Changing landscape of talent acquisition in Japan

Contractors are increasingly in demand as a way to secure skilled talent especially within STEM fields. 83% of STEM organisations which we have surveyed are either already using or will consider using contractors.

The shift from life-time employment to job-specific hiring models, alongside changes in people's mind-set driven by the pandemic have caused STEM organisations to become more agile and rethink the ways they access talent and capability. The flexibility that contract workers have, and the demands from project-based business models have caused the demand for contractors in Japan. 

While the demand for contractors is increasing, skilled talent are also becoming more open towards contract work. 75% of total survey respondents have mentioned that they are either already working as a contractor or would consider working as a contractor.  

Contract work has been considered as a secondary or back-up option to permanent jobs, but skilled professionals are starting to recognise it as a positive challenge to upskill themselves and reignite their career.

Competition for skilled talent in Japan remains fierce, especially in a candidate-short industry like IT and technology, and skilled talent are fully aware of their market value. Therefore, Salary and Benefits are the top priorities for skilled job seekers when searching for a job.  

Another interesting finding is that flexible working is no longer a benefit, but a standard requirement for job seekers. 65% of STEM organisations surveyed have mentioned that flexible working and remote work options are their most attractive selling point to candidates, but STEM organisations will need to understand that this will no longer suffice to attract the best candidates in the market.

Companies with a positive impact to social and environment are increasingly important to job seekers.

Skilled job seekers are having more choices than before. They are also increasingly aware of the environment today. But more importantly, younger skilled talent are more interested in the impact they can make. 83% of local skilled talent surveyed have viewed this as either important or very important. This is consistent with the trend globally.

The demand for skilled talent has meant that traditional methods of talent acquisition must be rethought. 81% of STEM organisations surveyed have mentioned that their main hiring challenge is the inability to find the right talent based on skill sets to complete the project or task. This means employers find it hard to source for candidates with the exact qualifications and experience needed.

On the other hand, 89% of local skilled talent surveyed have mentioned that they are open to the idea of exploring a different industry. As such, STEM orgnisation will stand a better chance if they look across different industries and re-strategise their talent search if they want to successfully hire into key roles.