It was such a pleasure to host Managing Director and Senior Partner of BCG Japan, Miki Tsusaka, in our most recent Leading from the Living Room webinar. In conversation with our Founder and Managing Director, Sarah Liu, we were provided with exclusive, first access to data that has not yet been released to the public from a study recently conducted by Boston Consulting Group on Consumer Sentiment post COVID-19 in Japan.
Which consumer behaviour trends are likely to stick in the future?
- Change of lifestyle and eating preferences: greater focus on health and wellness, appreciation for the “simple things”.
- Shift of routines: increases in remote working will likely be sustained, impacting daily commutes, school drop-offs etc.
- Acceleration of digital and new channels: consumer sentiment reflects an intention to continue online buying behaviour post-COVID.
How does BCG attract and retain female talent?
- Stay close to the numbers: from applicants to recruits to promotion to performance. Each number is meticulously tracked for women vs men and other diversity pools around the world.
- Invest in inclusion efforts, training and research – we all need to contribute but it’s important to understand differences in how we coach/communicate and to set the right environment for inclusive conversations.
- Deploy flex and feedback measures: offer part time/flex time; encourage “home” work sharing; active feedback from both mentors and sponsors; support provided before red flag is up.
What is your advice to women who wish to have a family and advance their career?
- Surround yourself with a strong network and family that supports your career advancement; with the latter helping with the home responsibilities.
- Rather than aiming for a work-life balance, try to achieve a work-life blend, which fully integrates your work with your life, rather than separating them.
- Prioritisation is key, both in your personal and professional life. As well as organising your time to achieve what you need to across both.
Full research results and data from the BCG will be released soon and will be shared here.
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