日本新力改革公司加薪制度

Last month the Asahi News on-line reported the following:

ソニー、年齢による給与上昇を廃止へ　人件費削減へ

高木真也

2014年7月25日21時37分

　経営不振が続くソニーは、来年度をめどに給与制度を変える。年齢に応じて給与が上がる仕組みをなくし、受け持つ仕事の内容を重視する。人件費を抑えつつ、社員のやる気を引き出すねらいだが、労働組合の反発を招く可能性もある。

　ソニー本体の約１万４千人が対象。労組に来月提案し、合意すれば２０１５年度に変える。抜本的な給与制度の変更は０４年以来だ。

　これまでも、能力や業務の専門性を基本給に反映させる割合を高めてきた。ただ、一部には年次や経験などを考慮する部分を残していた。

　新しい制度ではこうした「年功主義」のような部分をなくし、役割や責任に応じた仕組みに改める。

　同時に、２０代の社員を管理職に登用するなど、若手のやる気を引き出す人事制度の導入も検討する。ソニー本体では、社員の平均年齢が年々上がり、今では管理職が４割を超えている。新制度では、こうした中高年の管理職層の給与が大きく減らされる見通しだ。

　ソニーは１３年度に１２８３億円の純損失を出し、今年度も５００億円の赤字を見込む。今年度は本社の間接部門で希望退職を募ったり、海外の販売子会社を縮小したりするなどのリストラを進めている。

　ソニー本体の社員の平均年収は０３年度の９２１万円から１３年度は８８５万円に減っている。厳しい経営状況を踏まえ、ボーナスだけでなく給与の削減にも踏み込むことで、利益を出しやすくするねらいだ。（高木真也）

(試譯文)

Sony with continuing poor business performance would change its salary system within next year. The structure which salary went up according to age would be abolished, and the contents of the work that was taken charge of would be considered as important. As it aimed at enhancing employee's motivation and to cut down personnel expenses, it might be rejected by the labor union.

The target was the some 14,000 core people in Sony. If it was proposed to the labor union next month and agreed upon, changes would take place in the 2015 fiscal year. It was a radical salary system change since 2004.

The rate of basic wage increase so far was reflected in the capability and the special nature of the business. However, part of the rate had been left to the consideration based on years of service and experience etc.

Under the new system, the portion like "the long working experience principle" would be given up, and changes in structure would be made according to the role and responsibility.

Simultaneously, those employees who were in his twenties would be appointed into the management etc; also the introduction of a personal rating system to encourage motivation from the young would be considered. In Sony the majority employees’ average age went up every year, and now over 40 percent was in the management position. Under the new system, the salary of people at the middle or senior management level was expected to decrease greatly.

Sony had a 128,300 million yen net loss in the 2013 fiscal year, and also expected a 50 billion yen deficit in the current fiscal year. Restructuring through accepting voluntary resignation in the current fiscal year from the non-major sections inside the head office, and reducing overseas sales sub-office was in progress.

Sony’s average annual salary for its core employees had decreased to 8,850,000 yen in 2013 fiscal year from 9,210,000 yen in 2003 fiscal year. Because of the severe financial condition, not only reduction in bonus but also in salary would be in place, the aim was to help getting profits.

The changes effected by Sony are understandable given its huge deficits.