LogInDoug Bowser explained why Nintendo of America's employees don't have a union.
Image Credit: Nintendo, The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Doug Bowser, the President of Nintendo of America, has recently commented on the ongoing unionization efforts across the game industry, claiming that Nintendo's employees don't have a union not because the company prohibits it but due to their high job satisfaction and strong engagement within the company.
Speaking to Inverse, Bowser explained that the reason Nintendo's developers haven't pursued unionization is that they simply haven't felt the need to, reaffirming the company's dedication to cultivating an inclusive work culture and promoting a healthy work-life balance. Bowser also pointed to the company's impressive employee retention and noticeably low turnover rates as evidence of the excellent working conditions at Nintendo.
"We don't currently have unions at Nintendo of America, and part of that is driven by the employee feedback we see, which is a high degree of job satisfaction and engagement overall," Bowser said in the interview. "You only have to look at our retention numbers, which are very, very high within the industry, and our obviously low turnover rate as a result. Our focus has always been on creating a culture that's inclusive, has a work-life balance, and is focused on our singular mission of bringing smiles to faces."
Image Credit: Nintendo
Furthermore, Bowser emphasized that the employees retain the right to establish a union, and if they express a desire to pursue this option in the future, the company will "respect that".
"Everyone has the right to form a union, and certainly in the future, wherever it takes us, we'll respect that. But we're very much focused right now on how to create the best work culture and environment we possibly can," he noted. "We're always listening to our workers and we want to make sure we have both formal and informal ways of getting worker feedback and understanding the needs of our employees and where we can improve. And we always act on that feedback. And, as I said earlier, there is always a right to form unions and we respect that."
Image Credit: Nintendo, Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Speaking of the company's employee retention numbers, it was revealed back in September that Nintendo boasts an impressive employee retention rate of 98.8%. This means that out of every 100 new employees the company hires, only one decides to leave.
What makes this figure even more remarkable is when you compare it to Japan's national average, which, as per the same report, stands at around 70%.
The report attributes this outstanding result to various factors, including Nintendo's strong brand reputation, a limited number of new hires, an appealing paid leave package, a noteworthy childcare program, and an overall positive work atmosphere and corporate culture at Nintendo. For more details, you can check out the full report by clicking this link.
Image Credit: Nintendo, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
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