We talk about layoffs impacting the video game industry so frequently these days that it can feel all doom and gloom. But there are bright spots and shining examples of how business should be conducted, with Nintendo being a gold standard example.
In recent data records information as reported on by Go Nintendo, it's revealed that the Japanese hardware and software maker has increased its employee count as of late, with a grand total of 5,630 full-time staff members around the world. For the most part, many of these employees are situated in Japan with 2,962 in the country, and then a further 1,446 in the United States, 1,123 across Europe, and a further 99 in Australia.
The interesting thing to add here is that Nintendo's employee turnover rate is next to nothing. Only 1.9% of staff in Japan have moved on and been replaced within the last year, with that increasing to 5.7% in America, 6% in Europe, and 16.7% in Australia. This leads to a mega employee term periods that span 14.4 years for Japan, 10 years in the US, 11.1 years in Europe, and 8.5 years in Australia.
Clearly Nintendo has cracked the code of having the right amount of staff for the tasks it requires, all while giving those employees the resources and support they need to feel happy and comfortable at their workplace. Many other companies around the world could definitely take notes.
It's also worth noting that while 5,600 employees might seem like a lot, considering how many projects Nintendo works on and the fact that it is one of three core console makers today, it's actually quite a small company. For reference, Sony's gaming department had 12,100 employees in its ranks the last time information was shared, and Virtuos, the remastering powerhouse that recently debuted The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, had around 4,200 employees before announcing layoffs.