Early resignation among new graduates and young employees has become a major challenge for companies. Based on the results of the “Survey on Skill Development and Retention of Young Workers” conducted by the Japan Institute for Labor Policy and Training (JILPT), we explore the “reasons why new graduates leave their first full-time employer” and offer tips for labor management.
Trends in Reasons for Resignation
The survey was conducted for the first time in 2016, the second time in 2019, and the third time in 2025; the target age groups and questionnaire items did not strictly align across all three surveys.
However, looking at the responses from all employees who left their jobs in the second and third surveys, “working hours, holidays, and leave,” “wage conditions,” “deterioration of health,” and “interpersonal relationships” ranked high for both men and women, suggesting that these are universal reasons for leaving.
Furthermore, among young people who left their jobs within one year of employment, the most prominent reasons for leaving for both men and women were “deterioration of health,” “interpersonal relationships,” and “loss of confidence,” confirming that adapting to the workplace and job immediately after joining is crucial for retention.
On the other hand, among those with over five years of service, the top reasons for leaving were “career advancement,” “finding a job that meets desired conditions,” and “marriage, childbirth, or child-rearing,” indicating an increase in positive reasons for leaving.
Tips for Labor Management
In the third survey, anticipating that young people’s retention rates are significantly influenced by whether they have someone to consult with regarding work-related concerns, the survey analyzed their consultation patterns.
The findings indicate that young people who left their jobs early tended to do so without seeking advice even when they had concerns, and it was also noted that those who left tended to have less workplace communication compared to those who remained.
The study concludes that to prevent unwanted early resignations and promote workplace retention, it is important to establish “a place where anyone can seek advice immediately after joining the company” outside the workplace.
