糖心破解版

The global COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 severely impacted Japanese society. Initially, hopes were high for major advances in the employment system, fueled by the hosting of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games and the implementation of the Work Style Reform Act and equal pay for equal work. However, the spread of the virus dramatically altered these trends, resulting in unprecedented situations such as a sharp increase in furloughed workers and the rapid spread of telework. This book examines the changes and persistent structures in work styles since 2020 based on the Japanese Panel Study of Employment Dynamics (JPSED), a continuing survey conducted by Recruit Works Institute, and special follow-up surveys conducted after the pandemic.
 
The most significant change in work styles is the widespread adoption of telework. While only 7% of Japanese companies implemented telework at the end of 2019, this rate rose sharply to 27% by spring 2020, and remained nearly double the pre-pandemic level by the end of the year. Teleworking tended to take root as a sustainable, flexible working style in workplaces with appropriate evaluation systems, reliable supervisors who allocate tasks, and employee representatives who negotiated with employers effectively.
 
The second change was that some people were relieved of overwork and had an opportunity to reexamine the relationship between work and life. While work engagement generally declined, the forced halt to excessive work also provided an opportunity for self-reflection. Furthermore, teleworking led to an increase in men's participation in housework and childcare, and some employed people began to engage in independent learning.
 
The third change was the widening of new inequalities. In addition to the traditional dual inequality of income and employment stability, 2020 saw the emergence of a small segment of high-income full-time employees who also enjoyed greater flexibility in their working styles. This highlighted a "triple inequality" within full-time employment and between non-regular employees and essential workers. Crisis response capabilities and work style options were only limited, resulting in growing concerns about widening inequalities.
 
On the other hand, some things remained unchanged. The labor market structure remained intact, with non-regular employment acting as a buffer against shocks, while regular employment remained largely stable. Regarding regional disparities, there was no clear correlation between the number of infections and the unemployment rate, and the employment structure in rural areas remained rigid as before. Wage disparities did not widen in the short term; rather, variations within the same demographic were prominent. As non-regular employees and workers at small and medium-sized enterprises lost opportunities for skill development due to business closures, there are concerns that disparities in human capital accumulation will emerge in the future, leading to wage and productivity disparities.
 
Overall, 2020 brought about changes such as the spread of telework and a review of working styles, while also once again visualizing structural issues and the entrenched inequality. This book utilizes a unique ongoing survey, JPSED, to present a "historical testimony through data" of working styles during the COVID-19 crisis. While the long-term impact of the COVID-19 crisis requires continued examination, 2020 can be seen as a critical turning point for Japanese labor and society.
 

(Written by GENDA Yuji, Professor, Institute of Social Science / 2025)