Labor Standards Act Reform for the First Time in Approximately 40 Years, Hidden Management Risk is 'Analog Management of Goods' - ZAICO Releases 'Countermeasure Guide'

Against the backdrop of severe labor shortages and the expansion of diverse working styles, discussions are underway for a 'major reform of the Labor Standards Act,' the first in approximately 40 years.

As many companies are pressed with the urgent task of 'creating workplaces that do not rely on overtime or holiday work,' ZAICO Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture, Representative Director: Toshihide Tamura, hereinafter referred to as 'the Company') proposes that one of the bottlenecks hindering this is 'analog management of goods.' We have released a white paper titled 'Complete Countermeasure Guide for Major Labor Standards Act Reform,' which summarizes management risks and concrete solutions.

▼ Download the 'Complete Countermeasure Guide for Major Labor Standards Act Reform' for free here

https://www.zaico.co.jp/resources/labor_standards_act/

■ Why is it necessary to review 'analog management' as a countermeasure for labor law reform?

With the labor law reform being considered for the first time in approximately 40 years (such as the prohibition of consecutive workdays and the obligation of work interval), the main focus will be on protecting employees' health and diversity of working styles, and operations relying on 'overtime and holiday work' are expected to be strictly restricted.

To achieve both 'appropriate management of working hours' and 'improvement of productivity' with limited personnel, it is urgent to eliminate 'individual dependency' that relies on specific employees. And, one of the tasks that consumes the most time and is a hotbed of individual dependency in many workplaces is 'analog management of goods.'

If issues such as 'only that person knows' or 'inventory count at the end of the month always involves overtime' due to analog inventory management using paper or Excel are left unaddressed when the legal reform takes effect, it will lead to serious risks where the workplace cannot function due to the absence of the person in charge. That is why creating a system where 'anyone can do it' without relying on specific employees through inventory management DX is the sure first step to overcoming legal reforms and reducing the burden on the workplace.

■ Main contents and value proposition of this document

This document provides an explanation of the key points of the legal reform, as well as know-how directly related to solving real-world workplace challenges.

● Risks posed by legal reforms and countermeasures to avoid them

We explain the impact of legal reforms on companies and management risks, as well as risk avoidance measures such as 'DX-driven automation and labor-saving of operations' that do not rely on human resources.

● Practical examples of 'Inventory Management DX' to review analog operations

We introduce case studies of companies that have successfully digitized 'management of goods (supplies/inventory)' as the first step towards company-wide efficiency, reducing the burden on the workplace and eliminating individual dependency.

● Risk checklist to understand your company's danger level

Based on the knowledge of our company, which has accumulated over 180,000 account registrations, we include a simple checklist for self-assessment of analog operations that harbor risks due to legal reforms.

■ Message from ZAICO Co., Ltd.

We have released this white paper with the hope that you will view the wave of legal reforms not merely as a burden, but as an 'opportunity for business improvement' for companies to further increase profits even amidst labor shortages. We hope it will be useful for creating a comfortable working environment and reviewing operations to enhance productivity.

Our company will continue to respond quickly to changes in social conditions and promote initiatives aimed at realizing a future where 'people who manage inventory' are no longer needed, through information dissemination and solution provision that are close to the needs of the workplace.

■ How to view

This document can be downloaded for free from the official website of the cloud inventory management system "zaico".

Download URL: https://www.zaico.co.jp/resources/labor_standards_act/

News page here: https://www.zaico.co.jp/2026/04/02/release_labor_standards_act/

■ What is the cloud inventory management system "zaico"?

zaico is a cloud-based inventory management system that allows real-time inventory status confirmation anytime, anywhere, by anyone. Equipped with code scanning and alert functions, it supports the prevention of stockouts and excess inventory, improvement of inbound/outbound accuracy, and efficiency of inventory counting, realizing labor-saving and automation of inventory management.

To allow you to try it out first, we also offer a free trial.

▼zaico introduction video (with sound)

It has been adopted by a wide range of industries such as manufacturing, retail and wholesale, and medical, and its intuitive operation and flexible customization are highly evaluated. The cumulative number of registered companies has exceeded 180,000, and the continuous usage rate is over 92% (※1).

（※1）As of May 2025, based on zaico's cumulative registered company performance

● About ZAICO Co., Ltd.

Founded with the aim of solving the challenges of the warehousing business run by the representative's family in Yamagata. With the mission of "creating information infrastructure for goods, collecting, organizing, and providing information to improve social efficiency," we develop and provide operational efficiency solutions, including zaico, that are close to the needs of the workplace.

We have raised a total of 600 million yen from organizations such as Japan Finance Corporation and are working on labor-saving and automation of inventory management using AI and OCR technology to realize a future where "people who manage inventory" are no longer needed.

【Company Profile】

Established: October 18, 2016

Representative Director: Toshihide Tamura

Business Overview: Development and sales of cloud inventory management system "zaico" etc.

URL: https://www.zaico.co.jp/

Head Office Location: 331 Hanazawa, Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture