Relationships with Employees Back Number (2013)
Back to Latest Relationships with Employees
Basic Approach
Since its founding, the Minebea Group has recognized that employees are its most valuable resource, and one of our "Five Principles" is that the company should become a place where its employees are proud to work. The Minebea Group is committed to maintaining and improving workplaces where each of our employees can work safely and in good health, and fully exercise his or her abilities.
Minebea Group Workforce (people)
| Employees | Japanese staff on overseas assignment | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | Female | Total | |||
| Japan | 2,846 | 578 | 3,424 | 0 | 3,424 |
| North America | 1,243 | 815 | 2,058 | 26 | 2,084 |
| Europe | 714 | 374 | 1,088 | 26 | 1,114 |
| Asia | 10,669 | 35,627 | 46,296 | 409 | 46,705 |
| Total | 15,472 | 37,394 | 52,866 | 461 | 53,327 |
Number of Employees Retiring/Resigning from Domestic Group Companies
| Retirement/Resignation | Turnover rate | |
|---|---|---|
| Voluntary resignation | ||
| 121 people | 72 people | 3.5% |
Human Resources Development
The Minebea Group strives to develop human resources with a passion for manufacturing, a global mindset, and the ability to think for oneself and work independently with enthusiasm. We utilize rank-based group training, specialized skill acquisition and enhancement training, and on-the-job (OJT) training to nurture this type of employee. In May 2012, we established a specialized organization, the Human Resources Development Department, dedicated to the development of our personnel.
Brother-Sister System
A Brother-Sister System was introduced for employees of Minebea Group's domestic sales division in FY2011. Under this system, a young employee takes on the role of mentor for a new employee and provides guidance and training over a period of six months. Brothers and sisters acting as mentors take part in seminars prior to their assignments to better understand the program and create six-month mentoring plans.
In addition to teaching business skills, the program supports relationship building so new employees can freely consult their mentors concerning issues unrelated to work as well. This helps raise new employees' motivation levels and supports their independence in accordance with the training program plan. In FY2012, 10 new employees took part in this system.
Using the Brother-Sister System
I had a lot of anxieties after receiving my initial work assignment and taking up my position. My anxieties gradually disappeared, though, thanks to having a mentor close to my own age who carefully answered my questions and explained things I didn't know. One of the lessons that left a strong impression was that salespeople have to find a sales style that fits their own character. I think about this lesson from my mentor even today as I conduct sales activities.
My mentor also took me out for drinks on occasion and I was able to discuss problems outside of work with him. This helped me take a more positive attitude towards work.
I feel that getting better at my work and doing well in various situations is one way of giving back to the brother who helped nurture me. I plan to work diligently in the future, including doing the best I can to guide my own juniors.
Global Human Resources Development
To promote its global human resources, the Minebea Group is committed to broadening the playing field for employees.
Our personnel guidelines stipulate five-year terms for overseas assignments as a way to provide as many employees as possible with opportunities to work in the global arena.
To nurture our global staff, we also provide manager training opportunities for Japanese assigned to overseas subsidiaries based on the Japanese training program, as well as opportunities for local overseas staff to train for management positions under their subsidiaries' programs.
Experiencing an Overseas Assignment
After serving as an export-import coordinator at the Zhuhai plant in China, I am now in my second year working in a similar role at Minebea Electronic Devices (Suzhou) Ltd.
At first, I found it difficult to comprehend the specialized trade lingo and local trading systems, which I hadn't experienced in Japan, as they were explained in the local language. I also took time getting accustomed to the way in which trading systems change depending on the region in China.
After getting my feet wet in my new position, I realized how important it is to choose the best way and act quickly based on a prompt and accurate understanding of the situation in a country with different culture and laws. In export-import operations, it is difficult to arrange efficient shipments unless you have an understanding of the laws and circumstances on both the export side and import side. Under this situation, I have tried hard to work together with local staff to grasp the entire logistics route, collect various information, and maintain close communication with related parties.
I plan to continue gathering information on fast-changing circumstances in various regions, and not just China, in order to achieve highly efficient export-import operations in collaboration with the local staff.
Principal Domestic Training Programs by Rank
| Program | Participants | Aim of Training |
|---|---|---|
| New Employee Training | New employees |
|
| Junior Employee Training | Employees in their second year of employment |
|
| Intermediate Level Employee 1 Training | In principle, employees in their fifth year of employment |
|
| Intermediate Level Employee 2 Training | In principle, employees in their tenth year of employment |
|
| New Assistant Manager Training | New assistant manager-level employees |
|
| New Manager Training | New manager-level employees |
|
Fair and Balanced Evaluation
At the Minebea Group, impartiality and objectivity are our prime concerns in evaluating the abilities and performance of our employees. Compensation and benefits reflect the results of these evaluations so as to create a workplace where workers can feel that they are performing valuable work and where ambitious employees are encouraged to perform to their maximum potential. We will continue implementing personnel policies based on rewarding effort and achievement and permitting a flexible response to future changes in the workplace environment and employment structure.
Workforce Diversity
As an organization that conducts global business activities, the Minebea Group believes it is important to strengthen human resource capabilities through workforce diversity. We are striving to create work environments where all employees can maximize their talents without regard to gender, age, nationality, or disability.
Promoting a Women-Friendly Workplace
More than 37,000 female employees are working for the Minebea Group worldwide, accounting for about 70% of our total workforce. For this reason, we will continue to actively work toward the promotion of female employees to management positions, and strive to create a workplace where they can continue to demonstrate their abilities and play an active role. We have set specific targets of raising the ratio of female employees in manager or higher positions to 3% of all such positions (0.6% in 2012) and the ratio of females in assistant manager or equivalent positions to 8% of all such positions (2.9% in 2012) by 2017.
In March 2012, we held career advancement training for female employees working at the Tokyo Head Office, which was attended by 24 employees. The main purposes of the training were to convey the company's expectations to female employees, facilitate networking among female employees, and raise the level of motivation. Participants discussed ways of improving their work sites and created improvement implementation programs in groups which were later presented to their superiors.
Participating in Career Advancement Training
I'm currently doing sales-related work at the Hachioji Sales Office. Most of my work involves close collaboration with other departments, therefore good communication is critical.
At the career advancement training program, we discussed the persistent issue of communicating with local staff at overseas offices. We then proposed the introduction of a company support system for raising the English language abilities of employees. With the cooperation of our superiors and related departments, we were given the opportunity to choose an English study program and receive trial lessons.
Learning that there is a system to accept input from work sites and study new proposals deepened my trust in the company. Additionally, after the training, I found it possible to actively discuss with others around me problems that previously I dealt with on my own.
It was also a great experience to network with women from various other departments of the company. I will value these new relationships to widen my perspective network.
Hiring Global Human Resources
The Minebea Group has set a goal to develop and utilize employees who can support global business expansion. As one initiative, the Group is actively hiring foreign exchange students studying at Japanese universities. Among the 69 new hires joining the company in April 2013, three were non-Japanese.
In October 2012, the Minebea Group also participated in the Boston Career Forum in the U.S. to recruit Japanese studying abroad. We plan to continue participating in this event in coming years.
Initiatives Regarding Employees with Disabilities
The Minebea Group actively hires persons with disabilities. As of June 2012, the percentage of employees with disabilities was 1.71%. We plan to bolster our efforts to raise employment of persons with disabilities to the legally mandated rate (2.0%).
Our initiatives also consider improvement in the workplace environment by ensuring that all employees, no matter whether or not they have a disability, are motivated to work by having people with specialized skills acting in leadership roles.
Initiatives Regarding Reemployment of Seasoned Employees
The retirement age for Minebea Group employees in Japan is 62. So that highly skilled and motivated employees may continue working longer, and to enable them to pass on their skills and expertise to younger employees. In response to the implementation of the Act of Stabilization of Employment of Elderly Persons, in principle we re-employ all employees who have a desire to continue working after mandatory retirement. In FY2012, we rehired 38 employees in Japan.
Respect for Human Rights
In light of the importance of corporate compliance (corporate ethics and legal compliance), the Minebea Group prohibits unfair discrimination due to race, age, gender, nationality and religion. For employees assigned to overseas sites in regions with different cultures, we provide sensitivity training prior to their assignments. Additionally, during rank-based training, we include educational programs to prevent harassment based on the Minebea Group Officer and Employee Compliance Guidelines. Moreover, we are working to prevent human rights abuses by providing a consultation center and an internal reporting system.
Initiatives for Creating Environments Conducive to Working
Support for Diversity in Work Patterns
We believe that the Minebea Group's attention to the work-life balance of its employees will be rewarding them and lead to a sense of fulfillment. To this end, we have a flexible system that enables employees to take time off for childbirth, childrearing, caring for family members, and other important events in their private lives. We have also established the Overseas Vacation for Veteran Employees Program, which gives employees who have worked for Minebea for over 30 years an opportunity to rest and recuperate.
We will continue to improve the workplace environment so our employees may work with peace of mind.
Using the Child Care Leave System
I utilized the child care leave system to take one-year's child care leave from June 2011, and then my husband, who also works for Minebea, utilized the system to take two-months' leave.
Both my husband and I are unable to receive regular child care support from our parents because our hometowns are far away. It was very helpful to have my husband's support with child care during the busy period directly after I returned to my job. I was also very grateful to my colleagues for gladly accepting my decision to use the system. Now, since returning to my job, I use my work to relieve stress from child-rearing and use my family time to relieve stress from my job. Both my work and family time are really important to me.
Though men are now encouraged to participate in child care, it is still hard for men to make the decision to obtain leave unless there is an urgent reason, and male employees' superiors are still at a loss on how to deal with such situations. I feel, however, that the experience of handling both household chores and child care translates into good multi-tasking training and can be used to raise work efficiency. As for myself, I feel that I have become more efficient in getting both my work and household chores completed since the birth of my child.
In order to balance child care and housework with my career for years to come, it will be necessary to shorten overtime by efficiently completing my work and share child care and household chores fairly between my husband and me. I believe this will be good not just for my family, but have a positive effect on the company's performance. Considering the benefits, I would like to see the child care leave system enhanced and promoted further so that more people can take part in the rearing of their children.
Principal Special Leave Benefits for Employees in Japan and the Number of Users
| Benefit | Description | Total users |
|---|---|---|
| Child care leave | Paid leave or shorter working hours for employees caring for children | 86 persons |
| Family care leave | Paid leave or shorter working hours for employees with family members requiring care | 2 persons |
| Overseas vacation for veteran employees | Trip to Thailand, China (Shanghai), or Singapore for employees with 30 years of service, and their families | 24 persons |
Labor Relations
As recited in the Minebea Group Code of Conduct, the Minebea Group recognizes freedom of association and endeavors to build harmonious labor relations by holding regular labor-management meetings and taking other measures to actively communicate with labor unions and employee representatives on issues such as the work environment and working conditions.
Health and Occupational Safety Management
The Minebea Group firmly believes that a safe, healthy workplace is key to improving product and service quality, consistency of manufacturing operations, and employee morale.
Each of our plants has a Health and Safety Committee comprised of numerous working groups with responsibility for workplace safety, health issues, and other such concerns. These committees meet regularly to review working group progress toward individual targets. In addition, the Minebea Group's principal plants in its mass production bases of Thailand, China, and Singapore have obtained OHSAS 18001 certification.
In the event of a fire, workplace injury, traffic accident, or other similar incident, safety managers take the lead in identifying the cause and handling the issue appropriately and ensure that information about such incidents is shared with other production sites in each country to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Conducting Regular Patrols at Production Facilities
Patrol at the Hamamatsu Plant
Safety patrols are conducted monthly at every group plant, including the Karuizawa Plant. These patrols monitor progress against the previous month's findings, identify further areas needing improvement, and ensure that areas near production equipment are neat and tidy, that potentially dangerous tools are stored properly, and that safety glasses and earplugs are used.
Promoting Health Management
The Minebea Group strives to maintain and improve the health of its employees in accordance with health-related laws in each country and the circumstances of each work site. We provide employees with regular health checkups, health consultations, and send notices to employees to curb overtime work hours. At the Karuizawa Plant, an industrial physician makes rounds on a regular basis.
In regard to mental health care, which has drawn social interest in recent years, we have established a consultation structure led by industrial physicians and counselors and also provide mental health seminars.
In FY2012, we strengthened our structure further with the establishment of a health management office at the Tokyo Head Office (Mita).
Future Issues and Goals
Moving forward, we will continue to take measures to nurture globally minded employees, pass down know-how to the next generation of employees, and implement personnel measures in support of our employees in order to ensure our employees are highly motivated in their work and the company can continually grow into the future.
Back Number
