73.9% of Employers with Experience Hiring Foreign Talent Say Results Exceeded Expectations; Challenges and Pitfalls Also Revealed
Key facts
- 73.9% of Employers with Experience Hiring Foreign Talent Say Results Exceeded Expectations; Challenges and Pitfalls Also Revealed
- A survey by PERSOL Global Workforce reveals that 73.9% of companies experienced results exceeding expectations after hiring foreign talent. While their diligence is highly valued, challenges regarding organizational culture and communication styles persist. 66.7% of firms are considering further recruitment.
- Source: PR Times
- Date: June 5, 2026
Direct answer
A survey by PERSOL Global Workforce reveals that 73.9% of companies experienced results exceeding expectations after hiring foreign talent. While their diligence is highly valued, challenges regarding organizational culture and communication styles persist. 66.7% of firms are considering further recruitment.
- Citation
- 73.9% of Employers with Experience Hiring Foreign Talent Say Results Exceeded Expectations; Challenges and Pitfalls Also Revealed (June 5, 2026), PR Times
- Source
- PR Times
- Date
- June 5, 2026
A survey by PERSOL Global Workforce reveals that 73.9% of companies experienced results exceeding expectations after hiring foreign talent. While their diligence is highly valued, challenges regarding organizational culture and communication styles persist. 66.7% of firms are considering further recruitment.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: June 5, 2026 at 03:43
- 🔍 Collected: June 4, 2026 at 18:50
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: June 5, 2026 at 01:01 (6h 10m after Collected)
PERSOL Global Workforce (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President: Morihiro Tada), a recruitment agency specializing in foreign talent under the Persol Group, conducted a survey on foreign talent recruitment among 700 executives and board members with experience in hiring foreign workers.
### Survey Summary
- 73.9% of companies with experience hiring foreign talent felt the results were "better than expected" compared to pre-hiring impressions.
- The top reason for exceeding expectations was "earnest and sincere work attitude" (55.7%).
- Challenges in recruitment and acceptance were focused on "interpersonal relations" rather than just language proficiency.
- Even when language issues are removed, about 67% of companies still face challenges due to differences in organizational culture and communication styles.
- 66.7% of companies plan to consider further recruitment in the future.
### Survey Overview
- Targets: 700 executives/board members with experience in hiring foreign talent (350 currently hiring, 350 previously hired).
- Method: Internet-based survey.
- Duration: March 31, 2026 – April 2, 2026.
### Survey Background
As of the end of October 2025, the number of foreign workers in Japan reached 2.57 million, an all-time high. While hiring them is a critical countermeasure to labor shortages, issues like early turnover have been raised. This survey aimed to clarify the satisfaction levels and challenges of companies that have actual experience hiring foreign workers.
### Detailed Findings
The primary reason for hiring is "resolving labor shortages" (44.6%), followed by "securing specialized talent." For those with a "Technology/Humanities/International Services" visa, the trend is more focused on securing specialized knowledge.
Regarding challenges, interpersonal issues ranked higher than operational or administrative tasks. Notably, even among those with high proficiency in Japanese, a lack of understanding of Japanese organizational culture—such as differences in grasping work instructions or the nuances of the "Ho-Ren-So" (report, communicate, consult) process—often hinders communication.
FAQ
What percentage of companies that hired foreign workers reported that they exceeded expectations?
73.9% of companies with experience in hiring foreign workers reported that they exceeded expectations compared to before hiring.
What are the main reasons for hiring foreign workers?
The most common reason is 'addressing labor shortages' at 44.6%, followed by 'securing specialized talent'.
What are the main challenges in hiring and integrating foreign workers?
The top challenges are related to 'interpersonal relations,' including Japanese language ability, communication, and differences in culture and values.
Do foreign workers with high language skills still face communication challenges?
Yes, even excluding language ability, 66.9% reported challenges due to cultural and communication style differences, such as misunderstandings in instructions and differences in reporting, communication, and consultation.
What are the future hiring intentions for foreign workers?
66.7% of companies indicated they are considering additional hiring, showing continued positive intentions towards hiring foreign workers.