日本企業遭遇嚴重用工短缺

Japanese companies are scouring the country for workers and offering more attractive permanent contracts as they struggle to overcome the worst labour shortages in 40 years.

日本企業正在國內四處蒐羅工人，並提供更有吸引力的終身制僱傭合同。這些企業正努力克服40年來最嚴重的勞動力短缺。

Companies across a range of sectors — from construction to aged care — have warned in recent days that a lack of staff is starting to hit their business.

從建築業到老年護理行業等多個行業的日本企業近日都警告稱，用工短缺正開始影響它們的業務。

The hiring difficulties highlight Japan’s declining population and the strength of its economy after five years of economic stimulus under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

日本企業用工難凸顯出該國人口的萎縮，也凸顯出日本首相安倍晉三(Shinzo Abe)實施經濟刺激5年後其經濟的強勁勢頭。

“Delays to construction projects are becoming chronic,” said Motohiro Nagashima, president of Toli Corporation, one of Japan’s biggest makers of floor coverings.

日本最大地材製造商之一東理株式會社(Toli Corporation)總經理永嶋元博(Motohiro Nagashima)表示：“工期推遲正變成一個長期性問題。”

Announcing first-half results, he said that sales fell 1 per cent instead of the company’s projected 2 per cent rise, because widespread shortages of construction workers were delaying office and commercial projects in the Tokyo area.

在宣佈今年上半年業績時，永嶋表示，公司原本預期在此期間銷售額將上升2%，但實際上銷售額反而下降了1%，原因是建築工人的普遍短缺使東京地區的辦公樓和商用項目工期推遲。

One way companies are tackling shortages is by offering more generous permanent contracts, which provide job security and pension benefits. That policy has broken a decades-long trend towards more part-time and contract work.

日本企業應對用工短缺的一種方法是提供更優渥的終身制僱傭合同，合同提供工作保障和養老金福利。這種策略打破了日本10年來傾向於提供更多兼職和合同工作的趨勢。

Panasonic Age Free, a division of the electronics company that provides social care, last week offered permanent contracts to all the staff at its hundreds of homes and daycare centres.

電子公司松下(Panasonic)旗下提供社會化護理服務的公司Panasonic Age Free上週爲其數百家家庭護理和日間護理中心的所有員工提供了終身制僱傭合同。

The company has 1,500 staff on six-month contracts, but from April next year those with a year of service will be eligible to become permanent employees with pensions, bonuses and a guaranteed job until retirement.

該公司有1500名員工簽訂的是6個月的合同，但從明年4月起，那些在該公司工作達1年的員工有資格轉爲終身制員工，享受養老金、獎金和可在該公司工作到退休的工作保障條款。

Staff shortages are especially acute in elderly care as rapid growth in demand collides with the tight labour market. The company said it hoped to offset higher staff costs with lower spending on recruitment.

由於老年護理行業用工需求的快速增長與緊張的勞動力市場相互衝突，這個領域的用工短缺尤爲嚴重。Panasonic Age Free表示，希望能夠通過降低招聘支出來抵消員工成本的上升。

“By reforming conditions, we want to hold on to part-time staff and get our leaving rate down to the low 10 per cent range within two or three years,” Eiichi Katayama, executive officer, told broadcaster NHK.

該公司社長片山榮一(Eiichi Katayama)對廣播電視機構日本放送協會(NHK)說：“我們希望通過改革工作條件來留住兼職員工，在兩三年內將我們的離職率降至10%出頭的水平。”

Oriental Land, which operates Tokyo Disneyland and Disney Sea, warned earlier this year that it was struggling to find staff to run its restaurants and rides. “Hiring is going to get harder and harder,” said Akinobu Yokota, a company executive. The group said last week it was now operating normally.

運營東京迪士尼樂園(Tokyo Disneyland)和東京迪士尼海洋(Toyko Disney Sea)的Oriental Land今年早些時候警告稱，該公司難以招募運營園內餐廳和遊樂項目的員工。該公司高管Akinobu Yokota說：“招人變得越來越難。”上週該公司表示目前運營正常。

The way companies are responding — using every means other than wage increases — suggests that shortages will not yet turn into higher inflation.

日本企業對於用工短缺的應對方式——採取除了漲薪以外的所有手段——表明這種用工短缺還不會轉化爲更高的通脹。

Irregular work has risen relentlessly from about 19 per cent of total employment when Japan’s bubble burst in 1990, to a peak of 37.9 per cent in 2015.

在日本，非固定工作在總就業中的比例從1990年日本經濟泡沫破裂時的約19%不斷上升，到2015年達到了37.9%的峯值。

But there are now signs of stabilisation, with the percentage of irregular staff falling to 37.4 per cent in the third quarter of this year.

但這一比例現在有趨穩的跡象，今年第三季度非固定工作僱員的比例降至37.4%。