Stopping the negative chain reaction of 'Yutai Ridatsu' (disengagement and quiet resignation) where motivation is lost.

Service LP

Service Introduction Page (External Link)

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'Employees are quitting,' 'No matter how many training sessions, the workplace doesn't change,' 'Silence in meetings,' 'No one acts proactively.'

A new partnership support service to change the 'workplace atmosphere' is launching for small businesses facing these challenges.

'EVERMODE' (Representative: Chie Ejima) will begin full-scale provision of 'Workplace Revitalization Consulting,' a consulting service that repairs the 'invisible divisions' that arise between management and employees and supports organizational revitalization, targeting small businesses with 20 or fewer employees, starting July 2026.

Background

The 2026 edition of the 'White Paper on Small and Medium Enterprises' (Small and Medium Enterprise Agency) highlights the harsh business environment surrounding small businesses. The historical yen depreciation, record-high minimum wage, and rising interest rates are widening the gap in ordinary profits between large corporations and small businesses. The white paper estimates that the number of employees in small and medium enterprises could decrease by up to 16% by 2040, making 'people issues' one of the most critical management challenges for small businesses.

However, measures such as salary improvements, enhanced benefits, and the introduction of training programs, while effective solutions, are often temporary. Considering the constantly changing business environment, they are not sufficient countermeasures. Especially in small businesses with few employees, management cannot dedicate sufficient time, leading to the neglect and accumulation of individual anxieties, dissatisfactions, and thoughts about work. By the time it's noticed, it's too late (resignation/leave of absence), and a chain reaction of resignations from there is not uncommon.

Representative Ejima has defined this phenomenon as 'Yutai Ridatsu.' It refers to a state where the atmosphere of quietly moving towards resignation, having lost purpose and suppressing emotions, becomes a trend and spreads throughout the entire organization.

This is because the essence of the problem lies not in systems or compensation, but in the 'atmosphere where true feelings cannot be expressed,' 'relationships where emotions cannot be shared,' and 'a state where the management's intentions are not conveyed,' which lead to this situation.

What is 'Yutai Ridatsu'?

A coined term referring to 'a state of quietly moving towards resignation after losing purpose, being unable to express true feelings, and suppressing emotions.'

'Yutai Ridatsu' (a play on 'Yūtai Ridatsu' - astral projection)

A 'Partnership Support Consulting' that adapts to the times, distinct from traditional 'One-Way Consulting.'

Traditionally, 'one-way consulting' was mainstream, where experts presented solutions and provided top-down guidance based on numbers and systems. This approach, with problem-solving as the goal, used specialized knowledge to present and guide towards an 'ideal state,' and has functioned effectively in easily quantifiable areas such as finance and planning.

However, as pointed out in the White Paper on Small and Medium Enterprises, while the importance of collaboration with support organizations is emphasized, traditional 'one-way consulting' is not sufficient for addressing 'problems that are difficult to visualize and verbalize,' such as emotional disconnects between management and the front lines, unspoken atmospheres, and interpersonal friction.

What is needed is support that acts as a lubricant, sitting alongside to adjust the situation, standing on-site, mediating between management and employees, and supporting organizational decision-making with flexibility and adaptability. Workplace Revitalization Consulting provides precisely this 'partnership support consulting.'

Comparison Table: Traditional vs. Current Trend

Comparison Item

Traditional 'One-Way Consulting'

Current Trend | Workplace Revitalization Consulting

'Partnership Support Consulting'

Problems Addressed

Technical problems (solvable with existing knowledge and skills)

Problems that cannot be solved with existing ways of thinking (difficult to visualize/verbalize, requiring awareness and change from those involved, unseen latent core issues)

Source of Initiative

Top-down format where the supporter presents the 'correct answer' and provides guidance from above.

Business owner takes the lead, and the supporter prompts awareness through repeated 'questioning.'

Definition of Goal

Resolution of immediate specific issues (temporary results)

Acquisition of self-sufficiency and self-transformation capabilities (gaining the ability for the company to continuously change on its own)

Created based on the 'Guidelines for Partnership Support for Business Reconstruction.'

Difference in Goals — 'Problem Resolution' or 'Acquisition of Self-Sufficiency'?

The goal of traditional consulting is to 'resolve immediate specific issues,' emphasizing 'temporary results' where experts provide knowledge and skills to guide towards an ideal state.

In contrast, partnership support aims not just for problem resolution but for the subsequent 'acquisition of self-sufficiency and self-transformation capabilities by the company.' The essence of partnership support is fostering the ability to adapt to environmental changes and continue transformation independently after the support ends.

End of Support — Is it 'Problem Resolution' or 'Until Self-Sufficiency is Confirmed'?

Traditional consulting considers support to end when the addressed problem is resolved or when the provision of specialized knowledge is complete.

Partnership support requires not only the resolution of addressed problems but also the following two conditions:

That a mechanism for self-driven PDCA cycles is established within the organization.

That voluntary activities and operations for problem-solving can be continuously undertaken by the business owner alone.

The criterion for ending support is whether the company has developed the capacity for self-reliance.

Service Features

'Workplace Revitalization Consulting' is a partnership support service that focuses on 'emotions' and 'relationships.'

What significantly differentiates this service from traditional consulting is that the consultant also stands on-site with the business owner and provides the following support:

1 Eliciting Emotions

Draws out the 'unspoken true feelings' of both management and employees in a safe environment.

2 Exploring True Feelings

Investigates the 'real issues' hidden within unspoken discomfort and unexpressed emotions.

3 Translating Emotions

Converts anger, anxiety, and silence into 'understandable words,' leading to common understanding.

4 Reconnecting Relationships

Repairs broken communication channels and guides towards a state of mutual understanding.

5 Adjusting Friction

Transforms conflicts into changes that contribute to organizational growth, rather than avoiding them.

Situations and Problems Difficult to Resolve with 'One-Way Knowledge Provision Consulting.'

Words of Expectation for 'Workplace Revitalization Consulting.'

Yumiko Kanaiwa (Representative Director, Harmonia Partners Co., Ltd. / Host, Partnership Support Juku)

Yumiko Kanaiwa

Representative Director, Harmonia Partners Co., Ltd. / Host, Partnership Support Juku

According to En-Japan's 2024 resignation reason survey, the top stated reason for resignation was 'wanting to challenge a different job,' but the top unspoken true reason was 'human relationships.' Furthermore, the Japan Team Building Association, to which I belong, points out that 'young employees leaving quickly is not the employee's problem, but an issue with the organization's structure.'

Ejima's focus on 'workplace atmosphere' and 'approach to emotions' strikes at the core of these invisible issues. Her approach, which encourages awareness in small businesses and guides management to tackle organizational issues with genuine understanding, rather than unilaterally imposing solutions, is a wonderful embodiment of the 'process consultation' advocated by the government in practice.

I sincerely hope that many small businesses struggling with the division between management and employees will regain their original organizational strength through Ejima's partnership support.

《Profile》Provides hands-on partnership support for management issues such as human resources, organizational, and sales/profit improvement in small and medium enterprises. Worked with former SME Agency Director General Kakuno to promote 'Partnership Support for Business Reconstruction.' Advisor for the Small and Medium Enterprise Organization (Problem-Setting Support OJT Program), Expert (Human Resources Coach) for the Tokyo SME Support Center, Member of the Japan Team Building Association.

Service Details/Courses

Three courses are offered depending on the company's situation.

INTAKE / Analysis Course ¥60,000/month (tax included) — A course aimed at visualizing the causes and problems of the situation and temporarily restoring the organization.

Contents: Individual employee interviews, dialogue reconstruction support, feedback to management, provision of issue analysis report.

REBUILD / Reconstruction Course ¥100,000/month (tax included) — A course aimed at rebuilding relationships and changing habits.

Contents: In addition to INTAKE contents, includes follow-up interviews with managers, in-depth organizational analysis, and improvement roadmap design.

GLOW / Growth Course ¥150,000/month (tax included) — A course aimed at redesigning and establishing organizational culture and further growth.

Contents: In addition to REBUILD contents, includes regular management sessions, individual life design support, and training/workshops.

Additionally,

- Spot Consultation (2 hours) - Free Workplace Diagnosis (2-3 hours)

are also available.

Representative's Comment

Consulting that Searches for and Solves Answers Together

The trigger was a remark from a certain business owner: 'No one mediates between me and my staff. When I talk to them, they don't look up, and I don't even get proper reports. It's impossible for them to do what tax accountants and social insurance labor consultants tell me to do. If I could, I would have done it already. If someone could just step in between us, even just a little, and act as a mediator...' This was his murmur.

Chie Ejima

Upon receiving the opportunity, I verbalized the management's intentions and conveyed them to the employees. Next, I probed and articulated the unspoken thoughts of the employees, and then conveyed them back to management. I then presented the gap between this and the 'ideal workplace' that emerged, and discussed how to bridge it with management, repeating this process. As a result, the workplace changed rapidly in a short period. Witnessing the transformation into a state where the management and staff created excellent teamwork was a moment when I realized that 'process consultation,' which prompts awareness and self-driven action from management through questioning, rather than traditional 'consulting focused on providing expert knowledge,' was the 'partnership support consulting' appropriate for the current era.

My consulting is not about 'providing expert knowledge.' I am not a 'management knowledge professional' from a big firm, nor a 'psychology professional' who handles people's hearts. I am simply a person who has experienced facing and listening to over 2,000 people in real life through counseling and matchmaking support services, and who has experienced firsthand that 'answers vary infinitely.'

'Knowledge provision' assumes that 'the answer already exists, and a solution already exists.' However, in reality, in relationships between people, 'there are almost no situations where the answer is already apparent.'

I prioritize 'the infinite variety of people' and start by asking, 'What signals are you emitting?' From there, it leads into a world of numerous branches and unknowns that cannot be understood with knowledge alone, starting from the words spoken by that person. It's a path that must be taken one step at a time, carefully.

But I, Ejima, do not fear this.

I feel that various factors such as generational gaps, changes in lifestyles and behaviors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the rapid advancement of AI are making people increasingly 'poor communicators.'

If someone needs to stand between us as we both become 'poor communicators,' I want to be that person.

If asked what kind of service is highly personalized, I would answer that it is precisely this 'Workplace Revitalization Consulting.'

I believe that what truly connects people is not evidence from vast data, but the ability to feel in real-time, in that moment, the expressions of the person in front of me, the words they speak, the words they don't speak, their feelings, and the atmosphere they exude.

Azusa Kikukawa (Representative Director, Sakura Cotton Co., Ltd. / Representative, Marimo Design Factory)

Because Ejima carefully picks up on even my small, casual words, I can realize, 'Ah, the problem behind this was here.' It's truly reassuring as a business owner that she delves into and organizes not just surface-level talk, but also my thoughts about employees and my own emotions. I feel like I'm proceeding with my own understanding, rather than being given instructions. My time with Ejima is a great strength, indispensable for building my ideal company.

《Profile》Born in Hokkaido. Experienced work in a stationery design manufacturer and the travel industry. Founded Sakura Cotton Co., Ltd. (Ehime Prefecture) to develop cooling products for Imabari towels. In 2022, established Marimo Design Factory LLC, a manufacturer of Hokkaido-made products.

Azusa Kikukawa (Representative Director, Sakura Cotton Co., Ltd. / Representative, Marimo Design Factory)

Representative Introduction

Chie Ejima

After working at INAX Corporation (now LIXIL), she gained diverse experience in salon management, human resource development, counseling, seminar instruction, and support for NPOs and IT companies. Over approximately 8 years, she has been involved in counseling and coaching for over 2,000 people and has also provided matchmaking support. Through her on-site experience, she realized that 'the workplace atmosphere, not systems, drives an organization,' and launched the 'Workplace Revitalization Consulting' business specializing in small businesses.

Her motto is 'Reality over Theory.' She faces the true feelings of both management and employees to support the fundamental revitalization of 'people' and 'organizations.'

Born in 1971, Virgo, lives in Tokai City with her husband, eldest daughter, eldest son, and second daughter, a family of five.

Inquiries regarding this matter

Business Name: EVERMODE

Representative: Chie Ejima

Address: Mayon Bldg. 2F, 4-17-3 Meieki, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya City, 450-0002

Tokai Office: Maison de Egawa 4F, 1-127 Kagiya-cho, Tokai City, Aichi Prefecture, 477-0032

MAIL: ejimachie@shokubasaisei.com

Business Service Website: Workplace Revitalization Consulting Official Website https://shokubasaisei.com/

Please inquire via the contact form on the website or the email address above.

This year, we are receiving partnership support from the 'Nagoya City New Business Support Center' established by the Public Interest Foundation Nagoya Industrial Advancement Center. Nagoya City New Business Center: https://www.nipc.or.jp/new-biz

FACT BOX

  • Source: PR TIMES
  • Category: サービス開始
  • Organizations: EVERMODE