3 職業能力開発からみた今後の雇用形態 : 「多様な正社員」を求めて(I 共通論題=現代日本の失業)

• Published in: 社会政策学会誌 Vol. 10; pp. 43 - 62
• Main Author: 久本, 憲夫
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: 社会政策学会 2003; Japan Association for Social Policy Studies
• ISSN: 2433-1384
• DOI: 10.24533/ssgs.10.0_43

Long-term, stable employment gives great benefits to both employees and employers. Employees earn steady incomes, while employers secure human resources that are critical to win in worldwide competition. It is important to maintain and promote the 'normal' employment (sei-shain) system. But this employment arrangement is now under heavy pressure to change because of a serious depression in Japan. How is it possible to maintain the system in the increasing diversity of employment relationships? In this paper, I discuss what employment policies can and should be taken by the employers. Three general policies are proposed. First, employers should change the base for calculation of overtime allowances. The base is now only on monthly pay. But, because semiannual bonuses and other fringe benefits are substantial, overtime premiums are actually minus, even if they are theoretically plus. If the calculation is based on real labor costs, daily overtime work will substantially decrease. This will result in more working hours for employees and increased normal employment. Second, employers should offer a stable employment policy for young people. There are already arrangements such as the introduction-scheduled dispatch (shokai-yotei-haken) or the trial-employment (toraiaru-koyoh). But more positive measures should be taken. We, for instance, should start the discussion about work sharing between generations. Third, and most important, employers should promote a system which permits diverse statuses within normal employment. The current single normal employee status requires a high commitment that enterprises demand from employees. Many of the employees simply cannot devote themselves that way because of their private lives with their families. The new system, which permits assorted arrangements of normal employment, will be able to satisfy diverse groups of employees with different life styles.