In order to realize styles of work that are not constrained by time or location through the use of IT and communications technologies, the Nissui Group has adopted a teleworking system and increased the maximum number of full days allowed for telework to three days per week since April 2021.
In addition to this, since July 2021, core hours in the flextime system have been abolished, and employees have been allowed to take annual paid leave on an hourly basis; by combining them with telework, Nissui is promoting further improvements in operational efficiency and work-life balance.
Furthermore, in January 2022, Nissui introduced a system to allow employees who have certain reasons for striking a balance between work and home life (e.g., child-raising, nursing care) to work exclusively in the form of telework as a general rule, regardless of the cap on the number of teleworking days allowed (i.e., three days per week), in order to develop a working environment in which diverse human capital can play an active part.
Going forward, Nissui will continue its efforts to shift to new styles of work that enable each and every individual to boost his/her productivity and gain a real sense of fulfillment from his/her work.
![[Photo] Office-wide Teleworking Day at Nissui’s Head Office](/assets/img/site/147/147_52_img-01.jpg)
Office-wide Teleworking Day at Nissui’s Head Office
As part of efforts to create a comfortable and rewarding workplace, Nissui is engaging in initiatives to make its employees take leave in a planned manner and pursuing a balance between work and personal life and improvement in health among its employees. Nissui has set a Company-wide common target for the rate of leave taken as well as days recommended for taking leave; each individual prepares his/her plan for taking annual leave and shares his/her schedule for taking leave within his/her department, which helps in coordinating work in advance and assists in progress management of leave taken.
In fiscal 2019, Nissui introduced “Anshin Leave,” a new type of short-term paid leave for emergencies, separate from regular leave, in response to employees’ requests to reserve their standard leave in the event of sudden illness.
Additionally, Nissui revised the “Accrued Leave” system, allowing employees to accumulate up to 80 days of paid leave that expires after two years, specifically for caregiving/nursing, or rejuvenation purposes. Starting in fiscal 2023, every employee now receives an annual grant of two additional leave days, enhancing the existing accumulation mechanism. This expansion of the leave system aims to encourage more active use of leave among employees.
As of the end of March of each year
Scope: Nissui Corporation
Nissui has been formulating action plans based on the Act on Advancement of Measures to Support Raising Next-Generation Children since 2005 and in May 2010, it received the "Kurumin" Mark Certification from the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, which is awarded to companies that support child-rearing.
In fiscal 2021, for the fourth time in a row, Nissui received the ‘Kurumin 4 Star’ certification. At the present time, Nissui is engaged in initiatives to achieve the goals of our Sixth Phase Action Plan. Nissui is committed to introducing various measures to be a company in which both men and women are able to balance their work with childcare.
(note) “Kurumin” mark: Companies and national/local governments are mandated by the Act on Advancement of Measures to Support Raising Next-Generation Children to formulate an action plan to support the healthy birth and growth of children, who will be shaping our society for the next generation. It is a certification mark awarded to companies that have achieved the targets set in their action plans and met certain standards.
Next-Generation Mark
(Nickname: “Kurumin”)
| Details | Initiatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Objective 1 | Raise the rate of male employees taking leave for childcare during the plan period to 100% | (1) Conduct a survey of employees who were unable to take childcare leave, analyze factors that contributed to their inability to do so, consider measures to address the issues, and implement appropriate actions. (2) Provide eligible individuals with a guide to childcare leave and ensure awareness of childcare-related policies and programs. (3) Enhance in-house promotions to raise the level of awareness among employees of the need for male employees to participate in childcare. |
| Objective 2 | Raise the rate of annual paid leave taken by each employee to 80% | (1) Each individual plans to take 80% of the number of days granted to them in the current year, and enters and updates their annual vacation plan in the company intranet personal calendar. (2) Foster an environment in which it is easy to make plans to use leave by setting up common in-house recommended days for using leave and a recommended period for using consecutive summer leave. (3) Check with Human Resources Department on the status of plan input and check the status with department heads and their immediate bosses as necessary. (4) Post utilization rates by department on the company intranet every month. (5) Share information on the status of utilization by department and promote the taking of leave (3 to 4 times a year) |
| Objective 3 | Continue to provide training and improve an internal environment to support balancing life events with career development. | (1) Support a smooth return to work after childcare leave for both male and female. (2) Send employees to external training programs to provide role models for women in the childcare phase. (3) Provide ongoing training for supervisors with subordinates in the childcare phase and foster an organizational culture. |
Nissui aims to create an environment where both men and women can continue to work while raising children and pursue career development. Looking to establish a workplace conducive to work-life balance, Nissui has set a goal to achieve a 100% rate of childcare leave utilization. For male employees who become fathers, Nissui actively promotes the uptake of childcare leave and confirms their intention to use it. Additionally, division heads and department managers are encouraged to promote understanding and support for the use of childcare leave.
Additionally, building on the promotion of paternity leave, Nissui aims to create a workplace where employees can confidently take leave not only for childcare but also for caregiving or illness. To this end, discussion opportunities (workplace meetings) are conducted to discuss responsive strategies, which also helps in building a system that supports taking leave. Furthermore, efforts are made to cultivate a culture where each individual considers leave-taking as a personal matter, thereby facilitating an environment supportive of personal reasons for leave.
As of March of each year
Scope: Nissui Corporation
Nissui has been introducing return-to-work career interviews between employees and their managers, utilizing the "Interview Sheets for Employees Returning to Work from Maternity and Childcare Leave." Nissui's ongoing support -which is provided not only at the time of returning to work but also over the career resumption period of six to twelve months after returning to work- has been received favorably. In addition, Nissui supports managers of employees raising children by providing them with necessary information for effectively managing team members during childcare, thereby facilitating a supported return back to the workplace.
Cité Marine S.A.S. (France), a member of the Nissui Group, set up a nursery in October 2020, for the purpose of creating an environment that is pleasant to work in even while employees are raising children; 20 children of employees go to the nursery.
Nissui has a nursing care leave program, in which 10 days of leave per year is allowed to employees with one person in their care, and 20 days per year for employees with two persons or more in their care. In addition to hosting nursing care seminars led by expert instructors, Nissui has contracted specialized nursing care agencies to offer consultation desks where employees can receive free advice via phone and email. Settings are also established for employees to discuss the use of nursing care services among those facing similar challenges. Furthermore, Nissui supports employees dealing with nursing care by recommending the use of flexible work arrangements such as “Coreless Flex,” and by including nursing care as one of the criteria for eligibility for full-time work from home. Assistance with nursing care costs is also provided through the cafeteria plan options. Through these initiatives, Nissui is cultivating a culture in which both the individuals directly involved and their supervisors and colleagues treat each nursing care issue as their own personal concern, thereby creating a supportive environment that recognizes the unique aspects of each situation.
| Reason | System | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Childcare | Leave for preparing for childbirth | An employee can take leave on a full-day or half-day basis for up to 15 days while the employee or the employee’s spouse is pregnant until two weeks after the birth of a child. Both male and female employees can take leave at times of poor physical condition (e.g., nausea of pregnancy) and when undergoing medical examination, etc., including accompanying their partners. An employee can take leave out of his/her accrued leave. |
| Childcare | Childcare leave | Childcare leave can be taken by male employees as well, and is treated as paid leave for up to five days. |
| Childcare | Leave for childbirth by spouse | An employee can take special paid leave for up to two days in cases where his spouse has given birth to a child. |
| Childcare | Leave for taking care of sick children | In cases where an employee has to take care of his/her child of primary school age or younger due to injury or illness, or in cases where an employee has to make such child receive a vaccination or undergo health examination, he/she can take leave on an hourly basis for up to five days in the case of one child or up to ten days in the case of two or more children. An employee can take leave out of his/her accrued leave. |
| Nursing care | Nursing care leave | An employee can take leave on an hourly basis for up to 10 days in the case of one person in his/her care or up to 20 days in the case of two or more persons in his/her care. An employee can take leave out of his/her accrued leave. |
| Nursing care | Extended nursing care leave | An employee can take extended nursing care leave multiple times for a total of up to one year and six months per eligible family member in his/her care. |
| Childcare | Shortened-workday system | An employee can use this system for a maximum of seven years in total, including childcare leave, until his/her child completes the third year of primary school. An employee can also use the shortened-flextime system. |
| Nursing care | Shortened-workday system | An employee can use this system for a maximum of three years per person in his/her care. An employee can also use the shortened-flextime system. |
| Universal | Flextime system | Applicable to employees other than some employees, such as plant workers. |
| Universal | Teleworking System | Applicable to all employees other than some employees, such as plant workers. This system can be used on the grounds of making operations more efficient, promoting health and welfare, and striking a balance between work and family. Telework, which means working without attending the workplace, is capped at three times per week. |
| Universal | "Anshin" Leave (Short-term Paid Leave for Non-occupational Injuries and Diseases) | Each fiscal year, an employee is granted five days of paid leave that can be taken when he/she has suffered short-term non-occupational injury or illness (e.g., cold) and has difficulty coming to work. |
| Universal | Refreshment leave | An employee is entitled to take leave for five consecutive days when the length of his/her service has reached 10, 20 or 30 years. Such an employee is also paid a grant. |
| Universal | Coreless flex | Core hours in the flextime system were abolished, and the start time of work was also pushed back to 5:00 onwards. |
| Universal | Taking paid leave on an hourly basis | All employees can take paid leave not only on a full-day basis and half-day basis but also on an hourly basis for up to five days per year. Employees can take hourly leave at the beginning of the workday, mid-day (once per day) and at the end of the workday. |
