Interview with Managers "Work Innovation Co., Ltd."

Work innovation that provides a wide range of support for corporate work style reforms, such as opening and operating a company-led childcare business, supporting the introduction of a telework system, promoting women's advancement and building a work-life balance personnel system. We also offer seminars hosted by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Tokyo, Kanagawa Prefecture, Yokohama City, etc. As of January 2017, all 14 employees are women. This time, Mr. Akihiro Kikuchi, a specialist in promoting women's advancement and five fathers, spoke with his own experiences, such as hiring and working styles of women, and raising the awareness of men. .

It was the first time that my wife, who was a full-time housewife, acquired the qualification of a social insurance attorney, and started thinking about working and raising children as my work became busy. It was a time when I didn't hear the word "women's empowerment." After that, when my wife became pregnant with the fourth person, she began to think about working again and retired from the company she worked for. In order to create a society where women can play an active role, we established a company with the wife of a company worker. We started the nursery school business. In response to the problem of "I can't return to work without a child's depository" and "I can't find a depository because I'm not working", I first wanted to create a place where I could leave it on the interview day so that I could find a job . However, it is not enough to increase the number of childcare places to solve fundamentally. We gradually expanded our business operations in order to change from a corporate perspective. We don't simply increase vacations or shorten working hours, but "Let's work properly." Let's also raise children, "I want to support those who want to do their best while raising children.

It sounds good to say "promotion of women's advancement", but it's a convenient story because it's a story that women can play an active part not only in homes and communities but also in the company. . Nursery schools and work-life balance issues are by no means a problem only for women. If you don't get involved, you can't solve it at all. Do you feel like most men are helping with housework by lowering dishes or cleaning baths at home? On Saturdays and Sundays, I take a walk with my child and get tired first and go home. I just have a camera at the athletic meet. That's why it's no good at "Daddy." First of all, we need to change the mindset of men. No matter how much a company pursues institutional reforms, women will not be able to play an active role unless men's consciousness changes. For one year, we jacked all the priority seats of one organization (8 cars) on the Toei Asakusa Line for one year and advertised that "a nursery school was established in Dad's company." It is not decided that moms will take nursery schools in the company separately. Even companies with only male employees can create an in-house nursery school, and male employees can commute with their children and leave them. The only thing that men can't do is give birth. You can do anything else. I also have milk. When I talk about this, everyone is surprised, but "promotion of women's advancement" also means changing the "work style of men."

Yes, there is. In our nursery, all staff members work while raising children, so we start by checking the holidays every morning on the premise that the staff will suddenly take a break. If you think so, you don't have to take over even if something happens. Also, in today's era, if you make documents, you can do it at home, so we allow you to work from home. On holidays, telephone calls are also prohibited in principle. As a result, a spirit of helping each other is born, and there is no shortage of workers at all. The childcare industry is often said to be a hard-working industry, but when it comes to our staff, we work happily. In fact, the president, who had been considering consulting for a company-led childcare business, saw the staff smile and signed a contract. In the future, I would like you to join a wide variety of people, including men and women who have not yet experienced raising children or those who care for their parents. By doing so, you can think of a new way of working tailored to people with various constraints, and the mechanism and method itself will lead to our consulting services. The more people with difficult challenges join the company, the more opportunities for our company.

When it comes to companies, it is important to change their way of thinking. Old-fashioned values and working styles are already out of date. There is a word "mama's return to work", but it is better to think that such words will disappear. Considering the future labor market in Japan, female employees will not quit during pregnancy or childbirth. Working together is a matter of course, and male employees are also raising children. This also leads not only to raising children, but also to solving problems for employees who work while caring. Now it's an era where everyone works with some restrictions. Don't complain if you call on Saturdays and Sundays, don't complain, don't charge overtime, and don't think there are no employees who will work late. If you don't change your mindset, companies will have a shortage of human resources. It's too late since I can't really turn around, so I want you to capture the essence of supporting women's advancement and change with courage. I myself also changed by seeing my wife acquires qualifications and plays an active role. As you say many times, I would like you to think that if men do not change, support for women's success will not begin.

After graduating from college, I worked in kindergarten for eight years. I lost my confidence to continue physically after my first child's pregnancy, and decided to enter my home. However, when a child was born, I wanted to connect with society this time. But I want to be with my child. "What shall I do?…"When I was wondering, I learned about our company. We were able to go to work with children, and during childcare leave, we were able to work up to 80 hours a month and gradually increase working hours. In addition, all the working staff have children, so they can talk to each other, and the high awareness of helping each other also leads to ease of work. In the future, if my child leaves a little more, I would like to improve my skills as a nursery teacher. Also, for those who want to return to work while raising children but are hesitant. I myself was nervous every day, but if I take one action anyway, the way will be unexpectedly opened.

Work Innovation Co., Ltd.
1-2-206F, Nakamachidai, Tsuzuki-ku, Yokohama-shi
http://work-i.co.jp/ (external site)
Industry: Opening and operation support business of company-led childcare business / Diversity personnel system consulting (introduction and operation support of telework system / promotion of women's advancement / construction and operation support of work-life balance personnel system) / operation of nursery schools
Number of employees: 14 people
Female Support System: Number of days taken for nursing leave for children, unlimited number of days taken / Paid leave acquisition rate 100% / Childcare leave acquisition rate 100% / Return rate 100%