May 2018

"Research on Initial Career Paths to Promote Active Participation"

Results of the panel survey on the transition of consciousness andaction for the first three years
National Women's Education Center, Japan

About the research
Research objective
Work environments that new graduates face influence their later career formation and lifestyle for both men andwomen. In order to raise women's career consciousness and promote empowerment, it is considered necessary to
encourage them to start developing themselves in the early days of their work career. The National Women's
Education Center is conducting a panel survey to track fresh recruits (college and graduate school graduates) who
became full-time employees of private-sector companies in 2015, for the purpose of understanding the transition of
consciousness and growth of men and women in their early days of career path. The first survey, the second survey
and the third survey were conducted in 2015, 2016 and 2017 respectively (in October every year).
※Advantages of a panel survey : B
 y repeating the "same questions" to the "same individuals" each year, panel survey
enables in-depth analysis of the "transition" of consciousness and environments aswell as the "factors of the transition"
About the survey
Survey contents
Consciousness survey on the present state of employment, foresight/future prospects, life plan, and so on.
Survey procedure①Survey subjects: Subjects of the first survey are 2,137 (836 women and 1,301 men) newly graduates (college andgraduate school) who joined 17 cooperating companies in 2015.
The 17 cooperating companies are big business establishments with more than 3,000 full-time employees (10companies), more than 1,000 and less than 2,999 employees (4 companies), and more than 800 and less than 999
employees (3 companies), including one finance company, one construction company, one consultant company, sevenservice companies, one trading/wholesale company, two communications/software companies, and four
manufacturing companies (15 companies have their headquarters in Tokyo, one company in Saitama, and one in
Osaka).
②Survey method: Web questionnaire survey③Number of valid respondents:
1st survey (first year of employment) 1,255 (474 women and 781 men)
2nd survey (second year of employment) 975 (393 women and 582 men)
3rd survey (third year of employment) 1,090 (409 women and 681 men)
※In the 2nd and the 3rd survey, those who had left their employment at the time of the surveys were excluded
Survey research members
The“Survey Research on Men and Women's Initial Career Paths to Promote Active Participation”Review Committee
consisting of outside experts and the members of the Office of Research and International Affairs of the National
Women's Education Center was organized to conduct the survey research.
＜Outside experts＞ (Position titles as of March 31, 2018)
Toru Anzai (Professor of Gunma Prefectural Women's University) ※Present post: professor of Mejiro University
Nami Otsuki (Professor of University of the Sacred Heart, Director of the Career Guidance Center)
Mizue Oyama (Chief of the Political & Social Affairs Bureau, Keidanren)
Tomohiro Takami (Researcher of the Japan Institute for Labour Policy and Training)
Akiko Nagai (Associate professor of Japan Women's University)＜National Women's Education Center＞
Hiroe Nakano (Director of the Office of Research and International Affairs, National Women's Education Center)
Naoko Shima (Researcher of the Office of Research and International Affairs, National Women's Education Center)
Miho Watanabe (Researcher of the Office of Research and International Affairs, National Women's Education Center)

1©National Women's Education Center, Japansummary○Job satisfaction/realization of growth/motivation for contribution
While the degree of job satisfaction declines year by year in both men and women, the decline rate becomes relatively
slow in the second and the third year. Every year, men are more "satisfied" than women (Chart 1). While selfevaluation of "knowledge and skills for conducting job assignments" becomes higher each year in both men andwomen, men evaluate themselves higher than women in the second and the third year (Chart 2). While 70 to 80% of
both men and women are conscious about "contribution to corporate objectives" every year, more men answered "yes"than women (Chart 3).
○Desire for career change
20 percent of both men and women showed a "desire for career change throughout the three years". 35 percent of
women and 30 percent of men have "no desire for career change throughout the three years" (Chart 4).
Reasons for career change
Compared to those who have "no desire for career change throughout the three years" both men and women
who have a "desire for career change throughout the three years" answered their job unchallenging (Chart 5) andare concerned with their ability to excute current job (Chart 6). Also, they do not feel that their bosses supportand encourage their career development (Chart 7) and they feel there are not enough education/training
opportunities (Chart 8). And they feel they have too much overtime work (Chart 9).
○Desire for a managerial position
35 percent of women and 80 percent of men have a "desire for a managerial position throughout the three years"(Chart 10).
Comparison between women who have a "desire for a managerial position throughout the three years" and those
who had a "desire for a managerial position in the first year but lost it in the second or the third year".
In the first year, there is relatively little difference in job satisfaction, self-evaluation of knowledge and skills for
conducting job assignments, plan proposal, frequency of overtime work, and competence as a leader.
In the third year in which some lose the desire for a managerial position while some keep it, women who had a"desire for a managerial position but lost it" are low in job satisfaction, give themselves a low evaluation for theirknowledge and skills, do not offer plan proposal, and work overtime frequently. A relatively high percentage says
yes to "men are more suited for a leadership position than women" (Chart 11 to 15).
Comparison of women and men who have a "desire for a managerial position throughout"Self-evaluation of knowledge and skills is higher among women in the first year, but it becomes higher among
men in the third year (Chart 16). There is not much difference in men and women in the second year regarding
the speed of growth expected, but men feel it "fast" in the third year (Chart 17). While the frequency of overtime
work is higher among men in the first and the third year, the difference between men and women becomeslarger in the third year (Chart 18).
※Since numerical numbers (%) are rounded off to one decimal place, the total of a breakdown may not become
100%.

【Contact】
Office of Research and International Affairs,
National Women's Education Center, Japan728 Sugaya, Ranzan-machi, Hiki-gun, Saitama 355-0292, Japan
TEL +81-493-62-6437 FAX +81-493-62-9034
Naoko Shima (shima@nwec.jp)

2©National Women's Education Center, Japandetails
Job satisfaction/realization of growth/motivation for contribution※Subjects of analysis: 229 women and 346 men who responded to all surveys for three years.
○While the degree of job satisfaction (= "satisfied" + "somewhat satisfied") declines yearly in both men
and women, the decline rate becomes relatively slow in the second and the third year.
Every year, men are more "satisfied" with their job than women (Chart 1).
Chart 1: Job satisfaction
（％）
100

60

2.6
16.2

8.3

20
0

31.9

51.1

47.6

20.1

10.9

8.7

1st year

2nd year

3rd year■Satisﬁed

5.5
17.3

11.8

29.7

61.1

40

Men

■Somewhat satisﬁed

Job satisfaction

80

Women

50.0

7.8

11.0

27.2

29.8

45.4

47.7

27.2

19.7

11.6

1st year

2nd year

3rd year■Somewhat dissatisﬁed■Dissatisﬁed○Self-evaluation of "knowledge and skills for conducting job assignments" becomes higher each year forboth men and women.
Men evaluate themselves higher than women in the second and the third year (Chart 2).
Chart 2: Self-evaluation of knowledge and skills for conducting job assignments

80
60

24.9

46.3

40
20
0

Men

Women

43.7

50.2

27.5

34.1

1.3

1.8

1st year

8.3

14.0

45.0
3.1

2nd year

3rd year■Have suﬃcient knowledge and skills

Have knowledge and skills

（％）
100

13.0

29.8

45.4

10.7
32.7

44.5
36.4

23.7
2.0

1st year■To some extent

48.6

5.2

8.1

2nd year

3rd year■Somewhat insuﬃcient■Insuﬃcient○Overall, 70 to 80% of both men and women answered that they act consciously to contribute toward
corporate goals. More men answered so than women (Chart 3).
Chart 3: Act consciously to contribute toward corporate goals

80

Women
3.1
25.8

24.9

28.4

55.5

57.6

54.6

15.7

12.7

12.7

1st year

2nd year

3rd year

4.4

4.8

60
40
20
0

■Yes

Conscious of contribution
to corporate objectives

（％）
100

■Rather yes

Men
3.2
19.1

4.3
23.7

4.6
23.1

58.1

53.5

53.5

19.7

18.5

18.8

1st year

2nd year

3rd year■Rather no■No

3©National Women's Education Center, Japan

Desire for career change※Subjects of analysis: 229 women and 346 men who responded to all surveys in three years after joining a company.
Transition of desire for career change
Have a desire for career change throughout: "Those who wished to change their jobs throughout the three years"
Women 20.1% Men 19.7%
Have no desire for career change throughout: "Those who didn't wish to change their jobs during the three years"
Women 35.4% Men 30.4%
Chart 4: Transition of desire for career change
1st year

2nd year

Desire forcareer change

No desire forcareer change

3rd year

Women（229）

Men（346）

20.1％

19.7％

3.5％

3.2％

Yes

4.4％

5.5％

No

1.8％

2.9％

Yes

15.3％

18.5％

4.4％

6.1％

15.3％

13.9％

35.4％

30.4%

Yes

Yes

Desire forcareer change
throughout

No

No

Yes

No
Yes

No

No desire forcareer change
throughout

No

Backgrounds of desire for career change: Unchallenging job/concerned with ability
Compared to those who have "no desire for career change throughout", both men and women who have a "desire forcareer change throughout" find their job unchallenging (Chart 5), and they are concered with their abilities (Chart 6).
Also, among those who have a "desire for career change throughout", women increased concern for their ability while
men decreased (Chart 6).
Chart 5: Find my job challenging(Comparison by gender between "desire for career change throughout" and "no desire for career change throughout")
（％）
100
80
60
40
20
0

Women
4.4
19.6
47.8
28.3

19.6
19.6
47.8
13.0

10.9

0.0
1.2

0.0
6.2

34.8

49.4

42.0

41.3
13.0

49.4

51.9

1.2
7.4
54.3
37.0

1st year 2nd year 3rd year 1st year 2nd year 3rd year
Desire for careerchange throughout

No desire for careerchange throughout■Yes■Rather yes

Men
5.9
23.5
45.6
25.0

10.3
29.4

8.8
25.0

41.2

54.4

19.1

11.8

1.0
3.8

0.0
11.4

45.7

0.0
4.8
35.2

49.5

60.0

47.6

41.0

1st year 2nd year 3rd year 1st year 2nd year 3rd year
Desire for careerchange throughout■Rather no

No desire for careerchange throughout■No

Chart 6: Concerned with my ability to continue current job(Comparison by gender between "desire for career change throughout" and "no desire for career change throughout")
（％）
100
80
60
40
20
0

13.0
26.0
36.9
23.9

Women

2.2

2.2

23.9

28.2

39.1

32.6

34.7

36.9

13.5
33.3

6.2

9.8

37.0

32.1

43.2

38.2

37.0

9.8

18.5

20.9

1st year 2nd year 3rd year 1st year 2nd year 3rd year
Desire for careerchange throughout

No desire for careerchange throughout

■Yes

4

■Rather yes

Men
16.2

16.2

16.2

13.3

16.2

10.5

25.0

30.9

32.4

38.1

36.2

44.8

30.9

36.8

22.1

39.1

36.2

14.7

34.3

9.5

11.4

10.5

29.4
29.4

1st year 2nd year 3rd year 1st year 2nd year 3rd year
Desire for careerchange throughout■Rather no

No desire for careerchange throughout■No©National Women's Education Center, Japan

Backgrounds of desire for career change: Lack of boss's zeal for developing people/training opportunities
Compared to those who have "no desire for career change throughout", both men and women who have a "desire forcareer change throughout" give low evaluations to "boss's zeal for developing people" (Chart 7) and "opportunities in
education/training" (Chart 8) every year. More men than women answered, "yes" to both "boss's zeal" and"opportunities in education/training" (Chart 7 and 8).
Chart 7 boss's supports and encourages career development(Comparison by gender between "desire for career change throughout" and "no desire for career change throughout")
（％）
100
80
60
40
20
0

2.2
21.7
43.5
32.6

10.9
26.1

Women

8.7

21.7

0.0
4.9
28.4

3.7
6.2
54.3

45.7

56.5

17.4

13.0

66.7

35.8

4.4

7.4

8.8

17.3

19.1

20.6

25.0

50.6

41.2

50.0

41.2

29.6

35.3

22.1

25.0

1st year 2nd year 3rd year 1st year 2nd year 3rd year
Desire for careerchange throughout

No desire for careerchange throughout

■Yes

Men

2.5

0.0
2.9
34.3
62.9

45.7
46.7

1.9
15.2
47.6
35.2

1st year 2nd year 3rd year 1st year 2nd year 3rd year
Desire for careerchange throughout■Rather yes

1.9
5.7

■Rather no

No desire for careerchange throughout■No

Chart 8: Have good education/training opportunities in the workplace(Comparison by gender between "desire for career change throughout" and "no desire for career change throughout")
（％）
100
80
60
40
20
0

4.4
15.2
47.8
32.6

Women
13.0

13.0

28.2

26.0

39.1

50.0

19.5

10.8

0.0
2.5
38.2

2.5
18.5
43.2

59.2

35.8

2.5

7.4

16.0

11.8

10.3
19.1

61.7

55.9

48.5

19.7

25.0

22.1

1st year 2nd year 3rd year 1st year 2nd year 3rd year
Desire for careerchange throughout

No desire for careerchange throughout

■Yes

Men
13.2
23.5

0.0
2.9
34.3

51.5

62.9

11.8

50.5
41.9

3.8
16.2
52.4
27.6

1st year 2nd year 3rd year 1st year 2nd year 3rd year
Desire for careerchange throughout■Rather yes

1.9
5.7

■Rather no

No desire for careerchange throughout■No

Backgrounds of desire for career change: Too much overtime work
Compared to those who have "no desire for career change throughout", both men and women who have a "desire forcareer change throughout" work overtime more frequently every year (Chart 9).
Chart 9: Frequency of overtime work
(Comparison by gender between "desire for career change throughout" and "no desire for career change throughout")
（％）
100
80
60
40
20
0

Women
28.3
17.4
15.2
39.1

13.0
15.2
26.1
45.7

13.0
10.9
21.7
54.4

40.7
18.5
18.5
22.2

12.4
19.8

11.1
17.3

33.3

37.0

34.6

32.4
17.7
23.5

34.6

26.5

1st year 2nd year 3rd year 1st year 2nd year 3rd year
Desire for careerchange throughout

No desire for careerchange throughout■Almost every day■3 to 4 days a week

Men

5.9

7.4

17.7
20.6

17.7

55.9

50.0

25.0

8.6

39.1

13.3
21.0

20.0

18.1

33.3

40.0

32.4

31.4

24.8
18.1

1st year 2nd year 3rd year 1st year 2nd year 3rd year
Desire for careerchange throughout■1 to 2 days a week

No desire for careerchange throughout■Almost no overtime work

5

©National Women's Education Center, Japan

Aspiration for a managerial position※Subjects of analysis: Women and men who responded to all surveys for three years excluding those who are in a job
category not assumed to hold a managerial position; 211 women and 344 men.
Transition of aspiration for a managerial position
Have an aspiration for a managerial position throughout: "Wishing to be in a managerial position"
throughout the three years.
Women 35.1% Men 79.1%
Had an aspiration for a managerial position but lost it: "Wished" to be in a managerial position in the firstyear but "no longer wish" in the second or the third year.
Women 26.6% Men 12.2%
Chart 10: Transition of a desire for a managerial position
1st year

2nd year

3rd yearYes

Yes

Aspiration fora managerial
position

79.1%

9.5％

7.0％

4.3％

2.9％

17.1％

5.2％

Yes

1.4％

0.9％

No

3.3％

0.3％

Yes

1.0％

2.0％

No

28.4％

2.6%

Had an aspiration fora managerial position
but lost it

Yes
No

Yes
No

Men（344）

35.1％

No

No

No aspiration fora managerial
position

Women（211）
Aspiration for a managerial
position throughout●Comparison among women: "Have an aspiration for a managerial position throughout" vs. "Had an
aspiration for a managerial position but lost it".
Job satisfaction/self-evaluation of knowledge and skills○In the first year, there is relatively little difference in job satisfaction (Chart 11) and self-evaluation of knowledge andskills for conducting job assignments (= percentage of "Have sufficient knowledge and skills" + "To some extent")(Chart 12).
○In the third year in which some lose the desire for a managerial position while some keep it, women who had a"desire for a managerial position but lost it" are low in job satisfaction (Chat 11) and give themselves a low evaluation
for their knowledge and skills (Chart 12).
Chart 11: Find my job challenging(Comparison between women who "have a desire for a managerial position throughout" and those who "had a desire for a managerial position but lost it".)
（％）
100
80
60
40
0

1st year

4.1

1.8
5.4

47.3

46.4

48.7

46.4

Have a desire fora managerial
position throughout

Had a desire fora managerial
position but lost it■Yes

3rd year

1.8
16.1

14.9
43.2
Yes

20

0.0
4.1

■Rather yes

58.9

37.8

23.2

Have a desire fora managerial
position throughout■Rather no

Had a desire fora managerial
position but lost it■NoChart 12: Self-evaluation of knowledge and skills for conducting job assignments(Comparison between women who "have a desire for a managerial position throughout" and those who "had a desire for a managerial position but lost it".)
（％）
100
80
40
20
0

6

24.3
46.0
27.0
2.7

Have a desire fora managerial
position throughout

3rd year
8.1

35.7
33.9
30.4
0.0

Had a desire fora managerial
position but lost it■Have suﬃcient knowledge and skills

Have knowledge
and skills

60

1st year

14.3

40.5

51.8

44.6
6.8

Have a desire fora managerial
position throughout■To some extent

33.9
0.0

Had a desire fora managerial
position but lost it■Somewhat insuﬃcient■Insuﬃcient©National Women's Education Center, Japan

Plan proposal/frequency of overtime work/competence as a leader○In the first year, there is relatively little difference in plan proposal (= percentage of "Yes" + "Rather yes") (Chart 13),frequency of overtime work (= percentage of "Almost every day") (Chart 14), and competence as a leader (Chart 15).
○In the third year in which some lose the desire for a managerial position while some keep it, women who had a"desire for a managerial position but lost it" do not offer plan proposal (Chart 13), and work overtime frequently(Chart 14). Also, a relatively high percentage says yes to "men are more suited for a leadership position than
women", suggesting that they are in a work environment that makes them think that "men are most suited to aleadership position" (Chart 15).

Chart 13: Propose ideas and plans voluntarily(Comparison between women who "have a desire for a managerial position throughout" and those who "had a desire for a managerial position but lost it".)
（％）
100
80

3rd year

6.8
59.5

0

25.7
8.1

28.6
3.6

Have a desire fora managerial
position throughout

Had a desire fora managerial
position but lost it

■Yes

8.9

33.8

44.6

40
20

6.8

23.2
Propose ideas
and plans60

1st year■Rather yes

53.6

47.3

33.9

12.2

3.6

Have a desire fora managerial
position throughout■Rather no

Had a desire fora managerial
position but lost it■NoChart 14: Frequently of overtime work
(Comparison between women who "have a desire for a managerial position throughout" and those who "had a desire for a managerial position but lost it".)

1st year

（％）
100
80
60
20
0

20.3

17.6

30.4

23.0

17.9

21.6

26.8

Have a desire fora managerial
position throughout

Had a desire fora managerial
position but lost it■Almost every day■3 to 4 days a week

5.4
12.5

16.2

25.0

37.8

Almostevery day40

3rd year

35.7

33.8

46.4

29.7
Have a desire fora managerial
position throughout■1 to 2 days a week

Had a desire fora managerial
position but lost it■Almost no overtime work

Chart 15: Men are more suited for a leadership position than women(Comparison between women who "have a desire for a managerial position throughout" and those who "had a desire for a managerial position but lost it".)
（％）
100
80
40
20
0

3rd year
32.1

32.4

33.9

40.5

37.5

24.3
2.7

26.8
1.8

13.5
1.4

Have a desire fora managerial
position throughout

Had a desire fora managerial
position but lost it

Have a desire fora managerial
position throughout■I think so■I tend to think so

48.7

39.3

36.5

■I tend not to think so

17.9
10.7
Had a desire fora managerial
position but lost it

Men are more suited60

1st year■I don’t think so

7©National Women's Education Center, Japan

●Comparison between men and women: "Have an aspiration for a managerial position for 3 years"
Self-evaluation of knowledge and skills/speed of growth expected/frequency of overtime work
○Self-evaluation of knowledge and skills is higher among women in the first year, but it becomes higher among men
in the third year (Chart 16).
○There is not much difference in men and women in the second year regarding the expected speed of growth, but
men feel it "fast" in the third year (Chart 17).
※The 1st year survey does not ask about the "expected speed of growth". Responses in the 2nd and the 3rdyear are compared.
○Frequency of overtime work is higher among men in the first and the third year, and the difference between men
and women becomes larger in the third year (Chart 18).
Chart 16: Self-evaluation of knowledge and skills for conducting job assignments(Comparison between women who have a "desire for a managerial position throughout" and men who have a "desire for a managerial position throughout")

80
60
20
0

24.3

3rd year
29.4

46.0

44.1

27.0
2.7

24.3
2.2

Women who have a desire
for a managerial
position throughout

Men who have a desire
for a managerial
position throughout■Have knowledge and skills

Haveknowledge
and skills

40

1st yearInsuﬃcient

（％）
100

■To some extent

8.1

9.2

40.5

31.6
50.0

44.6
6.8

9.2

Women who have a desire
for a managerial
position throughout

Men who have a desire
for a managerial
position throughout■Somewhat insuﬃcient■Insuﬃcient

Chart 17: Expected speed of growth is fast(Comparison between women who have a "desire for a managerial position throughout" and men who have a "desire for a managerial position throughout")
（％）
100
80
60
20
0

2nd year

3rd year

5.4

2.9

2.9

20.3

18.8

47.3

51.1

28.4

27.2

21.6

23.5

Women who have a desire
for a managerial
position throughout

Men who have a desire
for a managerial
position throughout

Women who have a desire
for a managerial
position throughout

Men who have a desire
for a managerial
position throughout

■Yes

21.0

28.4

Yes

40

4.1

■Rather yes

52.6

44.6

■Rather no■NoChart 18: Frequency of overtime work
(Comparison between women who have a "desire for a managerial position throughout" and men who have a "desire for a managerial position throughout")

80
60
20
0

37.8

31.3

17.6

21.3

23.0

21.0

21.6

26.5

Women who have a desire
for a managerial
position throughout

Men who have a desire
for a managerial
position throughout■Almost every day

8■3 to 4 days a week

7.4
19.1

16.2
20.3

32.7

33.8

Almostevery day40

3rd year

Almost no
overtime work

1st year

（％）
100

40.8

29.7

Women who have a desire
for a managerial
position throughout■1 to 2 days a week

Men who have a desire
for a managerial
position throughout■Almost no overtime work

©National Women's Education Center, Japan