HR Tech Service 'Willoop' Begins Academic Guidance Partnership with University Professors

Introduction

The reason most people quit their jobs is not a lack of ability, but a 'lack of alignment with the organization.'

However, there has not yet been a well-established standard for measuring that alignment—cultural fit.

Most initiatives have relied on 'universal measurement standards' that capture humans in general, such as their personality or values that permeate their entire lives. But the values and personalities people display in a 'working context' differ from their true selves.

ForTwo Co., Ltd. (HQ: 12-12 Osaka Station Building No. 2, 1-2-2 Umeda, Kita-ku, Osaka; CEO: Miyu Takamoto), which operates the organizational synergy support service 'Willoop,' has started a partnership with social psychologist Professor Kaichiro Furuya and other university professors for technical consultation and academic guidance. The company is committed to creating a measurement scale that captures cultural fit from both value and personality aspects, specializing in the context of 'working.'

What Willoop aims for is not a 'lukewarm' workplace where everyone can pass the time without friction. It is a state where the organization and individuals face the same direction and grow together. Based on this research, the goal is not only to resolve hiring mismatches but to enhance the organization's 'synergy' to realize its ideals (mission and vision).

Background: The Limitations of Japanese Working Styles and Organizations That Have Valued 'Endurance'

In Japan, there is a culture that has valued 'endurance'—not speaking up even when feeling uncomfortable and conforming to the given environment. Many people have chosen to keep their true desires to themselves and endure their present roles.

This strain is now manifesting as 'early turnover.'

About 30% of new university graduates leave their companies within three years of joining (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, 2025, 'Turnover Status of New Graduates (March 2022 Graduates)': 33.8% for university graduates).

Furthermore, about one in four people (26.1%) leave their jobs citing that 'the company culture did not match' (Staff Service Holdings Co., Ltd., 2025, 'Consciousness Survey of Young People Who Left Full-time Jobs within Less Than 3 Years of Graduation').

Mismatch in values—cultural mismatch is a major reason people leave companies.

However, the real issue to face is not just the surfaced turnover numbers.

According to one survey, about 60% (58.8%) of people have 'thought about quitting their jobs' (Recruit Management Solutions Co., Ltd., 2023, 'Factual Survey on Early Turnover of New and Young Employees').

Even now, many people currently working in companies are enduring feelings of discomfort, suppressing their true feelings, and spending every day unable to show their true selves.

Whether they have quit or are enduring it without quitting, their hearts are not fully contributing to the organization's strength.

If members in the company are working while suppressing their true selves, can the organization really reach the future it wants to achieve? We believe this is the most deep-rooted problem organizations currently face.

'Workability' and 'fulfillment' have been discussed based on intuition until now. Willoop aims to rethink this based on research.

Overview of Industry-Academia Collaboration: Building a Measure for Cultural Fit Specialized in 'Working'

The focus of this collaboration is to newly research and develop a measurement scale that captures cultural fit from both 'values in work' and 'personality activated in the workplace,' tailored to the Japanese context.

This is not an application of universal value theories or a general personality test.

It is the creation of a standard for cultural fit specialized in the context of 'working.'