‘Spare-time’ job matching services are supporting Japan’s rural communities. Here's how

As the demand for diverse work styles continues to grow, more people seek jobs that allow them flexibility to work on their own schedules. A survey by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications in Japan found that the most common reason for choosing non-full-time employment is “to work based on convenience,” cited by 32.8% of respondents.

Additionally, 10.9% chose non-regular work because it makes balancing work with childcare or eldercare easier, reflecting the challenges of balancing work with family responsibilities in an ageing society.

At the same time, Japan continues to face a labour shortage, with the number of bankruptcies caused by labour shortages in the first half of 2024 reportedly rising 70% year-on-year.

In this context, "spare-time" jobs or short-term, flexible work opportunities are increasing, particularly in urban areas. These roles attract many workers, including students, homemakers, seniors and even full-time employees looking for side jobs. Since around 2020, platforms that match people seeking short-term work with companies needing short-term staff have grown in popularity, with user numbers continuing to rise.

Currently, several platforms offer these matching services, including major players such as Timee, Sharefull and LINE Sukimani, which together have approximately 25 million registered users. Starting in March 2024, the country’s largest flea market app provider, Merucari, launched its own platform for short-term job matching services. Recruit, a leading human resource and business services agency, will enter this growing market in the fall.

The labour shortage in rural areas is becoming increasingly severe in some industries, including tourism and agriculture, where the demand for workers fluctuates by season and time of day.

Securing enough staffing is a constant challenge. Unlike urban areas, which rely on existing corporate matching services, rural regions see more collaboration between local governments and businesses to create community-based job-matching platforms.

A notable example is Sado Island, the largest island along the coast of the Sea of Japan. Sado Island faced difficulties securing workers for several sectors, including restaurants needing extra staff during the busy tourist season, agriculture where labour demands shift with the weather and local businesses where workforce needs change daily based on the number of orders.

To address this, Sado City collaborated with Niigata-based Matchbox Technologies, Inc. to develop the “Sado Matchbox” service. Together, they visited local businesses to explain how to register and how the system works and advertised the service to ensure it was widely known. The Sado Matchbox platform automates much of the hiring and human resource management paperwork, reducing the burden on employers. It also provides peace of mind by facilitating direct employment contracts between workers and employers.

Since its launch in June 2023, serving a population of around 50,000, 127 local businesses have posted jobs on the Sado Matchbox platform, more than 1,700 people have registered and 708 job matches were successfully made by August 2024.

As seen in the partnership between Sado City and Matchbox Technologies, cooperation between local governments and private providers offers several advantages.

One key benefit is ensuring the reliability of job listings. In urban areas, some spare time job matching services have faced issues such as discrepancies between job descriptions and actual tasks, recruitment for roles unsuitable for beginners and failure to protect workers’ rights. By leading these services, local governments can carefully vet job postings, creating a platform where applicants can feel confident that the jobs are legitimate and suitable.

Additionally, as one expert points out, “rural local governments, being closely connected to their communities, are well-positioned to offer personalized support, particularly for older residents who may struggle with computers or smartphones – something private companies might find difficult to manage.”

The platform is also designed specifically for Sado Island, making it more accessible and easier to use. The digitalization of job listings enables the collection of valuable data on the island’s labour supply and demand, which can inform targeted support measures and improve workforce planning.

The use of these matching services has produced benefits that go beyond simply filling short-term employment needs.

A lodging and restaurant owner who uses the Sado Matchbox service reported that nearly 10 people have become regular workers through the platform. The spare time jobs allow individuals to take on one-time, short shifts, giving them a chance to gain work experience. In some cases, after a few shifts, the employer and employee have decided to transition to regular employment.

Some applicants are young newcomers to the area. Using the platform, they find work and build connections with others, strengthening the sense of community.

Local governments and private companies are increasingly collaborating to address labour shortages, particularly in rural areas. Matchbox, for example, has partnered with Yuzawa Town and Niigata City, while Timee has teamed up with Tokachi City in Hokkaido to tackle labour shortages in the agricultural sector.

By combining the wide-reaching capabilities of private companies with the local government’s ability to provide personalized support, these partnerships create systems that are liable for both employers and workers. Public-private collaborations in workforce development are expected to grow across Japan.