JSR feels that a healthy mind and body are extremely important for employees and their families to live happy lives. We also feel that they are imperative in the creation of a productive and vibrant workplace. Because of this, we have adopted various measures to help our employees work in good health, both mentally and physically.
JSR supports its employee's physical health by providing general physical screenings, special examinations required by law, such as chemicals examinations and VDT screenings, lifestyle disease checkups, and gynecologic cancer examinations. Subsidies are also provided to employees who receive complete medical screenings and brain scans such as MRIs. We also provide corporate sports facilities and discounted fitness club memberships through welfare service contracts to encourage employees to live healthy lifestyles. Since 2008, the JSR Health Insurance Society has promoted lifestyle disease prevention screenings (diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity) paired with health guidance and counseling to achieving promising results.
Additionally, to improve health through physical activity and facilitate communication among employees, each JSR business site hosts sporting events, such as softball games, and bowling tournaments. These programs have received positive feedback from employees who do not normally have the opportunity to participate in physical activities.
From March of this year, the Yokkaichi Plant implemented an accidental fall prevention exercise program to help all plant workers better protect themselves from accidental falls. The Stop! Project to Prevent Accidental Falls 2015* organized by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare was the impetus behind this initiative.
The actual exercises have been selected under the guidance of a professional trainer (Health Fitness Programmer) to ensure that they are simple, easy to learn, and can be performed on a daily basis. JSR employees or selected partners guide employees through the exercises during the morning gatherings held during scheduled maintenance. Many employees now perform these exercises before work or during the days.
A DVD of the accidental fall prevention exercises has been made available on the company intranet (Environment & Safety Department Navigation) under the Environment & Safety Department to raise awareness and interest throughout the plant. This video is also played on televisions in the cafeteria.
While the benefits of performing accidental fall prevention exercises will not be immediately obvious, we believe that performing these exercises in addition to the morning exercises performed before work will lead to the further development of our safety culture and help prevent future accidents.
* Initiative implemented to reduce accidental falls, which account for over 20% of serious work accidents that result in at least 4 days of lost working time.
Example of accidental fall prevention exercises
Employees practicing accidental fall prevention exercises at ELASTOMIX CO.,LTD
JSR has taken measures to improve employee mental health since the issue first began drawing attention. JSR takes a four point approach in providing mental health support, "Check," "Organizational Analysis," "Consultation," and "Training."
Checks and organizational analysis include a biannual employee mental health JMI Health Survey conducted by JSR since FY1999. The data from these checks is used in a variety of ways. It helps individual employees understand their own mental stress levels. It also helps JSR to understand the stress levels of all employees throughout the organization. Furthermore, it is used in the implementation of various companywide policies. Since FY 2013, we have been conducting web based stress diagnostics throughout the JSR domestic group. Stress diagnostics are conducted annually via our e-Stress Diagnosis System.
Consultation includes the establishment of a program to provide counseling for employees at a location of their choosing. Counseling is conducted through a third party professional, Human Frontier Counseling. This program has been established at each of the JSR domestic group companies as a part of our mental-health counseling support efforts. In efforts to provide stable and quality mental health counseling, occupational health professionals are present at all of JSR Corporation's offices and plants.
Training includes a variety of mental health care programs, such as self-care and line-care that properly reflects each level of JSR's organizational hierarchy.