Survey on Work Styles of Female Consultants and SEs: Over 70% Desire Flexible Work for "Mental and Physical Health/Work-Life Balance"; Approximately 47% of Reduced-Hour Workers Aspire to Career Advancement to "PM or Higher"

Life & Works Co., Ltd., a consulting firm for individuals with work-hour constraints, conducted a "Survey on Work Styles of Female Consultants and SEs" targeting female consultants and system engineers. Currently, the shortage of IT talent in Japan is becoming increasingly severe, with a projected deficit of up to approximately 790,000 people by 2030. Among these, preventing turnover and ensuring career continuity for highly specialized female consultants and system engineers is an urgent issue for maintaining the competitiveness of Japanese companies. Additionally, with the phased implementation of the "Revised Childcare and Family Care Leave Act" from April 2025, which expands measures to enable flexible work during childcare periods, companies are increasingly required to create an environment where individuals can easily choose their working hours and locations. However, flexible work has often been discussed in the context of "balancing childcare and family care," and challenges remained regarding the psychological hurdles on the ground and the actual operation of systems when it came to balancing career development. Our company conducted this survey to clarify the realities and needs of how female professionals can balance "mental and physical health" with "responsible careers." The survey targeted 500 active female consultants and SEs in their 20s to 40s, examining their current work styles, desired work styles, reasons for seeking flexible work, psychological hurdles when using systems, conditions desired in the workplace, and future career visions. The occupational breakdown of respondents was IT consultants 18.6%, business/management/other consultants 11.4%, and system engineers 70.0%. The survey results revealed that for female consultants and SEs, flexible work is not limited to responding to specific life events such as childcare or family care, but is sought as a foundation for maintaining mental and physical health, enhancing expertise, and continuing to work long-term. It also became clear that while there is a segment that desires flexible work and aspires to career advancement, those who actually utilize the system tend to feel more hesitant towards colleagues and anxious about career development. Companies are required not only to establish systems but also to create an environment where flexible work can be utilized without hesitation and where growth opportunities are available regardless of work style. Survey Result Summary The most common reason for desiring flexible work was "to maintain mental and physical health and work-life balance" at 70.5%. Approximately 47% of those currently utilizing reduced hours aspire to career advancement to PM or higher. Among those actually utilizing reduced hours, 32.4% felt hesitant or guilty towards colleagues, and 30.9% felt anxious about career path limitations. The conditions desired for long-term work were "a culture where one can work without hesitation" at 49.6% and "a system that allows flexible changes to work styles" at 46.6%. When work styles can be changed, 46.0% desired changes on a "monthly basis." Comparison with 2023 Survey Challenges in flexible work shifted from "lack of employment opportunities" to "post-system implementation operation and culture." In a 2023 survey conducted by our group targeting female consultants, approximately 75% of female consultants desired some form of reduced hours, while only 4.1% of active female consultants were actually working reduced hours, revealing a scarcity of employment opportunities based on flexible work. This current survey targeted active female consultants and SEs to confirm the work styles they desire to continue working and the psychological and career-related hurdles they feel when utilizing systems. The results showed that the need for flexible work is diversifying beyond reduced hours to include full remote, hybrid work, and three-day workweeks. Furthermore, similar to the 2023 survey, this current survey also confirmed that those who desire flexible work are positive about career development. However, this survey also revealed that those who actually utilize the system tend to feel more hesitant towards colleagues and anxious about career paths, indicating that for flexible work to function effectively, not only the presence of systems but also their operation, including evaluation, placement, and organizational climate, is crucial. The most common reason for desiring flexible work was "mental and physical health/work-life balance" at 70.5%.