Katsuyakusuru wakate shain wo dou sodateru ka (How to Nurture Active Young Employees - The Future of Workplace Learning: Insights from Research Data)

The title of this book “How to Nurture Active Young Employees: A Factual Survey of Workplace Learning” aptly reflects its essence as a compilation of surveys and research on workplace learning geared toward development of young employees.
 
This research was conducted as a joint study between the University of Tokyo's Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies and Mynavi Corporation; all authors are members of this joint research team.
 
In terms of personal development within the working environment, the significance of the workplace itself, where one spends long spells of time, is paramount. The present generation in their 20s is embarking on their careers amid challenges far more formidable than those faced 30 years ago. Not only has job hunting become tough, but individuals are also required to gain experience in an environment where they are constantly required to innovate. The work environment is characterized by an intermingling of regular and non-regular employees and the fluid nature of employment has led to an increase in the number of workers leaving their jobs because the work differed from their expectations. This book summarizes research studies on experiential learning among young employees in their 20s, which is a prerequisite for supporting them amid the challenges they are facing in their growth and development due to changes in society.
 
The book is divided into three parts. Part one (chapters 1 and 2) explains the current situation surrounding young employees and outlines the aims of the survey. Part two (chapters 3 and 4) summarizes the findings on the personalities of active young employees, and part three (chapters 5, 6, and 7) introduces key concepts for nurturing such employees. In the afterword, Mr. Tsuchiya of Mynavi Corporation, our joint research partner, explains the positioning of this study from the perspective of human resources development. When read from start to finish, the book is structured to offer a three-dimensional understanding of the situation facing young employees in their 20s; however, it can also be read lexically according to the reader's interest.
 
Some of the data in this study was gathered before the spread of COVID-19 virus. However, since the survey items focus on essential work experiences, the findings on personalities and the identification of key themes for future human resource development, such as thought modeling, job crafting, and psychological sense of place, retain their importance in the post-COVID-19 era. Specific implementations may vary, however, depending on the state of remote working and the social environment in which the company is situated. What is summarized in this book is ultimately only a directional guide, and we hope that specific creative initiatives will be espoused in the field by using these findings to create growth opportunities for many young employees.
 

(Written by YAMAUCHI Yuhei, Professor, Interfaculty Initiative in Information Studies / 2023)