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Initiatives for Stakeholder

Initiatives for Our Employees

Measures for Improving Employee's Ability

Training programs

Training Center (Takasaki)

Various training programs are provided to employees according to their jobs positions. These comprehensive training programs are conducted so as to develop the skilled workforce that will lead Nippon Kayaku in the next generation.

  • Mandatory programs

    In order to systematically develop the skills of the employees, training is imparted to the employees start immediately upon their joining the company. This is followed by mandatory programs after durations of one year and three years. Mandatory programs are also conducted as key employees are promoted to certain jobs and positions because of their improved work performance.

  • Voluntary programs

    A wide array of voluntary training programs is also available. These voluntary programs are tailored to specific employee characteristics and jobs. They facilitate self-improvement and boost the job-related problem-solving abilities of the employees.

  • Selective program

    A program providing special leadership and management training is also available for promising candidates who are recommended by the superiors.

Small Group Activities Program

Movement for Tomorrow Conference

Nippon Kayaku's small group activities program gave rise to its creative group activities, which provide employees with opportunities to enhance their creativity and problem identification and problem solving skills both through their own self-motivated activities and with the cooperation of people from various other workplaces. Nippon Kayaku actively encourages the use of these activities to resolve issues that occur in the workplace.

These activities provide a platform in the workplace for sharing information, actively promoting communication and understanding our employees' sense of direction and awareness of problems.

Each year, significant accomplishments resulting from these group activities are presented at the annual company-wide Movement for Tomorrow Conference. In recent years the number of participants from overseas group companies has increased, adding an international flair to the conference.

Providing an Ideal Workplace

Expanding Work-Life Balance Programs

As a part of our next generation employee development support measures, we are working to reduce overtime hours, expand the number of internal programs as well as promote employee usage of these programs, in order to enhance the work-life balance of our employees. During the fiscal year under review, we also introduced a time difference work system and assistance program for employee fertility treatments. The time difference work system enables employees to slide their scheduled work hours before or after the conventional start time to meet childcare or nursing care needs, while employees may also take a leave of absence or special paid vacation days for fertility treatments. Many of our employees take advantage of childcare leave and we will continue to encourage more employees to do so in the future.

Mental health care for employees

Our company declared the introduction of a mental health care system under the President's name in April 2005. It aims at maintaining employees' mental and physical health in such a way that enables them to lead a lively life at work, at home, and in their community. Based on the four care guidelines (self care, care by direct supervisors, care by industrial health staff and care from resources outside the workplace) of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, we are working to raise employees' awareness.

  • Improvement of the mental healthcare organization at the plants
  • Integrity of the counseling system through external employee-assistance program (EAP) forms
  • Prearranged execution of training sessions for managers and general employees to ensure that each employee undergoes training once every three years

Working hours management

With regard to compliance and mental health, we attempt to determine the actual working hours of our employees by the following methods:

  • Understanding the actual situation and appropriately responding to it on the basis of the "standards for measures to take for employers to properly understand working hours," issued by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare
  • Setting up a working hours subcommittee involving both the labor and management, and striving to achieve efficiency the management of working hours to prevent the working long hours of the employees in the corporation
  • Reviewing our employment guidelines and considering more appropriate structures from the physical and mental health perspective, complying with laws and regulations, creating added value, and improving productivity, all based on "The President's Message on How to Work"

Support for raising the next generation

kurumin The certification mark "Kurumin"
A company certified as a compliant employer based on the Law for Measures to Support the Development of the Next Generation can display this mark in its communications.

Together with the implementation of the Law for Measures to Support the Development of the Next Generation on April 1, 2005, the Nippon Kayaku Group has endeavored to support the raising of the next generation by formulating an activity plan as a general employer and giving consideration to enriching each employee's worklife balance. In recognition of these efforts, Nippon Kayaku was named a compliant employer in fiscal year 2009. While in the past the Group's related programs, including childcare leave, have exceeded all legal requirements, it plans to enhance its measures to support the development of the next generation. Our ultimate goal is to create an even more rewarding and comfortable place to work, and a company that values its employees even more.

The Nippon Kayaku Senior Partner Program

Based on Japan's Revised Law concerning Stabilization of Employment of Older Persons, Nippon Kayaku has established a re-employment program for employees near the mandatory retirement age (up to the age of 65) that meet certain qualifications and desire to continue their career.

This program enables Nippon Kayaku employees to go back to work after retiring and continue to contribute their many skills as well as countless years of experience.

Special paid vacation system

In the special paid vacation system, unused annual paid vacation time, which normally expires after two years, can be accumulated up to a certain limit for usage in the following cases:

  • Treatment for personal accident or sickness lasting four consecutive days or more, rehabilitation after discharge from hospital, hospital visits for post-treatment care.
  • Care for family members
  • Attending self-improvement programs
  • Participation in volunteer activities
  • Medical check-ups and vaccinations of preschool children
  • fertility treatment
  • Supplemental time-off for childcare
  • Supplemental time-off for family member care

Benefits

Cafeteria plan

We have introduced a "cafeteria plan" as part of our benefit program based on the idea of supporting employees' personal activities. They can choose what they want from a wide variety of selections on the menu and they receive various kinds of favorable treatment from our partner benefits provider. It is a fair system in which anyone can receive benefits within a given number of points irrespective of age, sex, or work location, while special privileges of premium points are given for acuisition of qualification, activities for self-development and parenting.

Employees' welfare facilities

Finland house "Suomi"

Comprehensive athletics grounds(Fukuyama plant)

Employees' welfare facilities such as sports facilities, resort facilities, and other facilities are provided by our company at various locations, including our plants.

  • Sports facilities
    • Gymnasium: Asa plant, Takasaki plant
    • Sports field: Fukuyama plant, Asa plant, Takasaki plant, Kashima plant
    • Tennis court: Fukuyama plant, Takasaki plant
  • Resort facilities
    • Our company has a membership resort facility agreement with the "BENEFIT STATION."
    • An accommodation facility called Finland House (Suomi), with a capacity for eight persons: Takasaki plant
    • A club facility for hosting meetings, social events, etc.: Takasaki plant
    • A similar club without accommodation facility: Fukuyama plant, Asa plant, Tokyo plant
    • A resort facility (with a capacity of 30 persons) owned by our corporate health insurance association: Ito, Shizuoka Prefecture

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