Job search aggregator "Kyujin Box" announces results of "2026 Summer Bonus Survey"

Kakaku.com, Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Atsuhiro Murakami), which operates the job search aggregator "Kyujin Box" (https://求人ボックス.com/), announced the results of its "2026 Summer Bonus Survey" conducted among Kyujin Box users on July 8, 2026 (Wed.). The survey revealed insights into how changes in average bonus amounts, satisfaction levels, and spending patterns are linked to job-seeking intentions.

Survey Results Page: https://xn--pckua2a7gp15o89zb.com/journal/news/1364/

Survey Result Highlights

- Average Payout: \336,000 (down \90,000 from previous year), Satisfaction: "Dissatisfied" 74.8% (previous year: 60.0%)

- Spending: "Savings" and "Supplementing Living Expenses" were the top 2, with "Education Expenses" and "Loan Repayments" increasing.

- Job-Seeking Intent: Over 60% overall "want to change jobs" due to bonuses. Payout timing serves as an opportunity to review careers.

- Key Factors When Changing Jobs: "Improved compensation" remains the top priority. Many respondents showed a tendency to seek secure income.

Survey Results Summary (details available on the results page)

1. Average Payout is \336,000 (down \90,000 from previous year), with the volume zone remaining "\200,000 to" from the previous year.

The most common bonus payout range was "\200,000 to" (86 people), followed by "\100,000 to" (71 people) and "\300,000 to" (54 people), showing little change in the volume zone trend from the previous year. However, the average payout (*1) was \336,000, a decrease of \90,000 from the previous year's \426,000 (*2). The breakdown shows an increase in responses for "under \100,000" and "\100,000 to," while "\700,000 to" and "\900,000 to" decreased, pulling down the average.

(*1) The midpoint of each amount range (e.g., \150,000 for "\100,000 to," \50,000 for "under \100,000") was used to calculate the average. For "\1,000,000 to" with no upper limit, \1,500,000 was assumed. (*2) The previous year's average payout was recalculated using the same method as this year for comparison (the previous calculation method yielded \419,000).

2. Payout Trends: Over 60% report "no change."

Compared to the previous year's summer bonus, "no change" was the most common response at 64.5%. This was followed by "decreased" (21.5%) and "increased" (14.0%). The overall distribution shows a similar trend to the previous year.

3. Satisfaction: Over 70% "dissatisfied," a significant increase of 14.8 percentage points from the previous year.

Satisfaction with the bonus payout was "somewhat dissatisfied" or "very dissatisfied" for a combined 74.8% (previous year: 60.0%). The total for "very satisfied" (2.8%) and "somewhat satisfied" (22.4%) was 25.2% (previous year: 40.0%).

4. Spending: "Savings" and "Supplementing Living Expenses" were the top 2. "Education Expenses" and "Loan Repayments" increased.

"Savings" and "Supplementing Living Expenses" continued to be the top uses for bonuses. A significant change was the increase in spending on "children's education expenses," as well as increased allocation to difficult-to-reduce expenses such as "loan repayments" and "debt repayment," which was added as an option this year. On the other hand, spending on future provisions and leisure, such as "savings," "travel," and "gifts for family," all decreased. This highlights the difficult reality where funds that could previously be used for leisure must now be used to cover daily household expenses.

5. Job-Seeking Intent: Over 60% overall "want to change jobs" due to bonuses. Payout timing serves as an opportunity to review careers.

A total of 61.4% (previous year: 63.4%) responded that their desire to change jobs "increased" (became much more or slightly more inclined to change jobs) due to their bonus. This remains at a high level of over 60%, indicating that bonus timing serves as an opportunity for many business professionals to review their careers.

6. Job-Seeking Intent by Payout Amount: Differences based on payout amount. For \500,000 or more, there was a shift to "no change."

Comparing the change in job-seeking intent by payout amount to the previous year, the amount received appears to be polarizing job-seeking intentions.

- Up to \290,000: "Much more inclined to change jobs" increased to 43.0% (previous year: 33.8%).

- \300,000 to \490,000: Both "much more inclined to change jobs" and "slightly more inclined to change jobs" saw a slight increase, with 64.5% of respondents showing increased job-seeking intent.

- \500,000 or more: "Much more inclined to change jobs" decreased to 11.2% (previous year: 31.9%). Instead, "no particular change" increased to 62.9% (previous year: 42.0%).

This result clearly shows the impact of payout amount on job-seeking intent, with an expansion of job-seeking intent seen in the "up to \290,000" category, while a majority of respondents in the "\500,000 or more" category reported no particular change. This may be due to the overall trend of decreasing bonus payouts, suggesting a tendency to maintain the current situation if a certain level of payout is secured.

7. Key Factors When Changing Jobs: "Improved compensation" remains the top priority. Many respondents showed a tendency to seek secure income.

Regarding factors prioritized when changing jobs, "increase in salary, bonus, and compensation" ranked first by a significant margin over the others. Compared to the previous year's total responses, the number of responses increased, further clarifying the trend of business professionals placing greater importance on compensation. On the other hand, factors related to work-life balance and psychological satisfaction, such as "workplace relationships," "working hours/less overtime," and "job satisfaction/sense of growth," all saw a decrease in points.

Additionally, "understanding for work-life balance such as childcare and nursing care" and "environment for career advancement such as support for acquiring qualifications," which were newly established this year, received a certain number of votes, but responses for "remote work and flexible working styles" slightly decreased. It is thought that the prolonged high prices and stagnant real wage growth have led to a stronger tendency to "prioritize securing stable income to protect one's livelihood first."

Overall Summary: From "Reward" to "Maintaining Livelihood." The Reality of the 2026 Summer Bonus Affected by High Prices (Rui Kojima, Manager, Marketing Department, HR Company, Kakaku.com, Inc.)

The 2026 Summer Bonus Survey revealed a harsh reality where, despite a high percentage of respondents (47.6%, +5.6 percentage points from last year) reporting receiving a bonus, the actual financial leeway has further diminished. The weighted average bonus payout in this survey was \336,000. Satisfaction with the bonus payout resulted in over 70% of respondents reporting "dissatisfaction (total of dissatisfied and somewhat dissatisfied)." The fact that dissatisfaction has spread even to respondents who received relatively high payouts of "\300,000 to \490,000" and "\500,000 or more" in last year's survey is a major characteristic of this period.

This year's tight financial situation is also reflected in the breakdown of "bonus spending." As with last year, "savings" and "supplementing living expenses" occupied the top two spots, and the trend of prioritizing living expenses remains unchanged. However, a detailed comparison after adjusting for the difference in total responses from last year shows a consistent decrease in votes for "savings" and "travel," which were previously achievable. In contrast, there has been a notable increase in allocation to fixed and mandatory expenses that are difficult to reduce, such as "children's education expenses," and "debt repayment" and "loan repayments," which were added as options this year. This indicates that due to high prices, bonuses are being used to cover immediate household expenses rather than for future savings or leisure.

Furthermore, this lack of satisfaction with compensation significantly impacts business professionals' "job-seeking intentions." While over 60% are considering changing jobs overall, the movement clearly differs based on the payout amount, with over 40% of those receiving \290,000 or less stating they were "much more inclined to change jobs." On the other hand, for those receiving \500,000 or more, over 60% reported "no particular change," showing a cautious approach to staying in their current environment.

Regardless of job type or whether a bonus was received, "increase in salary, bonus, and compensation" is the concentrated focus when considering job changes. It is believed that the trend of seeking economic returns to protect one's livelihood is strengthening, over qualitative factors like workplace relationships and job satisfaction.

This survey indicates that business professionals are re-evaluating their workplaces from the perspective of "Can I truly maintain my livelihood with my current income?" To continue securing talent, companies will need to go beyond adjusting lump-sum bonuses and implement measures with a long-term perspective, such as raising base salaries to counter inflation and establishing more satisfactory compensation structures.

In this era of significant economic change, support is essential for every user to find choices that satisfy them in their job search. Kyujin Box will continue to support business professionals in their best job search by disseminating survey data and providing content that supports decision-making, alongside diverse job information.

"2026 Summer Bonus Survey" Overview

Survey Sponsor: Kakaku.com, Inc.

Survey Target: Kyujin Box members with search history related to "full-time employees." Responses from 834 currently employed full-time men and women were extracted.

Survey Method: Internet survey

Survey Period: June 15, 2026 (Mon) - June 21, 2026 (Sun)

Survey Results Page: https://xn--pckua2a7gp15o89zb.com/journal/news/1364/

* Proportions (%) and differences (percentage points) are rounded to the second decimal place, so the total may not be 100%, or the figures may differ from calculations to the first decimal place.

* The year-on-year comparison for "4. Bonus Spending" and "7. Key Factors When Changing Jobs" is based on figures calculated by adjusting the number of respondents for each item in the previous year to match the total number of respondents in the current survey, in order to correct for differences in the total number of respondents for each survey.

About "Kyujin Box"

"Kyujin Box," a job search aggregator service developed by Kakaku.com, underwent a brand renewal in 2025, marking its 10th anniversary. The brand logo was refreshed along with the new brand message, "Your tomorrow is packed."

With over 20 million job postings, users can easily search for jobs nationwide based on keywords, salary, location, and specific conditions, and apply immediately if interested. It also offers unique job statistics and rich content to support individual job searches. Personalized job notifications, profile saving through free member registration, and career support features are also available. Its ability to search based on such specific needs is highly valued, with over 15 million monthly users ranging from young adults to seniors (as of March 2026).

Kyujin Box will continue to enhance its features and information, providing even greater value as an information platform connecting job seekers and companies.

[Kakaku.com, Inc. Company Overview]

Location: Digital Gate Building, 3-5-7 Ebisu-minami, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

President and CEO: Atsuhiro Murakami

Business Activities: Planning and operation of websites and applications, provision of various platforms

Our Operated Sites: https://corporate.kakaku.com/service