Human Resources Strategy

Achievements in Fiscal Year 2022

In fiscal year 2022, we formulated separate plans, aligned to our basic policy, for initiatives by the entire Group and by each operating company. When implementing each plan, we carried out an engagement survey on human resource issues. Assessing the current situation in this way allowed us to spot any gaps for improvement and act quickly to address those areas.

Initiatives for fiscal year 2023

The engagement survey results indicated a need for reform of our organizational culture and for even stronger cooperation within and outside the Group, which are necessary conditions for driving new innovation. We also saw a need to support middle management, a core function of the organization that works to promote management plans. Based on these findings, we have newly added building our organizational climate and culture development as pillars of our human resource strategy, and have reflected these into our priority themes for this fiscal year and beyond. We have positioned health management and respect for human rights, areas that we have been actively addressing in our activities so far, as the framework for our human resource strategy for a solutions company. We have reorganized our human resource strategy around these fundamental activities.

Framework of our human resource strategy for realizing what we aim to be

Human resources are the most important asset underpinning the Group’s value creation story. With this in mind, we will continue working to create a structure and environment that will allow Group employees to use their abilities to the full and achieve personal growth and self-realization.

Digital Transformation (DX) skills enhancement program

Starting in fiscal year 2022, we launched a program aimed at raising the level of DX skills among all our employees in Japan. Following completion of a 10-hour fundamental course in the first year, this program will cover additional trends in the rapidly evolving DX field, with courses in data-driven and generative AI technologies from the second year onward. We are sequentially planning and implementing this program to strengthen our foundational digital transformation skills throughout the Group. We are also introducing practical programs that integrate digital with business to support the creation of new businesses. In doing so, we aim to develop human resources who can help accelerate our creation of new businesses.

Initiatives for strengthening management skills

Since fiscal year 2021, we have been implementing a management skill training program for managers in the workplace. The program aims to equip managers with the skills they need to maximize the results of their team. Such skills are key to ensuring that each employee understands the team’s objectives and goals and how they align with overall management and business plans. We also plan to introduce a program aimed at strengthening the communication and facilitation skills of managers. The aim is to enable them to draw out positive opinions and ideas from their subordinates, with a view to increasing employees’ sense of ownership over their work.

Developing human resources as potential candidates for senior management

To increase corporate value and achieve sustainable growth in a complex management environment, it is vital to systematically develop management human resources who can be responsible for the management of the Group and the promotion of each business. Going forward, we will work to build a system that systematically instills the literacy necessary for management while affording employees the type of experience that they would need in a senior management position.

Initiatives to support women’s empowerment

Since fiscal year 2013, the Group has been working to promote the empowerment of women in various ways including introducing various systems for improving the working environment and changing attitudes. We believe that it is important to reform the consciousness of all employees, not just women. That is why in our approach to promoting the advancement of women, we carry out educational programs that target all employees. In fiscal year 2023, in addition to the introduction of a staggered working hours system, we expanded our work from home system. As part of our educational program, we plan to conduct unconscious bias training and e-learning for all employees, including officers. We will continue working to create a working environment that supports female employees as they advance their careers.

Ratio of women in managerial positions

Efforts to support work-life balance

The Group is also actively providing support for balancing work and childcare. In fiscal year 2022, to encourage male employees to take childcare leave, we introduced paid childcare leave at birth. We also carried out various activities aimed at encouraging men to take childcare leave, such as communication from top management to Group employees and seminars on that theme. By promoting understanding among supervisors and colleagues, we are working to build a culture that supports a balance between work and childcare. As a result of these efforts, the rate of men taking childcare leave in fiscal year 2022 was 46.7%, a year-on-year increase of 23.6%.

Developing a system for work flexibility

As values toward working styles diversify, it is more important than ever to build an environment and system that allows employees to work productively, whenever and wherever suits them best. That flexibility is key to enabling employees to have a strong sense of motivation and energy to their work. As well as introducing a workfrom-home system that enables remote work, we piloted and introduced the use of shared offices, which enable efficient working. This also offers an opportunity for employees to interact with other professionals in a way that beyond the boundaries between companies.

Employment of Individuals with Disabilities

As part of our efforts to promote diversity, we are actively promoting the employment of individuals with disabilities. As of June 1, 2022, the employment rate of individuals with disabilities was 2.32%, exceeding the legally mandated rate of 2.3%.

Recruiting and hiring employees with external experience

Many of our more experienced employees are active in fields that require advanced knowledge, such as business creation and digital promotion. They apply diverse experience from outside the Company to creating new value. Many of these employees are appointed to management positions, with the result that the number of such employees involved in making important Company decisions has been growing year by year. We have also introduced a regular follow-up system to support employees after they join the Company. This creates a support system for enabling employees to quickly contribute while also aiding retention. To promote value creation that applies knowledge from inside and outside the Company, we will further work to ensure fair and impartial hiring based on individual merits, and promote the success of experienced hires.