Department store operator Takashimaya Co. will ban new recruits from wearing suits at its initiation ceremony April 1, hoping to create a relaxed environment in which the young employees feel free to voice their opinions.
Takashimaya asked its 79 new hires Thursday to wear clothes such as chinos, jeans and sneakers at the traditional ceremony for the first time in its 181-year history.
President Koji Suzuki and board members also plan to show up without ties, according to the department store chain.
"By asking them to dress casually, we hope to make it easy for them to talk with the president and board members. We want to shorten the distance between them," Takashimaya spokesman Kanichi Uchiyama told The Japan Times on Friday.
Listening to the honest opinions of young employees is crucial if Takashimaya wants to flourish moving forward, Uchiyama said. If the department store doesn't attract more customers when they're young, the store may face difficulty when these people reach their 50s, the chain's primary demographic, he said.