In Japan's corporate culture, a new term, 'white hara,' is gaining traction, referring to the phenomenon where supervisors refrain from assigning meaningful work to their subordinates. This behavior, which may appear considerate on the surface, ultimately limits employees' growth opportunities.
According to a report by the Sankei Shimbun on July 3, instances of 'white hara' have begun to emerge as managers, concerned about overburdening their staff, assign only minimal tasks or avoid giving them responsibilities altogether.
A survey conducted by the employment information company Mynavi at the end of last year revealed that 13.6% of 1,446 regular employees aged 20 to 50, who joined their companies within the past year, reported experiencing 'white hara.' Among those who had such experiences, 71.4% expressed a desire to change jobs within the next year, a figure 23.3 percentage points higher than those who had not experienced it.
Experts suggest that dissatisfaction can arise when the organization's intention to avoid overburdening employees clashes with the employees' desire for growth. Reports indicate that some employees are secretly working extra hours outside of company time as labor hour management becomes stricter.
Suntory Holdings has acknowledged that excessive consideration for subordinates can inadvertently hinder their growth opportunities and is currently conducting related internal training.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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