Interview with Managers “Form Co., Ltd.”

Founded in 1950. Since then, Form Co., Ltd. has been consistently engaged in the manufacture of truck and bus parts. The company has grown through transactions with major domestic truck manufacturers and passenger car manufacturers, and has developed worldwide, with its headquarters in Yokohama and two related subsidiaries in Japan and one in Indonesia. Currently, of the 315 staff members, 21 are female staff members. This time, Mr. Yoichi Kobayashi, Managing Director, spoke about women's employment, working style, and issues in the men-centered industry.

This industry has long been a male society. In the past, there was a time when high school graduates were hired as clerical staff in general affairs and accounting. However, even if you are trained, you will get married early in the company and retire. There were many cases in which men at the company lost their power (laughs). That said, excellent women for mid-sized companies like us are valuable human resources. Over the past few years, we have been actively recruiting and educating them from scratch, regardless of humanities and sciences, if there are good women. In order to do so, it is necessary for a company to establish systems and equipment. In addition to maternity leave and childcare leave, it is also important to create a culture where people around you can cooperate when a child suddenly becomes ill and wants to take a break. In addition, we will increase the number of toilets on the site and create rest rooms so that women can work comfortably. Make offices barrier-free and install elevators so that not only women but also people with disabilities can be accommodated. There are still a lot of challenges to be tackled, but we plan to invest more in these environmental aspects in the future.

It serves as a consultation desk for employees on a daily basis. In particular, technical employees often use CAD to write drawings, face personal computers, and work alone, so they often become lonely. There are also employees who have trouble communicating with their supervisors. In such a case, women can be aware and care in detail, and it seems that women are more likely to consult with employees who are worried. On the other hand, men are a little sparse to those parts (laughs). I can see the clutter. As a matter of fact, I have the opportunity to announce once a month as an improvement activity for the company, but women's presentations are meticulous and logical. In some cases, women are said to be emotional, but they are completely different. Since I can talk from the standpoint of the other party, I believe that I can develop it as a supervisor or manager, as a sales or material buyer. Also, in the field, assembling parts such as clutches and brakes is often fine, so it is a place where women can play an active role. In terms of quality assurance, women who can think objectively are more suitable. In the past one or two years, I am particularly keenly aware of the need for women, but the fact that there are no female employees who have advanced their careers is an issue for the future.

We strive to pay attention not only to the work environment but also to our daily lives. First of all, strengthen the vacation system. This is necessary for female employees, rather than for all employees. We have a system that allows you to save extra vacations. For example, if you are ill and need a long vacation, use the accumulated vacation instead of the usual vacation. The number of employees who have to take a rest for their parents is now increasing. In such a case, take advantage of the paid vacation. I myself take a break once a month for my parents' care and return home. Currently, there is an upper limit on this reserve vacation, but we plan to change the rules in the future. We are also considering extending the period of childcare leave, and we are also considering introducing shorter working hours. Next, life. Currently, there is an employee dormitory as a welfare program, but we are considering rebuilding it because it is aging. We are also considering the construction of a women's dormitory at that time. By enriching the equipment, you don't have to worry about extra, and you can afford it. It's been a year since I started focusing on hiring women. With regard to support, I would like to face each time an issue arises.

Isn't it important to improve the level of workability overall by doing something for women? Think of it for employees. As a result, I think that this will lead to a change in internal awareness. If there is an event such as an entrance ceremony, it must be an environment where everyone can rest. This is true not only for women but also for men. In addition to improving nursery schools and nursing care facilities, we would like the government, prefectural and municipal governments to strengthen health support, for example, by providing assistance to influenza Vaccinations and facilities to keep children with colds. Health is directly linked to management. It is important to prevent it before something happens. Also, even if a child gets sick, if there is a system that cooperates until work is over, I think employees can work with peace of mind. I think that if there is some support in that respect, the ease of working will be further improved.

Originally, I liked manufacturing and was looking for a manufacturing company. However, because of my personality, I want to do a job that supports people who work rather than sales. At that time, I met this company. I decided to join the company because the tasks such as accounting and general affairs were exactly what I was looking for. Currently, I am mainly engaged in work that supports people who make things, such as attendance management, salary management, recruitment activities, and ordering lunch boxes that employees eat. The employees of this company are all kind and kind. It's easy to talk to, so you can feel free to consult. In addition, I am attending English courses, legal courses and industrial counselor courses, obtaining qualifications as a hygiene manager, and currently studying variously with the support of the company. The future goal is to return this knowledge to work and the company. In particular, industrial counselors should be easy to talk to because they are women. I would like to contribute to the company by leveraging my strengths as a woman.

Form Corporation
1-1-47, Takatanishi, Kouhoku-ku, Yokohama-shi
http://www.form-ltd.co.jp/ (external site)
Industry: Manufacture of automotive parts (development, mold, jig design, production, press, welding, painting, assembly)
Number of employees: Head office: 35 people, Ibaraki Plant: 255 people (as of January 1, 2018)
Female Support System: Maternity leave system / childcare short working hours system / childcare leave system / nursing leave system