Creating Japanese Organizations Where Diverse Talent in Decision-Making Layers is the Norm

Our company supports April Dream, which aims to make April 1st a day for announcing dreams. This press release is a dream of Work Shift Institute Co., Ltd.

Work Shift Institute Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Yuko Kobayakawa; hereinafter, Work Shift Institute) has been active since its establishment in 2015, focusing on training programs for individuals and corporations, with the goal of reducing the number of people struggling with the 'work-life balance barrier' between work and childcare, and making 'working while raising children' a normal part of society.

The cumulative number of participants in 'Petit MBA' programs, including the 'Ikukyu Petit MBA' seminar for parental leave (hereinafter, parental leave) takers, which started in 2014, exceeded 23,000 as of September 2025. Since 2022, we have also been offering the 'Ikukyu Petit MBA Welfare Plan' * for corporations.

However, what we have been addressing over the past decade is not merely supporting employees during and after parental leave. What became clear through repeated training sessions was a 'structural' problem that training alone cannot change. Excellent talent narrows their career options due to life events such as parental leave, falls out of the organization's decision-making layers, and the speed and quality of the company's overall decision-making decline. We have consistently confronted the root cause of such issues.

This year, our dream scales up a notch.

Our dream is to 'create Japanese organizations where diverse talent in decision-making layers is the norm.' By creating a structure where individuals with diverse experiences and perspectives can participate in decision-making layers, companies become stronger and more resilient organizations. Based on this belief, we launched our 'Organizational Transformation Consulting' service in March this year.

Work Shift Institute Launches Organizational Transformation Consulting to Address 'Decision-Making Talent Shortage' in the Era of Human Capital Management

The purpose of this service is to solve the management challenge of 'securing decision-making talent.' We provide consistent support tailored to corporate management challenges, from building a pipeline of management candidates, reviewing evaluation and promotion processes, to designing systems that prevent career disruption due to life events such as parental leave and nursing care. We support structural reforms that integrate systems, operations, and mindset.

To realize our dream, we need allies.

'We implemented training, but the organization hasn't changed.'

'We want to increase the number of female managers, but candidates are not developing.'

'We have systems in place, but they are not being utilized.'

We want to work with business owners and HR managers who are experiencing such challenges to change the organization's decision-making structure.

Companies that sign up for this service by the end of fiscal year 2026 will receive the Ikukyu Petit MBA Welfare Plan free for one year as part of a promotional campaign. Please feel free to contact us.

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* The Ikukyu Petit MBA Welfare Plan was expanded in December 2025, allowing all employees of contracting companies to participate, regardless of whether they are taking parental leave. For details, please see here (Ikukyu Petit MBA Expands 'Welfare Plan' Service for Corporations).

About Work Shift Institute Co., Ltd.

Work Shift Institute Co., Ltd. (Location: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Yuko Kobayakawa; hereinafter, Work Shift Institute, https://workshift.co.jp/) provides various consulting services, educational training services (for corporations and individuals), and talent introduction services for female managers and leader candidates, aimed at fostering female managers and leaders and reforming corporate work styles. The number of participants in 'Petit MBA' for parental leave takers has exceeded 23,000 (as of September 2025).

We specialize in consciousness transformation and organizational reform using the 'Work Shift Method,' which is centered on practical case discussions. We promote interaction between 'business x academia' to create individuals and organizations that achieve maximum results and create added value within limited time.

Contact for this matter Work Shift Institute Co., Ltd. info@workshift.co.jp