JSR is actively promoting its Work-Life Management initiative. Employees are encouraged to not only develop work-related skills, but to also actively participate in social, and personal activities (e.g., social and community groups, family, volunteer activities, self-development, and hobbies). JSR believes that by encouraging our employees to become well-rounded individuals, and by finding a personal sense of self-fulfillment and satisfaction that they will then be able to bring that energy into their work.
JSR encourages all of our employees to closely manage their personal time and maintain a balanced work schedule. We are also working on implementing various systems that support flexible work styles, with special consideration for childbirth, childcare and family-nursing needs.
Work-life management is vital in the implementation of diversity management, because in order to create an organization with a diverse workforce, we must also promote a corporate culture that is open to diverse values and work styles.
The total number of working hours per JSR employee in FY2016 was 1,986 hours. This includes, on average, 231 hours of overtime per employee, per year. In FY2005, we implemented an electronic time and attendance system to accurately record working hours. By implementing this system, employees gained the ability to effortlessly self-report working hours producing easily accessed records of entry & exit times at our offices and plants. Managers also gained the ability to verify their employees working hours. This system has enhanced the efficiency and accuracy of time and attendance reporting within JSR. The electronic system also automatically notifies supervisors when employees exceed a certain amount of overtime. We are working on ways to foster a more efficient and transparent work culture by internally disclosing each department's overtime hours.
JSR Trading Co., Ltd. launched its Intelligent Work Challenge to improve work processes in 2014. Delivery and sales processes are reviewed to further improve operational efficiency. In FY2016, we compared results with expectations and considered the effectiveness of the progress made in the previous year. We then conceptualized the application of these process improvements throughout the organization. After analyzing operations and identifying any processes that could be simplified or made more efficient, we held an internal briefing to share the results. We will continue to analyze and create solutions for individual challenges.
Team members gathered after the results briefing
While life is a series of major events, child care and long-term nursing care have become increasingly prominent. Because of this, JSR is working to create an environment that enables its employees to balance work and caretaking needs. In an effort to increase awareness of the multitude of support structures, JSR distributes a guidebook that details the various internal and external support benefits and policies available to employees. By using these resources, JSR helps employees balance their responsibilities at work and at home.
Life Stage | Available Support | Description |
---|---|---|
Prenatal (Fertility treatment, prenatal care etc.) |
- Shortened working hours |
During pregnancy, employees may reduce their working hours up to two hours per day. Employees engaged in fertility treatments can reduce their working hours by up to four hours per day, or up to 44 hours per month. |
- Work from home |
During pregnancy, employees are able to work from home one day per week. | |
Postpartum | - Maternity leave (prenatal & postpartum )* |
Employees can take maternity leave starting six weeks before, and extending eight weeks after childbirth. |
- Special paid paternity leave |
Male employees can take four days of special paid paternity leave anytime from one week prior to two weeks after the birth of their child. | |
- Extended childcare leave* |
Employees are able to take an extended leave of absence until their child turns 18 months of age. | |
- Extended childcare leave counseling |
Upon request by employees taking extended childcare leave, counseling sessions between the employee and their supervisor are held. In these sessions they discuss and aim to resolve any worries or issues that could hinder a smooth transition back to working life. | |
Balancing work and childcare | - Shortened working hours |
Employees with non-working spouses can shorten their working hours until the child is three years of age. Additionally, employees with working spouses can reduce their working times until the child is in their third year of elementary school. |
- Work from home |
Employees with working spouses may work from home one day per week until their child finishes elementary school. | |
- Family-care leave |
Employees can take up to ten days of leave per year to provide nursing care for family member's that live in the same household. Uses include, accompanying family members to the hospital, medical examinations, vaccinations etc. | |
Balancing work and nursing care | - Shortened working hours |
Employees providing nursing-care for family members can reduce their working hours by up to four hours per day, or up to 44 hours per month. |
- Work from home |
Employees providing nursing-care for family members are able to work from home one day per week. | |
- Family-care leave |
Employees can take up to ten days of leave per year to provide nursing care for family members that live in the same household. Uses include, accompanying family members to the hospital, medical examinations, vaccinations etc. | |
- Nursing-care leave |
Employees providing nursing-care for family members can take up to 20 days of leave annually. | |
- Extended nursing-care leave* |
Employees providing care for family members can take up to 24 months of extended nursing-care leave. Extended leave can be taken in one year increments for a total of two years. |
* Per employee request, mobile devices with remote access to the company network are provided under these benefits.
JSR also provides a discretionary labor system for employees in R&D, as well as a "no-core" flextime labor system for its non-shift based employees. Employees can take up to five days of paid leave per year as a part of our paid volunteer leave system. This allows employees to participate in social contribution activities that occur during working hours. JSR is also improving and fostering communication between female employees through the implementation of our internal SNS tool, Harmony.
Next Generation Accreditation Mark "Kurumin"
In August 2007 and April 2012, JSR received the Next Generation Mark accreditation (nicknamed "Kurumin") issued by the Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare. Kurumin designates enterprises that provide superb parenting support.
Employees at KRATON JSR ELASTOMERS K. K. utilized volunteer leave to visit Nepal and bring relief supplies to local schools. One of these employees visited Nepal on vacation, during which time an earthquake occurred. He requested the company to provide support to the people of Nepal, and returned to Nepal using their volunteer leave to deliver relief supplies.
Various items were given, including pencils, erasers, other stationery goods, basketballs, table tennis equipment, and other sports gear. Debris from damaged school buildings was buried to clean the area or grounds for rebuilding.
In addition to compensation benefits available during paid leave periods via health and workers compensation insurance, JSR employees are provided with the following original benefits. These benefits aim to aid employees in maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
Women enrolled in JSR's health insurance program are eligible to receive a 100,000 yen per child Childbirth Lump-Sum allowance in addition to the government mandated childbirth allowance.
Employees on extended childcare leave are eligible to receive their base salary with an additional 50% bonus for the first five days. This allowance is funded via the JSR Mutual Aid Association.
For employees who have returned back to work for a continues six months following maternity leave or extended childcare leave (of at least one month) are eligible to receive a allowance of 200,000 yen per child. This allowance is funded by the JSR Mutual Aid Association for the purpose of recognizing employees past service, and continued dedication.
In households where both parents work, employees are reimbursed half the cost of daycare services that are required on working days. Costs are reimbursed via the JSR Mutual Aid Association with an annual limit of 400,000 yen per eligible employee.
With the search for affluence as its guiding principle, the JSR Labor Union works to:
(1) Negotiate wages
(2) Improve workplace environments
(3) Improve welfare
(4) Publicize leisure and volunteer activities
(5) Promote union activities
There are 2,526 members of the labor union as of April 1, 2016. Group companies have also established their own labor unions.
JSR and the JSR Labor Union have entered a labor agreement based on labor union regulations.
The president and directors in charge of individual business segments have regular discussions with the labor union to exchange opinions and conduct QA sessions regarding the working environment, business conditions, major company policies, and labor union activities. The JSR Labor Union discloses the content of these discussions with union members. Negotiations include labor management councils at the employee- and plant-level, local labor management councils, and Safety and Health Committees to deepen understanding and trust as well as ensure sound labor relations. In FY2016, our offices and plants made efforts to create a work-friendly environment with a particular focus on reducing overtime, increasing utilization of paid leave, and the safety of union members.
Union members at each plant represent of plant workers' opinions. They also act as a conduit between union leadership and the union members. Workplace discussions and questionnaires are conducted to ensure the ideas and opinions of union members are incorporated into union activities.
Utilization of Work-Life Balance Benefits | FY2011 | FY2012 | FY2013 | FY2014 | FY2015 | FY2016 | FY2017 | Remarks | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fertility treatments | Shortened working hours | - | - | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | Established in FY2014 | ||
Childbirth | Childbirth leave* | 23 | 25 | 23 | 14 | 15 | 20 | |||
Extended childcare leave* | Female | 19 | 24 | 22 | 15 | 18 | 20 | |||
Male | 5 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 5 | ||||
Total | 24 | 28 | 25 | 21 | 20 | 25 | ||||
Extended childcare leave counseling | 10 | 14 | 19 | 17 | 13 | 12 | ||||
Balancing work and childcare | Shortened working hours (Includes prenatal employees) |
59 | 67 | 73 | 79 | 77 | 81 | |||
Work from home (Includes prenatal employees) |
9 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 10 | ||||
Balancing work and nursing-care | Shortened working hours | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | |||
Work from home | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||||
Nursing-care leave | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | ||||
Extended nursing-care leave* | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||||
Other | Provision of mobile devices with remote access to the company network | 8 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 2 | |||
Discretionary labor system | 446 | 464 | 104 | 107 | 103 | 107 | Number of employees at the start of each FY. (April 1st) | |||
Special volunteer leave (The value in parenthesis represents the total number of leave days taken) |
4 (7) |
134 (470) |
3 (8) |
4 (10) |
3 (5) |
4 (11) |
In FY2012, major volunteering efforts were taken for earthquake disaster recovery. |
* Per employee request, mobile devices with remote access to the company network are provided under these benefits.
Original Benefits | FY2011 | FY2012 | FY2013 | FY2014 | FY2015 | FY2016 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Extended Childcare Leave Allowance | 23 | 27 | 27 | 21 | 18 | 25 |
Post Childcare Leave Reinstatement Allowance | 24 | 10 | 19 | 19 | 23 | 15 |
Daycare Allowance | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 5 |