90 - THE IMPACT OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ON THE PERCEPTION OF INCLUSION AMONG FEMALE CAREER-TRACK EMPLOYEES IN JAPAN

Session: D01S021 - Workplace Inclusion
AUTHORS:
Kitamura Masaaki (Otemae University ~ Nishinomiya ~ Japan) , Morinaga Yuta (Waseda University ~ Tokyo ~ Japan) , Hirano Mitsutoshi (Otemae University ~ Nishinomiya ~ Japan) , Funakoshi Tae (Osaka University of Economics ~ Osaka ~ Japan)
Abstract text:
Traditionally, Japanese companies have not specified job duties, locations, or hours in their employment contracts. While this unique practice supported long-term employment, it also restricted employees' control over work arrangements and impeded women's career advancements (Nagase, 2024). Amid the shrinking population, Japanese companies need to encourage the participation of a diverse workforce and implement human resource management (HRM) to enhance female employees' perceptions of inclusion. This is critical for addressing issues such as the low ratio of female managers and low motivation for promotion among female employees. While previous research has clarified the impact of an inclusive climate and leadership on the perception of inclusion, the impact of HRM practices remains underexplored. This study investigated how specific HRM practices and their interactions influence female employees' perceptions of inclusion, based on the person-environment fit theory (Caplan, 1987) and the configuration approach of strategic HRM theory (Delery & Dorty, 1996). We focused on HRM practices that promote career self-management: individualized career development and self-selection-based placement. Furthermore, we focused on the degree of autonomy over work arrangements (working hours, locations, and duties), which has varied significantly across Japanese companies since the 2010s. Drawing on Shore et al.'s (2011) inclusion framework, grounded in Brewer's (1991) optimal distinctiveness theory, we defined inclusion as a state in which both belongingness and uniqueness are satisfied. We conducted a survey involving non-managerial female career-track employees (N=515). Binomial logistic regression analysis revealed a positive impact of "perceived individualized career development" and "perceived autonomy over working hours," and, contrary to expectations, a negative interaction effect between these practices. These findings suggest a complementary fit between these practices: the effectiveness of the former increases when the latter remains low. Thus, implementing at least one of these measures is necessary to enhance the perception of inclusion among female career-track employees.