Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser has asserted that the absence of unions within the company is attributed to a perceived “high degree of job satisfaction” among its employees. In a recent interview with Inverse, Bowser emphasized Nintendo’s focus on cultivating an inclusive culture with a work-life balance centered around the company’s mission to bring joy to its audience.
Despite the current trend in the games industry of studios forming unions to secure greater job security, Nintendo has notably refrained from such formations. While acknowledging that attempts to form unions have occurred, Bowser points to employee feedback indicating significant satisfaction and engagement. He cites the company’s high retention numbers and low turnover rate as evidence of contentment within the organization.
Bowser stated, “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.” He emphasized Nintendo’s commitment to fostering a work environment that allows for productivity, work-life balance, and internal growth.
Bowser also said:
“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. 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.
The statement also acknowledged the right of employees to form a union, expressing openness to such possibilities in the future. However, the current emphasis remains on creating an optimal work culture and environment.
While Bowser’s response raises questions about the actual sentiments of Nintendo employees. The corporate stance emphasizes contentment, but without direct employee input, the extent of job satisfaction remains subjective. The potential formation of unions, a common trend in the industry for enhanced job security, is not ruled out for Nintendo despite its current status.
It must also be kept in mind that unions are more effective as a precaution rather than a solution. They must exist before the problems arise to give a platform to employees so that they can voice their concerns or complaints. Ideally, they are formed to increase employee satisfaction and unite the employees’ strengths so they can convince the employer to take action for the benefit of the employees or to keep it that way if employee satisfaction is already high. Unions are a way of taking a bit of the initiative and the power from the employer and giving it to the employees. Therefore, Bowser’s claim that there are no unions because employees are very satisfied with their jobs doesn’t make much sense.
