DENTSU SOKEN INC. Conducts "Women × Work" Survey The ratio of "Continuing Work" to "Interrupted/Resumed Work" to "Ceased Work" is 2:4:4 Over 90% of employed women have no aspiration for management positions

The survey was conducted in December 2014. It targeted 3,700 women aged 20-59 with work experience in Japan's three major metropolitan areas, asking about their attitudes and realities regarding continuing to work, returning to work, or quitting. *
The survey results revealed that the "continuous work group" (those who have never stopped working) accounts for about 20% of the total. The "work interruption/resumption group" (those who stopped work and later resumed) makes up about 40%, while the "work cessation group" (those who stopped work and never resumed) also accounts for about 40%. Furthermore, it was found that over 90% (92.6%) of employed women have no aspiration for management positions. When considering a society where women can play a more active role, the following results are particularly noteworthy.

1.Only about 20% of women have continued working since their first job. Regardless of current employment status, about 80% of women express a desire to work.

(1) The ratio of "Continuing Workers" to "Work Interruption/Resumption Group" to "Work Cessation Group" is 2:4:4.
(2) Approximately 80% of women want to work.
(3) Women who intend to continue working wish to do so until an average age of 57.9.

2.Motivation to continue working begins even before starting employment.

(4) The average age at which the "Work Continuation Group" wanted to continue working when they first started their job was 43.6 years old, higher than the 37.0 years for the "Work Interruption/Resumption Group" and the 33.3 years for the "Work Cessation Group." Women who continue working have wanted to work longer from the start.
(5) Regarding work, about half (49.2%) feel influenced by their "mother."
(6) Women perceive their mothers as holding conflicting values: "You should continue working" versus "You should prioritize marriage, childbirth, housework, and childcare over continuing to work." This may create confusion and ambivalence in the values women (daughters) hold when deciding to work.

3.Women who continue working effectively involve those around them.

(7) Those who continue working while raising children ("career continuity group") have more "supportive people" around them—such as spouses, parents, bosses, and colleagues—compared to those who interrupt or restart their careers ("career interruption/resumption group").
(2) About 80% of women want to work.
(8) While awareness of "Ikuboss**" remains at about 20%, roughly 60% perceive that having an "Ikuboss" makes work easier.

4.There are no role models that fit "me." I want diverse options, not just aiming for management.

(9) The employment and work arrangements women desire vary by individual and also change within individuals as their life stages evolve.

(10) Even among working women, over 90% (92.6%) prefer non-managerial roles. Furthermore, a majority do not desire role models.
(11) Awareness of the "2030" initiative (the government's numerical target for women in leadership positions) remains low at 44.5%. Furthermore, many believe that simply increasing the number of female managers does not necessarily make it easier for all women to work.

5.Approximately 70% of women who have quit their jobs feel "it was good to leave," yet the overwhelming majority wish to re-enter the workforce. When re-entering, they prioritize family circumstances over career advancement.

(12) Approximately 70% (69.2%) of women who have quit their jobs feel "it was good to quit," yet about half (48.5%) of them have returned to work. Even among those who have not returned ("non-returners"), about 70% (68.2%) express a desire to work again in the future.
(13) When seeking reemployment, they prioritize factors like "work location" (64.6%), "working hours" (63.4%), "employment type" (47.4%), and "number of working days" (45.0%) over "utilizing their experience and career" (13.5%), indicating a clear prioritization of family circumstances.

DENTSU SOKEN INC. believes that considering societies and environments where women can work more easily could provide insights for the future work styles, life designs, and corporate approaches of all Japanese people, including men.

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*【Definitions of Terms Used in This Survey】

・"Working": Refers to any form of income-generating activity, including part-time and temporary work.
・"Continue working": Refers to working continuously without interruption for at least 6 months after initial employment.
・"Quitting (leaving employment)": Defined as a state without income or employer-provided social security for six months or longer. Leave of absence approved by company policy for six months or longer, such as maternity leave, childcare leave, nursing care leave, or medical leave, is not considered "quitting (leaving employment)".

＊＊"Ikubos": Refers to a manager (executive or supervisor) who considers the work-life balance of their subordinates and staff, supports their career and personal life, achieves organizational results, and enjoys both work and personal life themselves. (Source: NPO Fathering Japan website)

■ "Women × Work" Survey Overview
・Survey Participants: 3,700 women aged 20-59 with work experience
・Survey Areas: Greater Tokyo Area (Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa), Kansai Area (Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo), Chukyo Area (Gifu, Aichi, Mie)
・Sample allocation based on population composition ratios as follows

・Survey Period: December 19 (Fri) to 21 (Sun), 2014
・Survey Method: Internet survey
・Survey Company: Video Research Ltd.

Dentsu Inc. News Releasehttp://www.dentsu.co.jp/news/release/pdf-cms/2015031-0330.pdf