self-assessment sheet. All employees of the company then receive a report which details the qualities and weak points of each supervisor. They can then choose which of them they wish to work with for the next twelve months.
Young generations retained by this system
The idea may seem absurd, but it doordoor its fruits. The employee turnover rate has now fallen below 1%, according to NHK. The employees of the Japanese firm are generally satisfied with this new internal policy. “It’s true that it’s a bit harsh to rate someone poorly. But it is for the good of all. It’s easier [de choisir son n+1] when you have something tangible to rely on”declared one of them to the Japanese public channel.
Choosing your manager not only allows you to reverse traditional hierarchical relationships, but also to create a better atmosphere in the company. Because the younger generations of employees are particularly sensitive to their professional environment. For them, the office is not just a place to work. Above all, it is a place where they want to flourish in the presence of their colleagues. As the review points out Harvard Business Review, “loyalty to the company is no longer linked to the fear of losing one’s job, but rather to the desire to be happy at work”.
There is no question for young professionals of staying in a job where they do not feel fulfilled. They do not hesitate to resign if they identify dysfunctions in their workplace, and in particular if they have poor relations with their manager. An intransigence that Japanese companies are bearing the brunt of. In fact, one in ten young recruits leaves their job within a year of being hired, while 30% do so within three years, according to figures from the Japanese Ministry of Labor cited by NHK. They will perhaps stay longer with their employer if he offers them the choice of their n+1.
