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A personnel management system where employees are promoted and compensated based on their length of service rather than performance or skills.
年功制の下では、勤続年数が長い社員ほど昇進のチャンスが多い。
Under the seniority system, employees with longer tenure have more promotion opportunities.
近年、年功制を見直す企業が増えている。
In recent years, an increasing number of companies are reviewing their seniority-based systems.
Common in traditional Japanese corporate culture, though modern companies are shifting toward merit-based systems.
年功制 is often contrasted with modern merit-based systems (成果主義). When discussing Japanese corporate culture, this term is essential for understanding historical labor practices.
Do not translate 年功制 as 'year-merit system' or 'length-of-service system.' The idiomatic equivalent is 'seniority-based promotion system.'
Combination of 年功 (nenkō, 'length of service' + 'merit') and 制 (sei, 'system'). The term emerged in early 20th-century Japan as part of industrial labor management practices.
Primarily used in business contexts, especially when discussing corporate culture or labor practices. Avoid using in casual conversation unless referring to workplace systems.