There are several reasons why nursing jobs are relatively poorly paid.
This issue is being debated in many countries, including Japan, and involves complex social, economic, and policy backgrounds.
The salaries of nursing care workers are low even on a global scale, and the main reasons are summarized below.
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Reasons why nursing care pay is low
1. Social recognition and values
Although care workers play an important role in society, the value of their work may not be fully recognized.
This physically and mentally demanding profession is sometimes overlooked, and its low social esteem is reflected in its pay.
2. Financing structure of nursing care services
In many countries, long-term care services are covered by public funds and insurance systems, but these funds are limited.
Due to severe budget constraints, there is no choice but to keep personnel costs low in order to reduce the costs of facility management and service provision.
3. Labor market structure
Many women work in nursing care jobs, and a high proportion of them are part-time or non-regular.
These types of employment generally have lower wages than regular employment, and as a result, the industry’s overall salary level is decreasing.
4. Rapid increase in nursing care demand and labor shortage
As the population ages, demand for nursing care services is rapidly increasing, but the supply of human resources for nursing care jobs is not keeping up.
Labor shortages have the potential to improve working conditions and raise wages, but at present it is difficult to significantly improve wages due to lack of funds and competition from other occupations.
5. Policy and budget priorities
Salaries for nursing care workers are also affected by government and local government policies and budget allocation.
When investment in the care sector is not prioritized compared to other public services and policy issues, it leads to underfunding and low pay.
These factors need to be addressed in order to improve pay for care workers.
Society as a whole needs to increase the value of the nursing care profession, strengthen policy support, and review the funding structure.
Improving the working environment and establishing career paths for nursing care staff are also important factors that lead to higher salaries.
Average salary for nursing care jobs
Salaries for nursing care workers vary greatly depending on region, type of facility, and qualifications.
In general, the average monthly income for nursing care workers is approximately 317,540 yen, and the average annual income based on this is approximately 3.81 million yen.
Looking more closely, by age, monthly income ranges from approximately 299,140 yen to 361,170 yen for those in their 30s to those in their 60s and above.
In addition, looking at the average salary by qualification, the average monthly salary for a certified care worker is approximately 331,080 yen.
These data are based on data from businesses that have obtained subsidies to support the improvement of nursing care staff treatment, and actual salaries will vary depending on the facility and region where you work, as well as the qualifications you hold.
Additionally, the average hourly wage for part-time workers is approximately 1,130 yen.
From this information, we can see that although the salaries of nursing care workers are gradually improving, the salary level of the nursing care industry as a whole is still low compared to other industries.
Improving wages will also help solve the labor shortage problem in the nursing care industry and improve the quality of services, so continued policy support and industry-wide efforts are required.
Will nursing care salaries increase in the future?
Whether wages for nursing care workers will increase in the future depends on many factors, including policy initiatives, changes in social perception, labor shortages in the industry, and overall economic trends.
The following are factors that increase your chances of getting a salary increase.
policy initiatives
In many countries, the importance of nursing care is increasing as the population ages. The national and local governments have pledged to improve the treatment of nursing care workers, and there are moves to secure specific policies and budgets to improve wages.
Wages may increase if policies that directly lead to higher salaries are implemented, such as revising nursing care fees or increasing personnel cost subsidies.
If society as a whole’s perception of the nursing profession changes and its value becomes more highly valued, it will lead to higher salaries.
It is hoped that a culture of understanding and supporting the professionalism and importance of nursing care will take root.
Labor shortage in the industry
A severe labor shortage in the nursing care industry is likely to strengthen the position of nursing care workers in the labor market.
In order to secure workers, it is essential to improve working conditions and raise wages, which creates pressure for higher wages.
Trends in the overall economy
Overall trends in the economy, such as economic growth and rising inflation rates, also affect pay. If the economy is doing well, there will be increased investment in public nursing care services and upward pressure on wages in the private sector, making it easier for nursing care workers to increase their wages.
However, it is unclear to what extent and when these factors will be realized, and there is no guarantee that a salary increase will occur.
Increasing wages for nursing care workers requires sustained policy support and efforts from society as a whole.
In addition, the management status and efficiency efforts of individual facilities and service providers have a significant impact on salary levels, so efforts to improve the industry as a whole are required.
