Telecommunications

    In the telecommunications field, there is a low percentage of females, and the numbers of middle-aged and elderly workers are low (Fig. 48). The percentages of regular employees and regular staff are higher than for all industries combined. Because a large number of younger people are employed in telecommunications, the average number of years of continuous employment is low. However, this does not mean that labour mobility is especially high as the accession-separation rate is low. In terms of working conditions, wages are high, reflecting the high educational level of employees in this field (Fig. 49). Also, non-scheduled working hours are long.
    An important issue for telecommunications is how to further raise the professional knowledge and skill levels of workers regarding technological innovations, etc. Companies must eliminate the problem of long working hours in order obtain workers. Other important issues include making greater use of middle-aged and elderly workers and females, against the backdrop of an aging society with fewer children.

Medical and Social Welfare

    In the medical and social welfare field, there is a high percentage of females, and an especially high ratio of younger people (Fig. 50). The percentage of female non-regular employees and non-regular staff is low in the job world as a whole. However, the percentage of non-regular middle-aged female workers is relatively high in the welfare field. The average number of years of continuous employment is generally low due to the large number of new entrants. In addition, wages for university graduates in the welfare field are relatively low (Fig. 51). Also, average working hours are relatively low.
    The biggest problem in the medical and social welfare field is obtaining enough workers. As costs related to social security will increase in the future, it will be important to achieve greater efficiency in operations in order to provide satisfactory working conditions and obtain the required numbers of workers.

Education and Recreation

    In the education and recreation field, the percentage of females is relatively high, and the percentage of regular employees and regular staff is low except in school education and travel. In the recreation field, the percentage of younger workers is relatively high in entertainment, while the percentage of middle-aged and elderly workers is relatively high in the hotel industry (Fig. 52). In addition, the average number of years of continuous employment is low, while the accession-separation rate is high. Thus labour mobility is relatively high. In terms of working conditions, wages are high and average working hours are short in education. In recreation, however, wages are low (Fig. 53) and average working hours are long, especially in the hotel industry.
    Working conditions in the recreation field need to be improved. Challenges include obtaining workers and improving worker retention. At the same time, it is important that personnel management be balanced in dealing with employees hired from other jobs and nonregular workers. In education, there will likely be a growing need for systematized and planned personnel education as lifelong learning needs to become increasingly sophisticated and diverse.

Business Support

    In the business support field, the situation for specialized services is different from that of other business services. In both cases, the percentage of females is low. However, the specialized services industry is distinguished by a high percentage of regular employees and regular staff, a high level of education (Fig. 54), and a high percentage of younger workers (Fig. 55). This industry is also characterized by a high average number of years of continuous employment and a high level of retention. In terms of working conditions in specialized services, wages are high (Fig. 56) and there has been progress in instituting a five-day work week. In contrast, other business services have a high percentage of non-regular employees and non-regular staff, and a high percentage of middle-aged and elderly workers (Fig. 55). These industries are also characterized by a low average number of years of continuous employment and a high accession-separation rate. Working conditions in general are poor (Fig. 56).

    In the business support field, the specialized services industry faces the challenge of making greater use of middle-aged and elderly workers as an aging society with fewer children emerges. Other issues include support for new technologies and providing education and training. In contrast, other business services face the challenge of improving worker retention, and need to improve working conditions.