A Tokyo-based software company has taken a novel approach to recruitment by involving candidates’ parents in the hiring process.

According to The Asahi Shimbun daily paper on Feb 15, software firm K.K. Ashisuto held a seminar on Dec 15, 2023, inviting not only prospective employees but also their parents to get a comprehensive look at the company.

This initiative is part of a broader strategy to ensure job offers are accepted and to reduce early turnover among new hires.

The event, a first of its kind for the firm, was attended by 17 young job candidates and 26 parents.

Mr Shuma Sasaki, a 22-year-old student, and his parents were among the attendees.

His father, a 50-year-old civil servant, told Asahi Shimbun that he was proud his son had received a job offer from the company, noting the politeness of the employees and the cleanliness of the office.

The 17 job candidates will be graduating from their respective universities and starting work at the company this spring.

The Asahi Shimbun reported the orientation lasted three and a half hours, and included a greeting from the company president, employee discussions, an office tour and a social gathering.

Similar events took place in Osaka and Nagoya, with K.K. Ashisuto covering travel and accommodation costs for participants who opted to sign up at branch offices in those cities.

The push to include parents in the recruitment process is in response to the tight labour market and the power it grants new graduates in choosing their employers.

Mr Masahiro Hayashi, a corporate officer at K.K. Ashisuto, mentioned in an interview with Asahi Shimbun that the catalyst for this seminar was the loss of a potential employee whose parents had favoured another job offer from a major infrastructure company.

The recruitment landscape has seen a significant shift, with companies increasingly seeking parental approval for their children’s employment decisions.

A survey by Mynavi, which operates recruitment websites, found that out of 1,000 respondents who are parents, more than half – 52.4 per cent – were approached by companies for approval, a substantial rise from 2018.

Furthermore, the survey highlighted that parents are keenly interested in their children’s job hunts, with many assisting in the application process. The involvement ranges from proofreading to writing application forms.

However, there are concerns about the potential downsides of this trend.

Professor Michiko Nishino of family sociology at Tokyo’s Toyo University said parents may be motivated by the desire to ensure their child’s financial independence.

“If a child fails to find a job and cannot become financially independent, the burden on the parents will continue,” said Prof Nishino, adding that parents may want to reduce the risk with pensions also decreasing.

She also warned that some companies might exploit parental consent to justify stressful work environments.

“When an employee finds the workplace too stressful, the company could justify it by saying: ‘We explained it to your parents, didn’t we?’ Such a justification must be prevented.”