#Japan #Tokyo #Food Industry #foreign talent #SkillDish

Addressing Labor Shortages in Japan's Food Sector

Japan's food industry has been facing chronic labor shortages, particularly in sectors like food manufacturing, agriculture, fishing, and the restaurant business. As a response, SkillDish, a Tokyo-based company, has significantly enhanced its recruitment support for foreign workers who can immediately contribute to these sectors. These foreign workers are specifically those who have completed three years of technical training in Japan and can transition to a specialized skilled labor visa, known as 'Tokutei Gino.'

Understanding the Need for Foreign Talent in the Food Industry

The escalating demand for foreign talent comes at a time when food sectors encounter a range of issues:

• - Unstable Staffing During Busy Periods: Businesses often struggle to secure enough labor during peak seasons.
• - Challenges in Recruiting for Specific Shifts: Finding workers for night shifts or early morning jobs can be particularly difficult.
• - Declining Productivity: The interruption of skills transfer due to labor shortages leads to reduced productivity.
• - Difficulty in Hiring Young Talent: Recruiting younger workers who have the potential for long-term employment has become increasingly challenging.
• - Rising Recruitment Costs: The increase in early turnover rates contributes to higher costs for hiring new employees.

Food manufacturing facilities require large numbers of workers for assembly line operations, yet securing domestic labor is becoming more difficult. Thus, the demand for skilled foreign labor is surging. Similar challenges exist in agriculture and fishing, where labor shortages during harvesting and fishing seasons are persistent. Recognizing these issues, SkillDish has taken steps to enhance its system for introducing skilled foreign workers to support the entire supply chain of the food industry.

What Qualifies as 'Immediately Usable Foreign Talent'?

When it comes to hiring foreign workers for food enterprises, there are essentially two methods:
1. Employing overseas candidates who are new to working in Japan,
2. Recruiting foreign workers who have already completed three years of technical training and can transition to specific skilled positions in the same field.

The foreign workers that SkillDish focuses on are those who have completed their three years of training, making them immediately valuable assets to food companies due to their hands-on experience in the field.

These individuals boast a range of characteristics that align with the needs of food companies:

• - Real-world experience in food production lines (processing, packaging, inspection, quality control, etc.)
• - Practical experience in agricultural and fishery environments
• - Extended experience living in Japan, leading to a high rate of workplace retention
• - Basic communication skills in Japanese
• - Employment opportunities for up to five years under the Tokutei Gino visa

These traits enable them to make immediate contributions once hired, earning significant appreciation from food enterprises.

Enhancing Recruitment Solutions for Food Businesses

SkillDish aims to resolve both recruitment and retention challenges faced by the food industry.

Recruitment Challenges

Food businesses face several concrete challenges:

• - Hiring inexperienced workers poses significant educational burdens.
• - Insufficient Japanese language skills can complicate communication.
• - The lack of experienced candidates leads to prolonged recruitment efforts.

To mitigate these issues, SkillDish has expanded its pool of candidates to approximately 400 individuals with practical experience and the necessary qualifications for specialized skilled labor, a 162% increase from the previous year. The candidate pool predominantly comprises individuals with hands-on experience in food manufacturing lines or agriculture. The high interview pass rate of approximately 78% demonstrates the quality of candidates available.

Additionally, by focusing on candidates with higher language proficiency (N3 or above), SkillDish reduces communication burdens in the workplace. Unlike other companies that take two to three months to complete their selection processes, SkillDish can expedite the recruitment timeline, providing a full-service approach that streamlines everything from job requirement clarification to interview coordination, resulting in an average hiring time of just two weeks. This quick and stable provision of immediately usable foreign talent is one of SkillDish's main strengths.

Retention Strategies

For success in recruiting skilled foreign workers, ensuring their retention post-hire is crucial. While the retention rate for typical skilled foreign workers is about 70 to 80% after one year, SkillDish maintains a remarkable retention rate of 91%. This high retention can be attributed to workers' extensive living experience in Japan and their strong adaptability to workplace culture.

SkillDish further supports these workers by addressing common living-related concerns. Various assistance programs are tailored to alleviate uncertainties regarding hygiene management, night shifts, and seasonal fluctuations, ultimately minimizing the risk of turnover. This comprehensive support enables long-term stabilization of staffing within food businesses.

Benefits for Food Companies

1. Immediate productivity increases due to the swift integration of skills.
2. Lower educational costs and reduced burdens on existing staff.
3. Stable resolution of staffing shortages during busy seasons.
4. Increased likelihood of long-term employment due to lower turnover rates.
5. Opportunities for employment under the Tokutei Gino visa for up to five years.
6. Reduced mismatch in hiring, leading to cost savings.

Prospective Roles for 'Immediately Usable Foreign Talent' in the Food Sector

• - Food Manufacturing: Recruit skilled workers for immediate operational roles or as leaders during busy periods.
• - Restaurant Industry: Hire kitchen assistants with knowledge of Japanese food safety standards, ensuring stable staffing.
• - Agriculture: Employ experienced workers for activities such as harvesting, sorting, and shipping, optimizing operational efficiency.
• - Fishing: Engage skilled individuals for fish processing and feeding in aquaculture settings, enhancing productivity.

Conclusion: A Tailored Approach with SkillDish's Foreign Talent Introduction Service

SkillDish offers a specialized service designed specifically for the food sector to meet hiring needs while ensuring high retention. By selecting candidates based on specific employment criteria, food companies can streamline their interview processes, significantly reducing burdens on their HR departments. Furthermore, with an average of just two weeks from recruitment to job offer acceptance and a results-oriented pricing model, implementing this service is accessible even for local enterprises.

For more information about SkillDish and its tailored foreign talent introduction service, check out the official website.

Company Information:

• - Company Name: SkillDish Co., Ltd.
• - Location: 12-2 Ooyama-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, DT Ooyama Building 5F
• - CEO: Tomoyuki Ikata
• - Focus: Development and operation of a platform for foreign labor recruitment in the food sector, specializing in agriculture, fishing, food manufacturing, and the restaurant industry.
• - Approval by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare: Licensed employment agency number 13-Yu-317066.