One-Third of Female IT Professionals with Childbirth Experience Consider Job Change Due to Return-to-Office Policies

"Let's make Japan an IT-advanced nation." With this vision, LEBATEC Inc. (https://levtech.jp/) conducted a survey targeting 1,000 corporate managers hiring IT professionals and 3,000 IT professionals, creating the "LEBATEC IT Human Resources White Paper 2026." This release presents an excerpt.

<Survey Summary>

70% of Current Female IT Managers Want to Continue in Management Roles

82.3% of Current Female IT Managers with Childbirth Experience Took Parental Leave, Facing "Technology/Knowledge Gaps" Anxiety Upon Return

Approximately 40% of Current Female IT Managers with Childbirth Experience Consider Job Change Due to Return-to-Office

1. 70% of Current Female IT Managers Want to Continue in Management Roles

When asked about their future career aspirations, over 25% of female IT professionals expressed a desire to become managers, indicating that one in four have management aspirations.

Furthermore, over 70% of current female IT managers stated they wish to continue in their roles, showing a high level of commitment to career progression.

The primary reason for aspiring to continue as a manager was "to increase salary/compensation compared to the current situation" (36.9%). This was followed by "to expand influence within the organization" (24.6%), which increased by 4.3 percentage points year-on-year, and "to have decision-making authority for the organization or department" (20.0%).

2. 82.3% of Current Female IT Managers with Childbirth Experience Took Parental Leave, Facing "Technology/Knowledge Gaps" Anxiety Upon Return

This survey found that 82.3% of female IT professionals with childbirth experience took parental leave. The psychological hurdle upon returning to work was significant, with approximately 80% reporting "anxiety" (81.6%).

Key factors contributing to this anxiety included "gaps in technology and knowledge" (23.6%), "position upon return to work" (19.9%), and "adapting to changes in work style" (16.9%). Particularly in the IT industry, where technology and knowledge evolve rapidly, the "technology/knowledge gap" during parental leave appears to be a major source of concern.

3. One-Third of Female IT Professionals with Childbirth Experience Consider Job Change Due to Return-to-Office

Amidst a growing trend of return-to-office policies in some companies, a survey on the impact of returning to the office on careers revealed that 26.3% of respondents overall "consider changing jobs." However, this figure rose to 30.5% among female IT professionals with childbirth experience, and further to 40.3% among current female IT managers with childbirth experience.

This indicates that the desire to "choose one's own place of work" according to lifestyle varies by managerial position.

*For all graphs, proportions are rounded to the second decimal place, so the total may not always sum to 100.*

<Comment from Masahiro Izumisawa, President and Representative Director of LEBATEC Inc.>

This survey clearly shows that approximately 70% of current female IT managers wish to continue in their management roles. Even amidst discussions of a decline in management positions, many individuals still aspire to continue as managers due to reasons such as salary and organizational influence.

On the other hand, the trend of returning to the office appears to be a burden for those balancing work with life events like childbirth and childcare, suggesting it as a factor in considering resignation or job change.

In an increasingly competitive market for IT talent, it is more crucial than ever for companies to not only strengthen recruitment but also create an environment where existing employees can thrive long-term. Building an organization where diverse talent can excel, regardless of gender or age, is the key to a company's mid-to-long-term growth.

◆ Masahiro Izumisawa - Profile

Joined Leverages Inc. in 2017 as a new graduate. As head of new business development, he established foundational elements for multiple services, including the IT-specialized employment support service "LEBATEC Rookie."

In 2021, he was appointed General Manager of the LEBATEC IT Recruiting Division, driving business strategy planning, recruitment, and operational optimization, leading the growth of multiple brands. He became an Executive Officer of LEBATEC in April 2023 and assumed the role of President and Representative Director on April 1, 2025.

LEBATEC Inc.

LEBATEC Inc., with its vision of "Let's make Japan an IT-advanced nation," is diversifying its business beyond HR services that support IT professionals in their job searches and companies in their hiring, to include services that support companies in DX promotion and in-house development.

By solving challenges from both corporate and individual perspectives, the company aims to drive Japan's economic growth.

▽ "LEBATEC Freelance" - Specialized Agent for Freelance Engineers

https://freelance.levtech.jp/

▽ "LEBATEC Creator" - Specialized Agent for Freelance Creators

https://creator.levtech.jp/

▽ "LEBATEC Direct" - Job Site Specializing in IT Engineers and Creators

https://levtech-direct.jp/

▽ "LEBATEC Career" - Career Change Support Specializing in Engineers/Creators

https://career.levtech.jp/

▽ "LEBATEC Rookie" - Employment Support Agent Specializing in Engineers for New Graduates

https://rookie.levtech.jp/

Leverages Inc. (https://leverages.jp/)

Headquarters Location: Shibuya Scramble Square 24F/25F, 2-24-12 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Representative Director: Tomohide Iwatsuki

Capital: 50 million yen

Established: April 2005

Business Activities: Human resource services, SaaS business, M&A consulting, etc., primarily in the IT and healthcare/healthcare fields.

Centered on "solving social issues," Leverages Inc. operates over 60 services across various fields, spanning countries and industries, including human resource services, SaaS, and M&A consulting, particularly in the IT and healthcare/healthcare domains. Since its founding in 2005, the company has maintained profitability and exceeded 170 billion yen in annual sales in fiscal year 2025*. With a portfolio management approach that does not limit itself to specific industries and an in-house organizational structure of specialists in each field, the company aims to become a leading global enterprise of the era. *After accounting standard changes.