MIRAI Expo depicts the future of Japan under different themes. This year’s theme is “Re-working,” revisiting the future of work from the perspective of sei-katsu-sha, not workers.

Introduction

This year’s theme “Re-working” starts from a simple question: “Do you love to work?”

• We focused on changes in the attitudes of sei-katsu-sha toward their workstyle over the years since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Those prioritizing holidays outnumbered those prioritizing pay for the first time since the survey started in 1992.
• While the inconvenience of working has increased, so too has latitude in working.
• People are ambivalent about working: “It’s only a job, but…”

Part 1
Crisis of working

Based on long-term time-series data, we identified the major changes in the meaning of, and motivation toward working for sei-katsu-sha.

• Those who love to work have decreased, and are now a minority.
• Changing attitudes toward working among sei-katsu-sha
  • Change 1: I can no longer expect to be rewarded for working harder.
  • Change 2: I can no longer get as much satisfaction by working.
  • Change 3: I no longer want to devote myself to a company.
• Declining enthusiasm for working
  • People are increasingly working without stretching themselves, rather than focusing on work in life.
• Signs of change among sei-katsu-sha
  • In this era of declining enthusiasm, people are reaching a turning point, and rediscovering the meaning and value of working on their own.

Part 2
Turning point of working

We analyzed the signs of proactive change among sei-katsu-sha, presented at the end of Part 1, from two aspects: changes in the environment and changes in sei-katsu-sha.

• Changes in the environment surrounding working sei-katsu-sha
  • Retracing the 40-year history of working in Japan
  • Change in the environment 1: No longer bound by rules
  • Change in the environment 2: No longer sticking to a specific career
  • Change in the environment 3: No longer sticking to specific skills

  → Find their own aspirations after their minds have been set free from the constraints of working

• Changes in sei-katsu-sha, induced by workers themselves
  • A gap between “I enjoy working” and “If I have to work, I’d like to enjoy it.”
  • Change in sei-katsu-sha 1:
    Consider working as a game to get a sense of accomplishment
  • Change in sei-katsu-sha 2:
    Build a story around working to increase the sense of satisfaction
  • Change in sei-katsu-sha 3:
    Treat working as a hashtag to develop new relationships

  → Adopt a metacognitive approach to change the meaning of work

• The two categories of changes point to an emerging trend among working sei-katsu-sha: “re-working”
  • Revisit working with a metacognitive approach to find themselves a new ambition

Part 3
Future of working

In view of the sei-katsu-sha who have started “re-working,” we have developed the following vision.

• Change in relationships induced by “re-working”
  • Thus far, sei-katsu-sha have been connected to society through their company.
  • Going forward, sei-katsu-sha will be directly connected to society, with the company only representing a part of their life.
• Interview with six sei-katsu-sha who have started to “re-work”
• Three entry points to “re-working”
• Vision of a society where “re-working” is the norm

Wrap-up

Building on preceding studies, we propose the following definition of “re-working”: