Young employees in their 20s: The top reason for not acting proactively is 'because it would just increase my workload'

Hello everyone☀️ or good evening🌉
This is Kin-jo✨

I'd like to share an article that reminded me of when I was a new employee🤔

Nobody likes having extra, unnecessary work added to their plate, right?😫
I don't like it either lol

I think this trend is strong, not just among young people🤔

In Japanese companies, there's a strong tendency that if you act proactively, you'll just be told, 'Since you're the one doing it, you should handle it,' right?😣

It seems there's a saying in Japanese companies: 'The one who speaks up loses.'😣

This is the implicit understanding that if you propose something or speak up in a meeting, you'll be told, 'Since you proposed it, you should be the one to lead it.' As a result, the person who spoke up ends up bearing the heavy responsibility—it's truly 'the one who speaks up loses.'😱

I don't think every company is like this, but overseas, it seems that instead of the proposer or speaker bearing the heavy responsibility, everyone on the spot thinks about how to build on it and assigns roles to the whole team to move forward. This leads to more active opinions and allows for new things to be taken on more readily, doesn't it?🤔

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/b328a3ee1299b913731c4a5c62d9eee656dacb6b

Article Summary
The survey was conducted online in early February 2023, targeting 1,300 men and women in their 20s living in Tokyo.

When asked why they didn't act proactively, those who answered that they had 'had an experience where they didn't execute an idea they had' at their workplace or in their work, the most common reason was 'because it would just increase my workload' (38.5%).
This was followed by responses such as 'because I wasn't confident I could execute it myself' (31.0%), 'because I would stand out or feel like an outsider' (15.4%), and 'because I felt I would be scolded by my boss or seniors or not thought of well' (12.6%).

Next, when asked what was expected of them at the end of their first year as a full-time employee, responses included 'being able to do work without mistakes' (25.3%), 'being able to handle work alone without receiving instructions from bosses or seniors' (22.1%), and 'being able to advance work while getting help from those around me' (19.1%).

From these results, it seems young employees might be feeling the current reality where they can't speak up even if they want to💦

When you're a new hire, you're often just trying to keep up with learning the job, after all😅

AI Analysis
It is interesting that the most common reason for not acting proactively was 'because it would just increase my workload.'

This indicates that many people are worried about increased workloads or the burden of tasks outside their scope.
It may be necessary to think about effective task management and methods for distributing work within the organization.

The response 'because I wasn't confident I could execute it myself' was also cited by a certain percentage.
Since a lack of confidence is a factor that limits action, support and training programs that promote individual growth and self-esteem are important.

It is interesting that 'to earn a reward' and 'to grow myself' were at the top of the work values for prospective employees.
It can be seen that the younger generation has a high interest in rewards and opportunities for growth. By providing attractive reward systems and career development plans, organizations may be able to improve motivation and engagement.

Regarding learning opportunities, it is shown that there is a difference in participation rates among full-time employees, especially between the first and third years.
By providing training and learning opportunities in the early stages, employees' skills can be improved and their contribution to the organization can be increased.
From these survey results, a certain trend regarding the work styles and work consciousness of the younger generation can be seen.

Companies and organizations need to provide flexible work environments and career development programs to respond to these needs and challenges, and place importance on employee growth and ease of working.

I think this accurately analyzes the tendencies of young people today🧐

It's just a trend, so it doesn't apply to everyone, of course😅

Next, I asked the AI this❗️
'What can be done to avoid placing heavy responsibility on the person who makes a proposal in a meeting?'

To ensure that those who make proposals in meetings are not burdened with heavy responsibilities, the following approaches are effective: Emphasizing collaboration: Clearly communicate that proposals are not individual responsibilities but part of a collective effort by the team or organization. Emphasize that cooperation and support from other members are necessary, showing that the proposer does not have to bear all the responsibility alone. Providing feedback and support: Actively provide feedback and support to those who make proposals. By having other members add their opinions and suggestions to the idea and jointly exploring better solutions, responsibility can be distributed. Sharing risks: Discuss the risks and challenges of a proposal openly and recognize them as everyone's issues. It is important to share risks and develop countermeasures as a team rather than having one proposer bear all the risks and responsibilities. Building a support system: Establish an appropriate support system to assist the proposer. By having other members take on roles and responsibilities to support the proposer and providing necessary resources and information, you can avoid placing too much burden on one person. Sharing and evaluating results: Share and evaluate the results and outcomes of proposals with the entire team. Regardless of success or failure, position them as the team's joint effort and responsibility, showing that the proposer does not need to bear the responsibility alone. Through these approaches, you can create an environment where you can work as a team's collective effort without placing heavy responsibilities on the proposer. The important thing is to create an environment where proposers can feel safe sharing their ideas and to foster a culture of cooperation and support.

After all, it is about having a common understanding through a team-based approach and properly distributing risks, isn't it? 🤔

Thank you for watching until the end. 😊