Comprehensive Research OrganizationWaseda University

The world of work is undergoing significant transitions in the wake of the pandemic. Since 2020, various countries, including Japan, have rapidly embraced new workstyles such as telework and gig work, expanding options for workers and potentially enhancing their well-being. This shift may also open doors for individuals who faced challenges with the traditional “office-based, full-time” model due to various circumstances. Even after the pandemic, many countries are hearing the voices of workers who seek to continue these new workstyles. However, concerns about declining productivity have led some companies to waver between office-based and remote work setups.

The key question arises: What workstyles can simultaneously improve individual well-being, enhance productivity, and pursue profitability? Does the pursuit of individual well-being also contribute to the well-being and productivity of teams and organizations? For instance, while individuals may find that remote work maximizes their well-being and productivity, face-to-face communication among colleagues may spark creative ideas and strengthen team cohesion. Additionally, the conditions and environments that maximize individual well-being and productivity can vary based on factors such as gender, personality traits, personal health, and family responsibilities like childcare and caregiving. There are no clear-cut answers to these questions.

Hence, this project aims to focus on the concept of “well-being and productivity” and explore workstyles that enhance individual well-being while also contributing to increased productivity at the team and organizational levels, thereby aligning with corporate profitability. Researchers from diverse fields such as labor economics, cognitive neuroscience, industrial organization theory, and information science will gather to examine this issue from multifaceted perspectives. The goal is to contribute insights and derive policies that facilitate the realization of a society where all individuals seeking employment can choose from diverse workstyles, while fostering connections among people to enable simultaneous pursuit of well-being and profits at the team and organizational levels.