Crossing the Bridge
A quarter of the way into 2022, the transition to the new normal feels real
Listen to this story:
A lot has happened during the three months since the last print edition of The ACCJ Journal was published. The landscape of global business—still littered with obstacles from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, but making positive strides toward recovery—has been shaken again by the conflict in Ukraine.
As the editor of this magazine, the business impact is very much on my mind. Due to the conflict, we have seen many companies pause or end their operations in Russia, a move not even on their radar just months ago. This sudden shift will, no doubt, send ripples through global business, as resources, supply chains, travel routes, financial transactions, and more are disrupted.
We’re already seeing some of that impact, but I am confident that our community will weather the storm and find ways to help where possible.
Workstyle Reform
With that positive view in mind, I’d like to share more about this issue’s content. For most of the past two years, we’ve been writing about overcoming the challenges of the pandemic. While the threat of Covid-19 continues, and will likely remain with us for a long time, we’ve adapted and are learning how to function and flourish in a changed world. This includes adjusting how we work.
Workstyle reform is a bridge that some companies had been afraid to cross. When you’re comfortable on one road, after all, why change to an unfamiliar route? But with workers now accustomed to the better work–life balance afforded by working from home, flexibility is expected and companies must adapt to attract and retain top talent.
To explore this new reality, we’ve put together four features that focus on various aspects of work and the expectations now shaping the path to success. We speak with experts to learn what issues are key to hiring in 2022 and beyond, while we talk to professionals and new graduates about what they are now looking for in an employer. Then we offer tips on how to keep your team engaged in a world where hybrid workstyles are the norm. Lastly, we ask whether Japan could experience a Great Resignation—that revolt against traditional workstyles that Covid-19 sparked in the United States.
More Inspiration
While workstyle reform is our theme, we certainly cover additional ground. For me, this has been a very interesting issue to prepare as a writer. I got to visit American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ) President Om Prakash at the Northrop Grumman office to talk about a range of topics, and I learned about some incredible innovation on the medical front as I recapped the second annual ACCJ Healthcare x Digital (HxD) competition, which brought together startups and entrepreneurs with top pharma executives.
You’ll see how the five HxD finalists showed that innovation is alive and well in Japan. I was particularly impressed by Moonshot Prize winner Ayush Balaji, an 18-year-old from Japan who is a first-year medical student at the University of York in the United Kingdom. While still a high school student in Japan and inspired by the circulatory system of the octopus, he came up with a way to assist people with heart failure. Watching his presentation truly inspired me and reinforced my belief in the potential of the human race—something I very much needed in the face of the conflict playing out in Europe as well as other ongoing struggles around the world.
Digital Journal
There’s one other bridge that we’re crossing, and I’d like to invite you along for the journey. In the December issue, I shared that The ACCJ Journal would be moving to a digital format with quarterly print editions, of which this is the first.
We have a new home for The ACCJ Journal online, which you can find at journal.accj.or.jp, designed to make it easier to explore and share. We’ve begun publishing digital-only content that highlights members, committees, and chamber advocacy, and have some exciting opportunities available. If you are a committee leader looking to raise awareness of a timely topic, a member wanting to share your business experiences in Japan, or if you have an idea for a story, I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to reach out to me any time at cjones@accj.or.jp.
