For Japanese Workers, "Work-Life Balance" Surpasses "Compensation" for the First Time as Top Reason for Leaving Jobs; "Generational Gap" in Desired Company Conditions Clarified

Randstad Corporation (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Chairman & CEO: Atsuyuki Michigami, President: Satoshi Saruya), a provider of comprehensive human resource services, is releasing the "Employer Brand Research 2026 Japan Edition," which examines the attractions and values that workers seek from companies. This survey highlights the characteristics and challenges of working in modern Japanese society, including the gap between expectations and reality regarding salary, vastly different values towards work across generations, and Japan's unique low labor mobility and barriers to remote work adoption.

"Lack of Work-Life Balance" is the Biggest Factor for Job Separation, Ranking First for the First Time For the first time, "to improve work-life balance (33%)" has surpassed "insufficient compensation," which had long been the top reason, as the decisive factor for Japanese workers leaving their companies. This was followed by "lack of interest in job content (32%)" and "poor working environment (32%)", with "insufficient compensation (31%)" ranking fourth. This indicates that workers are seeking fundamental work-life balance in their daily work, not just superficial systems, but genuine well-being and flexible working arrangements. Japan's job market remains relatively illiquid, with only 14% planning to change jobs in the first half of 2026 and 7% having actually changed jobs in the past six months, showing a generally cautious approach compared to overseas. However, the risk of resignation is high when daily work falls short of expectations, making retention a critical issue for many companies, and these results are noteworthy.

*1 Figures for "poor working environment" from 2023-2025 refer to "poor relationship with supervisor."

"Attractive Salary and Benefits" Remains the Unchallenged No. 1 Condition for Ideal Company Selection, but the Gap with Reality is a Challenge As in previous years, "attractive salary and benefits (59%)" was the top condition Japanese workers prioritize when choosing a company. This was followed closely by "good workplace atmosphere (49%)" and "work-life balance (49%)". However, when evaluating their current workplaces, "employment stability" and "work-life balance" rank high, while "salary and benefits" only rank seventh. This suggests a significant gap where companies are not adequately meeting workers' highest priority regarding compensation.

Generational Differences in Views on "Employment Stability" and Reasons for Leaving There are clear generational differences in the conditions workers seek from companies and their reasons for leaving. For instance, the importance placed on employment stability decreases with age, with 53% of Generation X valuing it compared to only 38% of Generation Z. Younger generations operate under the assumption that "the company may not protect them forever," thus they believe that "learning and growing" within their current company and enhancing their "market value (employability: skills applicable anywhere)" are crucial for achieving employment stability. Consequently, they tend to link this with "transparent and trustworthy communication" and "opportunities for learning, growth, and market value enhancement." Their values are shifting from traditional stability based on organizational continuity to adaptability for future career prospects.

Regarding reasons for leaving, Millennials are most likely to consider leaving due to "work-life balance" (36%), while Generation Z shows higher sensitivity to "insufficient compensation." Older generations, on the other hand, place more importance on factors such as "lack of interest in job content" and "deterioration of workplace atmosphere."

Social Challenges in Japan: Stagnant Remote Work and the "Job Design" Barrier Only about 20% of the workforce in Japan works remotely for at least some of the time, indicating it has not yet become a common option. The primary reason for not working remotely is "impossible due to job duties (44%)", revealing a structural challenge in Japanese companies where current job designs are based on on-site work execution.

Randstad Employer Brand Research 2026 Japan Edition Survey Overview Survey Target: 4,464 students, employed, and unemployed individuals aged 18 to 65 in Japan Survey Period: January 2026 Method: Online questionnaire (average completion time: 14 minutes) *Free download available from: https://services.randstad.co.jp/ja-jp/download/form/the-employer-brand-research-2026-report

About Randstad Corporation [Company Name] Randstad N.V. [Established] October 1960 [Representatives] Sander van 't Noordende, Jorge Vasquez [Location] Netherlands [Number of Employees] 38,480 [Revenue] 4.2537 trillion yen (23.077 billion euros) FY2025 (ended December) (World's largest in human resource services*¹) [Capital] 737.68866 billion yen (4.002 billion euros) as of end of December 2025 [Offices] 39 countries and regions worldwide [Business Description] Comprehensive human resource services [URL] https://www.randstad.com/ (Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 184.33 JPY / as of end of December 2025) *¹ Staffing Industry Analysts 2025, Ranking of Human Resource Service Companies by Revenue

About Randstad Randstad is a global leader in the human resources industry with a vision to be the world's most expert and fair talent service company. As a partner of choice for both talent and client companies, we leverage our deep understanding of the labor market and our four specialized domains (Operational, Professional, Digital, and Enterprise) to help clients achieve success by providing high-quality, diverse, and flexible workforces. We are committed to providing fair opportunities to people from all backgrounds and supporting them in remaining valuable in a rapidly changing world of work. Through the value Randstad creates, we contribute to a better world of work for everyone. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Randstad operates in 39 countries and markets, employing approximately 38,000 people. In 2025, we supported nearly 150,000 client companies and over 1.7 million working individuals, generating revenues of 23.1 billion euros. Randstad N.V. is listed on Euronext Amsterdam. For more information, please visit our website: www.randstad.com.

Awards and Recognitions - Received the highest "Gold" rating for LGBTQI+ initiatives for five consecutive years in the "PRIDE Index." - Randstad N.V. has been selected for the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI) Professional Services sector for 11 consecutive years (the only human resource services company to do so). - Received "Bronze" for the first time at the "Cancer Award 2024" (December 2024). - "D&I Award 2025"