2025 Volume 39 Issue 2 Pages 3-15
This study empirically examines turnover trends in Japan's manufacturing sector by analyzing firm-level human resource data, focusing on work–life balance (WLB) factors. Facing challenges such as globalization, demographic shifts, and technological advancement, Japanese manufacturers are experiencing higher workforce mobility. Using multivariate regression analysis, we investigate the relationship between employee turnover rates and WLB indicators, including annual working hours, paid leave utilization rates, parental leave acquisition rates, training hours, and mental health leave rates. Our findings show that longer working hours are significantly associated with lower turnover rates, suggesting paradoxical effects whereby prolonged work hours may stabilize employment. Meanwhile, WLB initiatives such as paid leave or parental leave policies do not show a consistent impact on turnover rates. Furthermore, company size and profitability are identified as more stable determinants of turnover trends. These results imply that structural corporate factors, rather than WLB policies alone, play a crucial role in employee retention in the manufacturing industry. Future research should incorporate more detailed data on employment practices and organizational culture to deepen the understanding of turnover behaviors.
