No workplace can achieve 100% satisfaction. The goal is to reach the greatest common denominator.


 Read the original article (in Japanese):「とうとうウチにも来たよ…」突然鳴った“退職代行”からの電話 驚き→困惑→反省経て社長が進めた社内改革 | 東海テレビNEWS


Introduction: Using a Resignation Agency Is No Longer “Abnormal”

“The employee quit using a resignation agency.”

This kind of news still surprises and unsettles many managers and HR professionals.

But resignation agencies are no longer something unusual or unacceptable. In an age where you can resign with a single LINE message, tools like these serve to process all the emotional barriers—awkwardness, fear, distrust, hassle—on behalf of the employee.

What matters is not the use of a resignation agency, but the simple fact that an employee has left the company.

From Showa to Reiwa: A Seismic Shift in Employment Values

In Japan’s past, companies operated under the assumption of lifetime employment.
When the job market was underdeveloped, workers had little choice but to stay where they were.

But things are different in the Reiwa era.
Side jobs and career changes have become common, and company reputations are easily visible through social media. Workers are now the ones choosing companies—not the other way around.

If someone doesn’t want to stay, they leave. That’s not betrayal—it’s a natural decision.
Resignation agencies are a product of this mindset and system, and there's nothing abnormal about it.

If a company fails to accept this change, a major gap will emerge between the values of modern workers and outdated corporate assumptions. That’s the real issue.

What’s Truly Needed: A Relationship Built on Mutual Trust

Of course, it’s a significant loss for a company when an employee quits.
Hiring costs, training time, team balance—all are affected.

So it’s understandable that companies don’t want to lose people.
But when that desire becomes excessive, it backfires.

If companies become afraid to give feedback, loosen rules too much, or pander to employees, the workplace loses its sense of purpose—and high-performing people will start leaving.

What’s needed now isn’t control, but conviction.

To build that, companies must clearly communicate:

  • Their overarching mission (Where are we headed?)

  • The process to achieve it (How do we operate?)

  • Each employee’s role (What is expected of you?)

Clarifying these three pillars is the foundation of trust.
A company must first maintain and grow its business, generate profit, and responsibly return that value to its employees.
On top of that, leaders must engage in honest dialogue to help people understand why their work matters in this organization.

A Company’s Expanding Responsibilities: The Trade-Offs of a Free Society

In Reiwa-era Japan, simply being profitable isn’t enough.

  • Legal compliance and labor practices

  • ESG accountability

  • Flexible working styles and psychological safety

All of these must be addressed simultaneously.

During the Showa era, lifetime employment created a sense of unity and allowed for enforced conformity.
But today’s society is freer—and therefore more complex, diverse, and sensitive.

That’s why companies shouldn’t try to please everyone, but instead aim to build an environment where as many people as possible feel genuine understanding and purpose.

Conclusion: People Will Leave—So Aim for the Greatest Common Denominator

No matter how well a company builds its systems or improves its culture, people will still leave.
Differences in values, personal circumstances, and alternative paths cannot be denied.

The question is not how to stop people from leaving entirely, but how to create a workplace that reduces the need to leave.

  • Give guidance. Encourage growth.

  • Share profits. Communicate purpose.

  • And when it still doesn’t work—don’t force them to stay.

Just as there is no TV show with 100% viewer ratings, there is no workplace that can satisfy everyone.

But you can build an environment where many say, “I want to work here.”

What companies should aim for is the greatest common denominator: not a workplace that pleases everyone, but one where the majority can work with purpose and agreement.


Read in Japanese↓

退職代行が当たり前になった時代に、企業が目指すべき職場とは？（2025.6.23）

Read more articles (in Japanese)↓

企業の浅い魂胆はＺ世代に見抜かれている（2025.6.20）

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