The Blind Spot of Human Capital Management is 'Individual Will': Approx. 80% Acknowledge Importance of Individual Vision, Yet Concrete Execution Lags - A Gap Between Executive Perception and Reality

In recent years, as human capital management has gained increasing attention, the importance of management that originates from 'people' for the sustainable growth of companies is becoming widely recognized. Among other things, the penetration of corporate philosophy and its connection with the values and vision of each individual employee is an important theme when considering future organizational management.

On the other hand, to what extent is human capital management actually understood and executed in the actual management field?

Tsumugi Co., Ltd. (Location: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director: Ryo Maeda), which supports companies to become 'good companies' through services such as HR consulting and public relations support, recently conducted an 'Awareness Survey on Human Capital Management' targeting executives and corporate officers.

As a result, it became clear that while the recognition of human capital management itself and the understanding of its significance are progressing, and there is a high awareness of the importance of corporate philosophy and individual vision, only a minority of companies are executing them as specific initiatives.

Survey Overview

Target: Executives and corporate officers

Period: April 6 - April 13, 2026

Method: Internet survey

Valid responses: 478

Survey Results Summary

This survey revealed that while the recognition and understanding of human capital management are advancing, initiatives to connect individual visions with corporate philosophies are not progressing sufficiently.

About 90% answered that human capital management is 'important'

Reasons for the importance of human capital management include 'retention of human resources,' 'improvement of business performance,' 'formation of organizational culture,' and 'improvement of recruitment capabilities,' and the respondents' awareness aligns with national guidelines

About 90% of respondents answered that 'corporate philosophy is important in human capital management.'

Regarding 'the vision of the individual is important in human capital management,' about 80% answered 'important.'

On the other hand, companies working on 'understanding individual visions and connecting them with philosophy' remain at about 25%

These results suggest that in human capital management, there is a gap between 'recognition of importance' and 'execution,' and in particular, initiatives to connect 'individual Will' with the organization are an often-overlooked issue.

Understanding of human capital management is steadily progressing

First, to the question, 'Do you think human capital management is important for future management?', about 90% answered 'important.'

From this result, it can be seen that among executives and officers, the recognition that human capital management is an important theme for the sustainable growth of companies is widely penetrating.

Human capital management is an approach that positions human resources not merely as a cost, but as capital that enhances corporate value. In recent years, it has been increasingly featured by the government and media, suggesting that its position as an important management theme is taking root.

Next, when asked about 'the reasons why human capital management is important,' the main answers included 'retention of human resources,' 'improvement of business performance,' 'formation of organizational culture,' and 'improvement of recruitment capabilities.'

These results also overlap with the purpose of human capital management shown in various guidelines, including those from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, indicating that many executives correctly understand its significance.

In other words, it can be said that regarding human capital management, not only is it recognized as important, but a certain level of understanding is also progressing, including the background of 'why it is necessary.'

The key to human capital management: 'The overlap of the company's philosophy and the individual's vision.' Many recognize it as important

Also, to the question, 'Do you think the corporate philosophy and vision are important in human capital management?', about 90% answered 'important.'

From this result, it can be seen that many executives believe that philosophy plays an important role in sharing the direction and judgment criteria as a company.

Corporate philosophy is not a mere slogan, but a foundation indicating what the organization aims for and what values it cherishes. The recognition that this foundation is necessary when promoting human capital management seems to be already widely shared.

Furthermore, to the question, 'Is the vision of each individual employee important in human capital management?', about 80% answered 'important.'

From this result, it was found that many executives recognize that when promoting human capital management, not only the corporate philosophy but also internal elements such as 'what values the individual has and what direction they are aiming for' are important.

This suggests an emphasis on the perspective of 'how to design the relationship between the individual and the organization,' rather than the conventional idea of 'fitting people to the organization.'

About 75% of companies answered that they do not implement initiatives related to 'individual vision'

On the other hand, regarding whether they grasp the vision of each employee or implement initiatives to align philosophy with individual values.