Interview with managers "Allows Systems Co., Ltd."

Founded in 1999. Mr. Arrows Systems, who felt the growth of the Internet and had been conducting business with a view to the future, such as nurturing WEB engineers who were few at the time. We are expanding a wide range of businesses, from system construction to digital marketing to improve corporate operations and improve efficiency. Currently, the number of employees is 150. About one-third of them are women. This time, Mr. Tatsuhiko Yatsu, President and CEO, talked about hiring women and supporting their success.

I have never been conscious of "let's actively hire women" since our founding. This is because engineers can be active regardless of gender. It was only a few years after our founding that we officially hired female employees. As a result of recruiting excellent engineers for both men and women, the number of women has naturally increased.

We have established a system that can support employees who are raising children, such as childcare leave and nursing leave for children when they become ill. What has been improved in response to requests from female employees is the form of taking childcare leave for children. Vacations that could only be taken on a daily basis have been changed so that they can be taken in detail by hour. By separating by time, we can respond to children's outpatient visits and emergency pick-up, and we are pleased that it has become easier to use than before. Of course, the company as a whole has rules, but since the circumstances of each employee vary, we try to respond as flexibly as possible. I hope that we will continue to improve this work environment and grow into a company where all employees can work easily.

Certainly, there have been projects in the past that have been overtime for a long time. However, some of the employees in charge of such projects took a leave before the next project started. It is important to study and prepare in the spare time for the next project, but I also think it is important to take a vacation and refresh in order to improve your physical condition. There are many types of engineers who like to think about the development mechanism, and some employees are always thinking about work-related matters even in their private lives, so I think it is important to switch between ON and OFF well. Childcare leave is also a system that can be used for gender equality, so I think it is natural that men can also take it. We have a track record of actual acquisitions by men.

As part of women's empowerment, the government has set a goal to increase the percentage of women in managerial positions, but I don't want to simply increase the numbers. Since the circumstances vary from person to person, I think it is necessary to think more comprehensively than gender. What is annoying as a company is that even if you consult a woman who has been active with a manager, you will be refused due to time constraints due to housework and childcare, or you will retire at a life event such as marriage or childbirth. There are cases to do. As a company, I want to avoid it if I can let go of excellent human resources. As an initiative to ensure that such women continue to work for a long time, we are currently examining the diversity of work styles within the company, including working from home. I feel that working from home can be one of the options would lead to a more comfortable work environment.

I was in charge of web development at the company I joined as a new graduate, but I retired after marriage and childbirth. I thought it would be difficult to work shortly with full-time employees because of the job type of engineer, so for a while, I raised two children while working at multiple companies as temporary employees. One of them is Arrows Systems. I felt that it was a very good workplace that was able to interact without the walls of temporary and full-time employees. I joined the company when my second child turned 1 year old. When I was looking for a new job, I was asked to call out. We have a shorter working hours system, and I feel that it is a workplace that cooperates in working while raising children. Even after joining the company, the childcare system has been further improved, with shorter working hours being extended from the initial preschooler to the sixth grade of elementary school, and the child's nursing leave being taken on an hourly basis. I can also respond to sudden illness of my child, which is very helpful. In terms of work, in addition to web development, there are more opportunities to engage in new graduate training. I am conscious of my juniors not only teaching technical skills as an engineer, but also being able to see them as senior employees who balance work and childcare for two children. Women are often worried about continuing to work, such as giving birth, raising children, and returning to work, but I would be glad if juniors looked at me and gained confidence that they could balance them.

Arrows Systems, Inc.
Queens Tower A, 7F, 8F, 2-3-1 Minatomirai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama
http://www.arrows-systems.co.jp/ (external site)
Industry: Software
Number of employees: Non-Consolidated: 142 people, Group total: 300 (as of January 1, 2018)
Female Support System: Childcare leave / Child nursing leave / Nursing care leave / Nursing care leave