Thinking About My Work. My Work Newsletter [2]What's your personal style as an office lady?
Aiming for "Products that Resonate with Women's Mindsets"
As introduced in the first installment, "The Honest Survey of Women Starting Their Careers! ~Where Are the Most Work-Friendly Areas?~, " our Watashigoto Project seeks to confront the diversity of "working women" not by lumping them together, but by introducing their honest perspectives through research from various angles.
This time, based on the "Stationery Mindset Cluster Survey of Working Women" conducted jointly with Shachihata, we reveal the hidden truths behind the stationery used by working women.
Shachihata is currently actively engaged in new product development by unraveling consumers' attitudes toward their personal environments and belongings.
To better understand the feelings of the working women targeted in this survey, Watashigoto also collaborated on Shachihata's product development project.
First, let's explain the "stationery awareness" mentioned in the survey title.
Think about the stationery you have on your desk, at your fingertips, in your bag, or in your pocket while you work. You probably have a surprisingly diverse collection, right?
You might use different items based on function, brand, or feel, switch them depending on the situation like internal meetings or going out, and some women might even choose items because they're "cute" or "soothing."
This survey refers to the combination of these varied items, usage scenarios, and the underlying reasons and feelings behind them as "stationery consciousness."
Classifying 1,000 working women into 8 types based on their stationery consciousness
This survey aimed to decipher the relationship between working women's actual stationery usage and attitudes, and their broader attitudes toward work and lifestyle.
We conducted factor and cluster analysis on 1,000 working women in their 20s and 30s, using their "stationery consciousness" (previously identified through qualitative research) and their attitudes and behaviors regarding "work" and "lifestyle" as axes, to derive eight distinct clusters. Below is a brief introduction to each cluster.
Play it safe above all else! Keep it simple and efficient.
What they seek in stationery and small items is compact & simple.
For ballpoint pens, basic functionality is sufficient. They stick to basic colors like red, blue, and black, showing no interest in new shades. They either use company-issued pens or casually choose "anything sold everywhere." This isn't "safe = plain"; it's simply "no adventures."
The "Safe and Normal Office Lady" type is someone like this
・Not very materialistic. They're satisfied with modest investments in fashion or beauty.
・Prioritizes job stability and is content with the status quo. Always plays it safe.
・On the other hand, they place heavy weight on their private life and have diverse, challenging hobbies.
Enjoying her own style! A natural type who doesn't put on airs.
Stationery and small accessories are one way to add color to daily life.
They value products with history and craftsmanship—like the timeless appeal of long-established brands, retro designs from overseas makers, "one-of-a-kind" planners, and meticulously finished "artisan techniques." They tend to splurge more on assorted knickknacks than on stationery itself.
The "Natural Life Office Lady" type is someone like this:
・Seeks a relaxed, natural lifestyle.
・Approaches work seriously while also being enthusiastic about enriching home and daily life.
・Prioritizes having time and mental space to live a relaxed life.
Wants to live easily! Relax and do only what you love.
Indifferent to stationery and small accessories.
Their value perception of stationery is remarkably low. They don't see it as something worth spending money on, and their concern for functionality or usability is practically nonexistent. Outside of work, they rarely have opportunities to use stationery and don't even have criteria for choosing it.
The "Disinterested Office Lady" Type is Someone Like This
・Low motivation toward work, seen as a means to live. Just getting the bare minimum done is fine.
・Has no particular ideals or goals, and is not very attuned to information. Their ideal is to live easily, without trying too hard.
They want to be everyone's favorite! They prioritize balance in everything.
Seeks stationery and accessories that will earn compliments from others or provide a soothing element.
By choosing designs typical of "average girls," like favorite character items, they consciously remind themselves they are "girls" while projecting a "sparkly girl" image to others.
The "Balancer-Type Office Lady" is someone like this
・Values being recognized for communication skills at work.
・Highly attuned to trends and loves what's popular.
・Their ideal is a universally beloved position where everyone adores them.
Their unshakable personal rules are absolute! They value purity, righteousness, and steadiness.
I'm interested in stationery and small accessories, but I don't have strong preferences and avoid impulse buys.
Appearance focuses on "cleanliness" and "simplicity." Functionality emphasizes organization. Eco-friendly elements add value during selection.
The "Chic Life-Style Office Lady" Type is Someone Like This
・Finds fulfillment in work, seriously considering both present and future.
・Consciously strives for mind-body balance in off-hours, paying extra attention to health and beauty.
・Their ideal lifestyle is one with a balanced mix of work and personal time.
Every day is hectic! Small joys matter.
While I have average interest in stationery and small accessories, I don't usually end up buying them.
Not overly particular about stationery design; purchases items with decent appearance and usability within the bare minimum needed.
The "Busy Office Lady" type is someone like this
・Many are parents juggling childcare, often lacking time, mental space, or financial leeway, yet they cherish small moments of comfort and joy.
・Their immediate goal is to find even a little more breathing room in their lives.
Loves herself! Prioritizes taste over popularity.
Stationery and accessories are tools for expressing their individuality.
They derive satisfaction from being the first to adopt highly designed products, hard-to-find limited editions, or new brands and items known only to connoisseurs, or from quietly owning them.
The "Unique Taste Office Lady" type is someone like this
・Demonstrates exceptional information gathering and initiative within their areas of interest, both professionally and personally.
・Prefers having their own unique territory that doesn't overlap with others, rather than being universally liked by everyone, including the opposite sex.
They crave recognition! They give their all to everything and are ambitious.
They view stationery and accessories as expressions of their personal value.
Entering my late 30s, I tend to choose items with the mindset of "wearing things befitting a mature woman." I differentiate between brand-name items meant for long-term, cherished use (for external occasions) and functional, easy-to-use items for daily wear.
The "Hardworking Office Lady" Type is Someone Like This
・Finds deep fulfillment in her professional role and has strong ambition. She strongly desires recognition not just as a worker but as a woman, investing in fashion and beauty.
・They also strive to enrich their personal lives, aiming to be someone everyone admires.
What do you think?
In identifying these clusters, we surveyed numerous working women about their stationery preferences. Responses included: "I feel myself becoming more masculine at work, so I consciously use feminine pens and accessories to maintain emotional balance," and "I incorporate aromatherapy scents as a soothing remedy when tired." "I use a leather planner instead of a character-themed one because I want to project a reliable impression."
Because they touch them so often, the stationery working women use may reflect their values—their lifestyle, attitude toward work, and motivation.
It would be wonderful if projects like Shachihata's, which focus on creating products that resonate with users' feelings, could lead to stationery that makes women enjoy their work!
Did you find a cluster that matches your own stationery preferences?
Take a moment to consider what kind of office worker mindset might be hidden in the stationery and belongings you have at hand!
＜Analysis Overview＞
Survey Area: Nationwide
Analysis Subject: Women aged 20-39 / Full-time workers (1000 respondents)
Survey Period: Thursday, April 16, 2015 - Friday, April 17, 2015
Survey Method: Internet survey
Survey Agency: Dentsu Macromill Insight, Inc.
Illustration: Akiko Hiramatsu (Akiko Hiramatsu Office)
【Illustrator Profile】
Akiko Hiramatsu, Illustrator/Blogger
Born in Toyokawa City, Aichi Prefecture, 1970. Primarily creates funny yet elegant illustrations and comic essays for magazines and websites.
[Regarding Illustration Production]
I was surprised how much a person's personality comes through in their thoughts and choices about stationery. By the way, I was the "Unique Taste Office Lady" type who loves herself!
It seems like a fun way to get to know someone better—just bring up stationery as a conversation starter.
Was this article helpful?
Share this article
Newsletter registration is here
We select and publish important news every day
For inquiries about this article
Back Numbers
Author
Yuko Kawai
Dentsu Inc.
Conducting research on a wide range of demographics, from elementary, junior high, high school, and university students to office workers and homemakers, and planning product development and communication strategies.