The Fujikura Group helps employees achieve work-life balance, while respecting diverse values and lifestyles, in hopes of supporting the achievement of both business growth and enriched personal lifestyles.

The existing rules on working from home were revised in January 2021 to adjust to new normal conditions, expanding the system’s scope of use. The limit on the number of days permitted for telecommuting was eliminated, the number of people eligible was expanded, a telecommuting allowance was established, and other steps taken to expand the system.

Up to 100 days of annual paid vacation that has expired after two years can be banked for leave. Leave for temporary school closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic was added to the purposes for using vacation days that have been carried over from April 2021 as one part of the childcare support for preventing the spread of COVID-19. Those who are eligible may submit a request to take the necessary amount of vacation up to 10 days in one fiscal year vacation cycle to care for children who are at home due to temporary closure of the school, kindergarten, or daycare center they attend.

Fujikura Ltd. works to ensure appropriate working hours as one of its most important management issues that will help improve the value of the company and its human capital. We strive to ensure local compliance and reduce overtime work hours across the entire Group. In June 2014, we documented the Group's policies on appropriate working hours and have been conducting related activities regarding the following as the three pillars of these policies.

In April 2017, we established the Labor-Management Study Committee for Workplace Reform and are working vigorously to reform the way we work. The committee is composed of people from the Human Resources Department and the labor union.

Plan timeframe: April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2026
　Goal One: Support for returning to work after childcare leave
　Goal Two: Promoting awareness and understanding of work-life balance support systems and internal examples of work-life balance
　Goal Three: Promotion of male participation in childcare

Fujikura is actively working towards creating a workplace where both childcare and work can be balanced, regardless of gender. We aim to enhance this environment further and achieve a workplace where everyone can work comfortably. By promoting male parental leave, we believe it contributes to addressing issues such as gender role division, declining birth rates, and the labor force population. As part of our initiatives for the fiscal year 2022, we have issued childcare handbooks for managers and male employees, conducted fatherhood classes and training for male employees in managerial positions, and fostered a culture where taking parental leave is encouraged. In the fiscal year 2022, the rate of male parental leave uptake was 56%, with an average duration of 34 days.

Rules on side jobs and concurrent work were established in January 2023. Employees can engage in side jobs or concurrent work under certain conditions*, provided they obtain permission from the Company in advance. Eight employees have submitted requests in the three months since this system was introduced. The main side jobs include work such as consulting, creating and managing websites and e-commerce sites, work that utilizes the employee’s qualifications and expertise, and a family business. Our position is that employees take the initiative and responsibility for engaging in such work outside of working hours. We encourage employees to build their careers in diverse ways and are striving to foster an organizational culture which encourages employees to take on challenges.

*Such work is not permitted when there is a need to avoid long working hours to fulfill the obligation to consider safety, and when it would make it difficult to fulfill the obligation to protect confidentiality, avoid competition, and faithfully fulfill work obligations.