Lawson, Inc. and ANA Holdings Inc. were among the companies that held entrance ceremonies on Saturday as the new fiscal year began. Lawson s ceremony featured a customer service avatar displayed on an LCD screen, which will be introduced in order to alleviate staff shortages in stores. ANA held a hybrid in-person and online event, its first group-wide ceremony in four years.
The easing of COVID 19 restrictions has resulted in inflation and labor shortages becoming more widespread as economic activities get back into full swing.
Lawson hired more than one percent of its employees in the previous year, with a total of 98 new hires. In the morning ceremony, Lawson s President Sadanobu Takemasu addressed the new employees, saying that this fiscal year we are finally entering the post-COVID era. We want to make full use of digital technology to enhance the appeal of in-person experiences. The entrance ceremonies were also held by Lawson and ANA, East Japan Railway Co. and AEON Co. on Saturday. Many companies have scheduled their entrance ceremonies for Monday, the first business day of the new fiscal year.