Convenience Store 24-Hour Operation Suspension and Improved Working Conditions to Alleviate Labor Shortages

Convenience stores across the country are facing a severe labor shortage, and various measures are being discussed, including ending 24-hour operations and improving working conditions.

According to the "Convenience Store Survey 2018" conducted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, 61% of all convenience store locations responded that they were experiencing staff shortages. This is due to difficulties in securing personnel resulting from factors such as rising labor costs due to the minimum wage increase, increased workload, and mismatches in work hours.

The shortage of personnel is particularly pronounced during nighttime hours, leading some convenience stores to adopt shortened operating hours as a solution. Seven-Eleven Japan began a trial of shortened operating hours at approximately 230 stores nationwide in November of last year and officially permitted franchise stores to adjust their operating hours starting in March of this year. FamilyMart also plans to revise its franchise agreement in March of this year, allowing franchise stores to opt for shortened operating hours.

Minimizing losses due to reduced operating hours requires cutting labor and maintenance costs. Therefore, the convenience store industry is also working to minimize the number of employees through measures such as introducing unmanned checkout systems and installing self-checkout counters.

Addressing the labor shortage also requires fundamental improvements to the work environment. This is because differences exist between franchise stores and employees regarding desired work hours, and issues like overtime due to understaffing and the lack of guaranteed rest breaks have been pointed out. Therefore, concrete measures such as assigning staff based on work hours, ensuring vacation and rest breaks, and implementing fair shift allocation are urgently needed.

To address this, the convenience store industry is considering the adoption of automated shift scheduling solutions. Utilizing AI, these solutions can create schedules that reflect store conditions and employee work data, and they can also prevent violations of work regulations. Additionally, they can offer convenient features like shift sharing and personnel support requests, thereby enhancing the efficiency of personnel management.

The labor shortage facing the convenience store industry has become an issue that can no longer be ignored. It's time to develop multifaceted measures, such as reducing 24-hour operations, introducing unmanned checkout systems, and improving working conditions, to create long-term growth drivers.