働(はたら)き方(かた)改革(かいかく)

はたらきかたかいかく
noun
work-style reform
1. work-style reform
A broad Japanese government-led initiative launched around 2016–2019 to reform Japanese working practices — including capping overtime, encouraging paid-leave use, promoting remote work, and improving work–life balance. More generally, any movement or program aimed at changing how people work.
働(はたら)き方(かた)改革(かいかく)を進(すす)める。
To promote work-style reform.
政府(せいふ)は働(はたら)き方(かた)改革(かいかく)を推進(すいしん)している。
The government is promoting work-style reform.
働(はたら)き方(かた)改革(かいかく)によって残業(ざんぎょう)時間(じかん)が減(へ)った。
Thanks to work-style reform, overtime hours have decreased.
働(はたら)き方(かた)改革(かいかく)の一環(いっかん)として、在宅勤務(ざいたくきんむ)が認(みと)められた。
As part of work-style reform, working from home was officially approved.

A political and social keyword in contemporary Japan, composed of 働(はたら)き方(かた) (way of working) + 改革(かいかく) (reform). Originally a signature policy of the Abe government, formalized in the 2018 働(はたら)き方(かた)改革(かいかく)関連(かんれん)法(ほう) (Work Style Reform Related Laws), which took effect in 2019. The term has since broadened to refer to any effort to reshape how people work.

KEY GOALS:

  • 長時間(ちょうじかん)労働(ろうどう)の是正(ぜせい): correcting long working hours
  • 有給(ゆうきゅう)休暇(きゅうか)の取得(しゅとく)促進(そくしん): encouraging use of paid leave
  • 同一(どういつ)労働(ろうどう)同一(どういつ)賃金(ちんぎん): equal pay for equal work
  • 多様(たよう)な働(はたら)き方(かた)の推進(すいしん): promoting diverse ways of working (including telework and flextime)

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 働(はたら)き方(かた)改革(かいかく)を進(すす)める: to promote work-style reform
  • 働(はたら)き方(かた)改革(かいかく)を推進(すいしん)する: to push forward work-style reform
  • 働(はたら)き方(かた)改革(かいかく)関連(かんれん)法(ほう): Work Style Reform Related Laws
  • 働(はたら)き方(かた)改革(かいかく)の一環(いっかん)として: as part of work-style reform

RELATED TERMS:

  • ワークライフバランス: work-life balance
  • 長時間(ちょうじかん)労働(ろうどう): long working hours
  • 有給(ゆうきゅう)休暇(きゅうか): paid leave
  • テレワーク: telework, remote work

CULTURAL NOTE:
The term reflects a broad societal reckoning with Japan's notoriously long working hours and overwork-related deaths (過労死(かろうし)). It is frequently invoked in news, corporate announcements, and HR materials.

general
Added 2026.4.12 2:04
23000/23313_hatarakikatakaikaku