78.6% of HR Managers Consider Higher Salary Offers Due to Communication Skills: kaeka Releases Survey on the Relationship Between Salary and Communication Ability

kaeka, Inc. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President: Kaori Chiba), which provides the speaking training service 'kaeka,' has announced the results of a survey on the relationship between salary and communication skills conducted among 500 HR managers.

In this survey, 78.6% of HR managers responded that they 'have considered hiring at higher conditions than initially planned, citing superior communication skills as one of the reasons for candidates with similar skills and experience,' revealing it as a critical skill in hiring decisions.

78.6% of HR managers have experience considering higher-than-expected salary due to high communication skills. The survey asked whether they had considered higher salary conditions than initially planned due to superior communication skills for candidates with similar experience. 78.6% of recruiters answered 'Yes,' demonstrating that communication ability can be a factor in increasing employment conditions.

One in six HR managers has experienced offering a salary increase of 10% or more due to communication ability. For an assumed annual salary of 6 million yen, this results in an increase of 600,000 yen or more. Furthermore, the results showed the extent of the salary increases provided. Increases of 5-10% were the most common at 34.4%, and cases where an increase of 5% or more was granted accounted for 51.0% of the total. Additionally, a result of 16.6% was revealed for increases of 10% or more.

This survey highlights how highly communication skills are valued.

The results indicate that communication ability is not just a deciding factor in hiring, but also an element that influences compensation conditions upon entry. This suggests to professionals that improving communication ability leads directly to career returns.

Survey Overview Theme: Correlation between annual salary and communication ability Period: February 20, 2026 – February 22, 2026 Target: HR and hiring managers nationwide Responses: Screening survey 15,000, Main survey 500 Method: Internet survey Conducted by: kaeka, Inc.

Case Study of a kaeka Student At kaeka, there are cases where improved speaking skills have led to better evaluation in selection processes, resulting in salary increases.

Student N (13th cohort) conducted job hunting while taking the course. Although previously struggling to pass selections due to 'way of speaking,' after taking the course, they received high evaluations in communication, passed multiple selections, and successfully achieved an annual salary increase of approximately 1.5 million yen. The individual commented, 'I can now actively engage in self-disclosure and find it easier to work in my new workplace.'

About the speaking training service 'kaeka' With the mission 'Spotlight on every life,' kaeka provides speaking training to business leaders, politicians, and professionals. To date, they have trained over 7,000 individuals and developed corporate training programs.

Currently, they have training centers in Ginza, Tsukiji, Shibuya, Osaka, and online. Furthermore, kaeka offers corporate training, election strategy training for politicians, and full one-on-one personal training.