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The photo you register in an HR system or on a staff ID card is a fundamentally different thing from a My Number Card or passport photo.
An official document photo exists to satisfy a legal specification for identity verification. A workplace photo has no legal specification at all. What it needs to do is let colleagues recognise you, and look consistent when displayed in a grid alongside everyone else. Once that distinction is clear, the requirements make sense.
kaonavi, a widely used talent management system in Japan, publishes its photo requirements on its official support site.
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| File format | JPG, PNG, GIF (all converted to JPG on upload) |
| File size | Up to 5MB per file |
| Dimensions | Adjusted automatically — no mm or pixel spec |
| Background | White or a light colour such as light grey, recommended |
| Framing | Face centred, eyes to camera |
Source: kaonavi support — before using face photo management (verified 18 August 2026)
The notable part is that there is no size in millimetres. Height and width are adjusted for you. What does affect the result is face position and orientation — the support site notes that photos where the face sits well off-centre are harder to adjust automatically.
Filenames can auto-link to employee records
The photo registration page explains that naming the image file after the employee number links it automatically — employee number A0001 becomes A0001.jpg. If you are handling a bulk upload, circulate that naming rule before the photos are taken and you will save yourself a round of rework.
| Aspect | Official documents | Workplace systems |
|---|---|---|
| Basis | Law and ministry specification | Each company or vendor |
| Size | Strict, to the millimetre | Usually adjusted automatically |
| Background | Plain, as a requirement | Light colour, as a recommendation |
| Editing | Banned for some documents | Not normally restricted |
| Recency | Often within 6 months | Usually unspecified |
In other words, workplace systems have almost no concept of rejection. Instead, a photo that is dark, distant, or shot against a cluttered background simply stands out awkwardly in a grid of colleagues. The cost lands on visual consistency, not on approval.
A staff card sits closer to a real credential than an HR record does — but there is still no legal specification, and practice varies by company.
Many employers ask for roughly 40 × 30mm, following the standard ID photo convention, but that is custom rather than rule. Check your own company's guidance.
社員証の写真 服装 — what to wear for a staff card photo — is a common question with no single correct answer. Useful principles:
Company instructions always win
If your onboarding paperwork specifies size, background colour, dress, or submission method, follow that rather than the general guidance here. Whether a digital file or a printed photo is expected also varies by employer.
HR system, staff card, and onboarding paperwork often all want a photo at the same time.
Shoot once against a plain background, facing front, with a natural expression, and one source image covers all of them. For technique see studio-quality ID photos at home, and for dimensions see Japanese ID photo sizes.
Workplace photos from your phone
Upload a phone photo, get a plain background and every size you need in one go.
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kaonavi specifications reflect its official support site as of 18 August 2026 and may change. Staff card and internal submission requirements vary by employer — always check your own company's guidance.
Not in millimetres. The kaonavi support site states that height and width are adjusted automatically. File formats are JPG, PNG and GIF, up to 5MB per file, and everything is converted to JPG after upload.
The kaonavi support site recommends white or a light colour such as light grey, for on-screen appearance. This is a display recommendation, not a legal specification.
It depends on your company. In some organisations an administrator uploads photos in bulk; in others each employee uploads their own. Check with your HR or IT team first.
There is no legal specification — each company sets its own. Many ask for roughly 40 × 30mm, following the ID photo convention, but always check your own company's rules.
Match your workplace dress code. A suit where suits are worn; a collared top where dress is casual. Because a staff card is used for as long as you are employed, avoid strongly trend-driven clothing.
Usually yes. Official document photos frame the face larger, so it can look slightly tight in some systems, but a plain background and a front-facing pose work fine in practice.