2016 April C8 – Making The Most Of Your Female Workforce In Japan

Diversity in the workplace, especially at middle and senior management levels, has now come to be globally accepted as one of the critical levers for getting the best out of people and creating value. Even in Japan, with the Abe administration pushing “womenomics” to create “a society where every individual can shine”, diversity has emerged on the corporate agenda as a mainstream item.

Notwithstanding, getting the most out of your female workforce requires more than government policy, especially in an inherently male-dominated culture like Japan. Elizabeth Masamune, Managing Director of @Asia Associates Japan, will explain what you need to know about the new Promotion of Women’s Career Activities Act coming into effect from April 2016. Equally importantly, she will provide insights into the leadership and development barriers that Japanese female professionals face, and the reasons that so many of them hesitate to ask for more.

Elizabeth has spent 25 years in Asia as a senior diplomat with the Australian Trade Commission, and over 15 years in Japan. Fluent in Japanese, she currently serves on advisory boards and advises clients on cross cultural communication, cultural intelligence and initiatives aimed at supporting women in business.