i-k ot to Launch “Madaikeru,” a Project to Prevent Young Employee Turnover, on May 18, 2026

i-k ot Inc. (Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Representative Directors: Mariko Ukiyo and Kazutoshi Matsuishi; hereinafter “i-k ot”) announced that it will launch “Madaikeru,” a project designed to prevent turnover among young employees, starting May 18, 2026. As attention to human capital management continues to grow, supporting the retention of young employees and addressing mental health have become important management issues for many companies. According to the “Employment Turnover Status of Newly Graduated Workers” published by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in October 2025, the turnover rate within three years among newly graduated employees remains high. The first-year turnover rate for university graduates is 12.1%, meaning roughly one in ten leaves within the first year after joining a company. The period from after Golden Week through around June is considered a time when stress caused by adapting to a new environment and changes in workplace relationships tends to surface. Cases of physical and mental discomfort or reduced motivation, commonly referred to as “May blues” or “June blues,” may also appear, requiring companies to respond to changes in young employees’ condition. A Mynavi survey found that more than half of full-time employees felt a decline in work motivation after Golden Week. In addition, about half of people in their 20s considering a job change had experienced May blues, citing “interpersonal relationships” as a contributing factor. Many companies have already introduced various measures, including one-on-one meetings, regular interviews, mental health training, internal consultation desks, and stress check programs. Even so, early turnover and mental health issues continue to occur, suggesting the difficulty of creating an environment where employees can safely share their true feelings. In a 2024 en Japan survey of 4,658 people with resignation experience, 54% said they did not tell their company the real reason for leaving. The most common reason was “I thought they would not understand even if I told them” (46%). A doda survey also found that many employees had already made up their minds by the time they communicated their intention to resign, with only 11.7% saying they had wanted the company to persuade them to stay. These findings indicate that companies need mechanisms to identify worries and anxieties early and connect employees to consultation support, rather than waiting until resignation intentions become visible. Against this backdrop, i-k ot is launching “Madaikeru,” a project that aims to detect the concerns and anxieties young employees have before they reach the point of saying they want to quit, and to help prevent turnover. By having independent third-party specialists respond to consultations, the project provides opportunities for psychologically safe consultation and supports companies in creating environments where employees can speak honestly. “Madaikeru” will provide initiatives that allow young employees to talk safely at any time, 24 hours a day. Before full-scale corporate rollout, free consultations will be offered broadly to young employees from May 18 to June 30, 2026 (planned). The free consultation service will use a hybrid approach combining human support and counselor AI. The counselor AI, supervised by psychological counselors and mental trainers, has learned counseling expertise for preventing employee turnover and can provide support that goes beyond superficial empathy toward problem solving. Human consultations will be handled by psychological counselors experienced in turnover-prevention counseling for companies. The consultation environment will be provided under the supervision and cooperation of the Japan Federation of Psychological Professions, a nonprofit industry association for psychological counselors. Free consultation overview: the service period is planned for May 18 to June 30, 2026, though dates may change. The organizer is i-k ot Inc., with supervision and cooperation from the Japan Federation of Psychological Professions. The service targets young employees in their first to third year after joining a company. Services include 24/7/365 chat consultation via counseling AI and live chat consultation with psychological counselors, planned daily from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. during the first month after launch. Users can access all services by registering for the LINE official account “Motivation - Kokorogoto LINE,” operated by the Japan Federation of Psychological Professions. Live chat consultations will use a secure system to provide a safe consultation environment. i-k ot is also seeking companies interested in supporting the young employee turnover prevention project “Madaikeru.” i-k ot Inc. was founded on April 1, 2026, with the philosophy of making preventive mental healthcare part of social infrastructure by connecting psychological counseling and technology. The company aims to visualize the daily changing condition of employees and organizations, maximize individual potential, and support improved productivity across organizations. By introducing continuous and objective approaches to talent management, which has traditionally relied heavily on experience and intuition, the company seeks to contribute to sustainable organizational operations. Rather than responding only after problems occur, i-k ot focuses on a preventive approach that helps employees maintain their condition in everyday life, evolving the very nature of HR and management. Through this, the company aims to create a new standard for organizations that balances employee wellbeing with corporate growth. While using advanced technologies including AI, i-k ot designs its services with people at the center. Technology enables 24/7 access regardless of location, while psychological experts design the service to ensure quality and reliability. Its three service pillars are AI counseling, real counseling, and avatar counseling.