Special Feature Workstyle Reform Given that the nation of Japan is promoting efforts to address work style reforms, and that these reforms are seen as a significant social issue, the Fujikura group is advancing broad and diverse efforts with an emphasis on the President's statements that employees are assets. These efforts reflect our aims of embodying a business group that is kind to people. This is based on a fundamental respect for humanity, a belief that is emphasized as a key field in the Fujikura group's basic CSR principles. Respect for humanity represents an awareness of the value of human rights above all else, and: -all employees have sufficient freedom of autonomy and creativity, with no discrimination in a pleasant workplace, -equal opportunities for all employees and efforts to harmonize work and private life, are the goals we strive toward. Aiming to achieve these goals, the Fujikura group implements activities based on the key points of diversity and work-life balance through expert dialogues, while also advancing health management with an eye toward employee health as a basis for the aforementioned. Expert Dialogues Every year, Fujikura implements dialogues with the goal of getting opinions from stake holders and intellectuals about topics we should address, and puts those opinions into action with business activities. This year was the 5th such dialogue with the theme of "about Fujikura Group's efforts to revolutionize work methods," and we invited Professor Hiroki Sato of Chuo University, an expert in personnel matter. Fujikura held a broad-ranging employee dialogue with administrators, line managers, and even managers attending. Details here. Promoting Diversity President message on Promoting Diversity at the Fujikura Group Our 2020 Mid-term Business Plan advocates the management policy of making Fujikura a highly profitable company with stronger "metabolism", with the entire group uniting in a teamwork approach. One aspect of the policies formulated according to these principles is promoting diversity. In order to increase our competitiveness in an environment in which Japan's population is graying (aging and declining) and business is globalizing, it will be important for us to create a system that can make use of diverse human resources, irrespective of their nationality, ethnicity, gender, religion, age, previous career or employment. I believe that our employees are our most important assets. Promoting diversity will be a further step in ensuring that the employees of the Fujikura Group are healthy in mind and body, highly creative, and a vibrant assemblage of human resources. -Received Three Stars from "Eruboshi" For Promotion of Advancement of Women On March 24th of 2017, our group received the highest level of recognition (3 stars) of the "Eruboshi" given to businesses for promoting the advancement of women. This recognition is based on the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's "Promotion of the Advancement of Women Act"*. *"Promotion of the Advancement of Women Act": A law intended to achieve a wealthy and active society through the promotion of women's advancement. This promotion is in order to allow women who choose to work to utilize their abilities and individuality fully in work life. -Promotion of the Employment of People With Disabilities On June 14th of 2016, Fujikura Cube received acknowledgement as a "Special Subsidiary Company" from the Kiba Public Employment Security Office (Tokyo, Koto Ward). Currently, we have 9 people with learning disabilities working for us (current June of 2016). In the future, Fujikura Cube will continue to promote employment of people with disabilities, expand occupations, aim for group operational efficiency, and contribute to group development as well as aiming to become a company where anyone in the community can excel. Work-Life Balance -Efforts for Work Time Optimization The Fujikura group is making efforts for the optimization of working time. The Fujikura group considers personnel and business value to be extremely important administration topics. As such, the "Fujikura Group Work Time Review Activity Principles" were established, and Fujikura is currently advancing a broad range of other initiatives. Fujikura Group Management of Adequate Working Hours Activity Policy The Fujikura group proactively addresses Management of adequate working hours activities, such as institutional and organizational climate reforms, etc., in order to create the environment where diverse human resources can demonstrate their abilities to the utmost, and to realize the enhancement of corporate value. -Fulfillment of Child Care and Work Compatibility Support System With the goal of managers understanding the importance of child care and work compatibility support, we joined the IkuBoss business alliance headed by NPO Fathering Japan, and our president released the "Iku-Boss Pledge." Fujikura also received "Kurumin" recognition from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare for being a company with substantial child care and work compatibility support systems. Health Management In January of 2013, the Fujikura group started an employee Health Promotion and Sickness Prevention Program in response to a promotion of health management by the Employees Working Lively business group. In January of 2014, the Fujikura Group Health Management Declaration was issued, and the Fujikura group is currently planning to expand each company's efforts, aiming to make group-wide health management a reality. Pedometers were also distributed for the promotion of employee health, and daily information about body composition and blood pressure prepared by the company was made visible by smart phone. Fujikura Group Health Management Declaration The Fujikura Group believes that employee health is one of our most important management resources. We support individuals in taking care of their own health, while we also promote organizational activities for healthcare as part of our goal to be a corporate group that is appreciated by customers, highly evaluated by society and whose employees work in vigor. White 500 The Fujikura group was inducted into the White 500 by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Tourism as promoters of health management in recognition of our group's unique efforts. 5th Stake Holder Dialogue About the Fujikura Group's Efforts to Revolutionize Work Methods Every year, Fujikura receives opinions from stake holders and experts on problems to fix. A dialogue is held with the goal of putting those plans into action. This year was the 5th such dialogue, with the theme of "About the Fujikura Group's Efforts to Revolutionize Work Methods". Professor Hiroki Sato of Chuo University, an expert in the field of human relations, was invited and a broad dialogue was held with everyone from executives to line managers, including regular staff. Date: 2/23/2017 (Thu.) Place: Fujikura Corporation Main Meeting Room Speaker: Professor of Strategic Management Hiroki Sato of Chuo University [Biography] After finishing his doctoral degree in sociology research at Hitotsubashi University, Sato took a role as a researcher at the National Institute of Employment and Vocational Resolution (currently the Japan Institute of Labor Policy and Training) and acted as a professor of sociology at Tokyo University, before becoming a professor of strategic management studies at Chuo University in October of 2014. Mainly involved in active manpower policies promoted by the government, he has held the posts of member of the board for gender equality in the Cabinet Office, top board member for the Cabinet Office's promotion of work-life balance in private and public sectors, chairman of the board for the Ministry of Economy's 100 best new plans for diversity, advisor for the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's Ikumen Project, representative for Chuo University's promotion of work-life balance & diversity research project, and more. He has also contributed to and published many articles. Participants from Fujikura (Stake Holders) -Mr. Kenji Nishide (Executive Officer, Head of Optics and Electronics Laboratories) -Mr. Akira Wada (Senior Vice President & Member of the Board) -Mr. Takashi Takizawa (Senior Vice President & Member of the Board) -Mr. Yukihiro Nakayama (Managing Executive Officer, HR Administrator) -Mr. Munehisa Fujimaki (General Manager of Fiber Optics Division) -Mr. Koji Yokoyama (Energy and Telecommunications Company Production Department, MC Production Control Group manager) -Ms. Akiko Imano (Automotive Electronics Company Global Procurement Group Manager) -Ms. Rie Sato (HR, Career Development Group [Diversity Promotion Team]) -Mr. Hiroyuki Miyata (CSR Promotion Office Head) ※All titles are from time of session. Honorifics are abbreviated in main text. [Imano] My goal is to achieve firm output at the company, control of work styles (time management), and fulfillment in work and private life. To do so, I would like bosses and superiors to clarify what goals they have set for their own sections and for themselves, and for Fujikura to be a model case for management that can present goals as output. Also, tele-commuting is very effective when working with countries in different time zones in the course of business. [Prof. Sato] I recommend enacting limits to revolutionize work styles. For example, creating days with zero overtime, or creating days when employees must go home at a specified time. Also, and this is true for any company, people who are competent at the work assigned to them become managers. However, instead of just promoting competent people, it is critical to promote those who are able to manage their respective departments as well as do their own work to management. Tele-commuting requires self-management, so people who cannot do this will not do well. [Sato] Working in recruitment, I hear about students' worries regarding their careers after entering the company and what their future jobs will look like. How can those of us in human resources support them once they've entered the company? [Prof. Sato] The key factor is their boss in their first assignment. They should be assigned to a department with a manager capable of training new employees. It's best if they can be assigned somewhere there is a manager who sees new employees' potential and helps their growth. [Yokoyama] When I was hired, there were periods when I needed to do overtime and work on holidays. It was a time when that won respect - in a manner of speaking - and I also had the mistaken opinion that it was the correct thing to do. I believe it's true that we've fallen into a mistaken mindset that says everyone working overtime is working hard, and thus that they are the most worthy of respect. [Prof. Sato] If you feel like your work style has been unnatural, have everyone below the group leader write a day on the blackboard at the start of the week. Each person has to go home on time on that day, no matter what. Think of it as a first step. If a change is necessary, getting an explanation and imposing constraints makes people consider how they work throughout the week. [Fujimaki] Work at the plant is organized for 24 hours a day, 350 days a year, so we are increasing staff to combat overtime. Even so, employees must alternate weekends off and are in effect unable to take time of as desired. [Prof. Sato] Normally, someone at the plant would create shifts, making it easier to use vacation days and reducing overtime, but changing shifts is a difficult problem. However, this system will keep employee retention rates low and make hiring difficult, so we need to think of the total picture. [Nishide] Researchers don't have high averages for overtime, but certain key technical personnel have a lot. We began efforts to recruit more female scientists last year, but only about 2% of employees at the research center are female. I believe we need to make ourselves a company that is more appealing to women. [Prof. Sato] First, it is just as difficult to recruit women as you said. It is true that skilled workers have more overtime even among non-technicians. The question for managers who feel that a task is too difficult for an employee is whether or not that manager has trained that employee to do the task. Is it true that "he's the only man for the job?" It's important to think about raising all employees' performance levels. [Nakayama] The way people work now is off pace, so I want to change that climate. Organizational leaders haven't thought about work style reforms in some senses. [Prof. Sato] It takes time to change work styles and workplace climate. It takes at least 10 years to change work styles for office and skilled work. In that regard, it's important that the top echelon work to promote changes in work styles, that the managers understand this work, and that work on site continues to improve. Just like with small teams on the shop floor where everyone shares in small successes, everyone should feel that "we can do it if we try, our way of working can change." [Wada] In research and development, there are issues where you may not reach a conclusion for a year. Managing those projects is difficult. People will just keep working without end when they are interested in what they do. How should we deal with people like that? [Prof. Sato] We're not telling people not to work. Even if we say not to work at home, they can work if they have a computer. Instead of staying at the company, they can work at home after they've spent time with their families. I believe those who can effectively switch between home and work life can do good work. [Takizawa] To promote improvements in work methods and maintain employee and manager education, we must change our culture. That will take time, so it's necessary to create programs step by step. [Prof. Sato] Diversity administration recognizes various values. The problem isn't that the "work, work, work" attitude is bad; rather, only accepting employees who hold the attitude is the problem. Major Opinions In order to prevent overtime being focused on competent workers, both employee training and raising performance levels for all employees are important. Departments with a lot of overtime can encourage thinking about the week's work using pre-set days to return home on time as a step. The first assignment is important for new employees and they should be assigned to managers who see their potential and train them accordingly. Diversity administration recognizes various values. Driven employees are not bad, but exclusively recognizing employees who are driven is not good. Finishing the Dialogue There was much to learn today, and we will be thinking hard about our employees' opinions. Just as Professor Sato said, we must be patient and resolved as our steady efforts on work style reforms will take time. Thank you all for your valuable opinions. Mr. Takashi Takizawa (Senior Vice President & Member of the Board)
