To improve productivity and develop self-disciplined human resources, we have formulated Work Style Reform Declaration based on two pillars: promoting comfortable remote work and creating new value with tools responding to change.
We recommend "diversified work styles" for "Creating an organization comprised of passionate individuals working together" of Nittoku BX.
• Promote comfortable remote work to employees
→ Create an environment with a goal of a remote work rate of 70% or more.
• Prepare tools that respond to change and create new value
→ To that end, we will invest in digital solutions.
And we want you to find the best for yourself from the many options and become a “self-disciplined human resource who can continue to add value”.
Niterra Group respects each person's values and aspirations.
Remote work, which has been promoted as part of work style reform, has taken root thanks to a thorough review of operations at each workplace, combined with the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in January 2023, we launched a return-to-office strategy to encourage employees to work in the office a minimum of 40% per month in order to further invigorate the organization and maximize the benefits of both remote work and in-office work through face-to-face communication.
Furthermore, in order to achieve the goal of our work style reform indicated in the Nittoku BX, we aim to institutionalize the following two measures this fiscal year to improve productivity and employee engagement.
We are working to reduce overtime in order to reduce total working hours. When pre-planned overtime is known about, the company management and the labor union confirm the situation in the workplace and engage in consultation designed to keep working hours within the target. As a result of addressing the issues discussed at the labor reform committee, we are starting no-overtime Wednesdays and prohibiting overtime in excess of five hours per day.
Furthermore, as a measure of the labor reform committee, we added a new regulation for having 10-hour intermission between working hours, and failing to comply with the rules is expected to be subject of the labor-management consultation as a strategy for suppressing overtime work.
An annual variable working system was introduced from April 2020, allowing workers to set their monthly working hours according to the year’s busy seasons, allowing for a reduction in overtime and a more flexible working style.
Labor-management relations should be oriented to the combined employer-employee effort to contribute to society through the provision of good products and services. At Niterra, both labor and management understand their respective responsibilities and strive to improve the work environment through mutual trust and cooperation.
Labor-management conferences are held three to four times a year on individual workplace and companywide bases, providing communication opportunities. These are chances to discuss various topics including the company's situation and how to improve the labor environment, and opportunities for employees to have their opinions heard. These conferences serve as opportunities to form a labor-management consensus through lively discussions on various issues, including the situation of the company and improvement of the working environment.
| Participation rate of the Niterra WORKERS’ UNION | 98％ (As of March 31, 2023) |
*Including CERAMIC SENSOR CO., LTD, SparkTech WKS CO., Ltd., NANSEI CERAMIC CO., LTD., NTK Medical CO., LTD., NTK CUTTING TOOLS CO., LTD., NTK CERATEC CO., LTD.（Komaki Plant）
We are promoting initiatives improve the work-life balance of employees.
The percentage of female employees taking childcare leave now exceeds 98%, and the number of male employees who take childcare leave has increased in recent years.
Through the revision of our reduced working hours plan, which used to be only available for those involved in childcare or long-term care, we have made the plan available without imposing any requirements, thereby expanding the work style options for employees.
For flextime working, we do not set core hours, and from April 2022, hourly leave can be taken, allowing employees to work in a more flexible manner.
Furthermore, with the aim of improving job satisfaction and quality of work, in February 2022 we introduced a system to allow employees to work in remote locations on a trial basis. Employees who need, or find it difficult, to change their place of residence due to family circumstances (nursing care, childcare, etc.) can now work at a residence far from their place of work. This system serves as a driver for promoting the participation of men in childcare.
In addition, we hold “Childcare Strategy Seminars” to encourage employees to think about work-childcare balance, “Return-to-Work Training” for employees returning to work after leave, and “Seminars for Supervisors of Returning Employees” for supervisors of employees returning or planning to return to work.
Number of Employees Using the Leave Schemes| Plan | Overview |
|---|---|
| Flextime working plan | Employees can decide the start and end times as long as they work the prescribed total monthly working hours. |
| Hourly leave plan | Employees can take hourly leave (paid) for any reason. This leave can be taken in the middle of work hours. |
| Second job plan | Employees can be hired by another company or work freelance in accordance with the rules while making the job at our company their main job. |
| Plans related to remote work | We are creating an environment with the goal of achieving a remote work rate of 70% or more. From January 2023, we have been recommending hybrid work, which encourages employees to come to office to a certain extent. A remote work allowance is provided depending on the number of days of remote work from home. |
| Reemployment plan for employees retired due to their spouse’s transfer | Those retired due to their spouse's transfer can be rehired. |
| Special unpaid leave for fertility treatment | It is possible to take special leave (unpaid) for outpatient visits to undergo infertility treatment. |
| Special leave for antenatal outpatient visits | Pregnant employees can take special leave as follows:- 12 to 23 weeks pregnant: one day every four weeks;- 24 to 35 weeks pregnant: one day every two weeks; and- 36 weeks pregnant onward: one day every week. |
| Measures to ease the burden of commuting for pregnant and nursing employees | If congestion during commuting causes physical burden, pregnant and nursing employees may arrive late and leave early in one-hour increments (up to two hours per day), upon request of the employee and on the advice of an industrial physician or other healthcare provider. |
| Measures concerning working hours for pregnant and nursing employees | If working long hours causes physical burden, pregnant and nursing employees may arrive late and leave early in one-hour increments (up to two hours per day), upon request of the employee and on the advice of an industrial physician or other healthcare provider. |
| Measures concerning breaks for pregnant and nursing employees | If working long hours causes physical burden, pregnant and nursing employees may be allowed to change their work duties and/or may be exempted from overtime, late-night work, and holiday work, upon request of the employee and on the advice of an industrial physician or other healthcare provider. |
| Paid maternity leave | Employees can take leave 17 weeks before the expected date of delivery and eight weeks from the day after delivery. Leave may be taken twice in installments over a period until the child reaches the age of one. |
| Paid parental leave at birth (Commonly known as “postpartum paternity leave”) |
Men, and women who meet the requirements for adoption, etc., may take up to four weeks of leave within eight weeks of the birth of a child. Leave may be taken in two installments. |
| Paid parental leave | Employees can take leave after the birth of their child until the day before the child’s first birthday. |
| Extension of the paid parental leave | The childcare leave period can be extended to the end of April after the child’s second birthday if the child cannot enter a day-care center, or childcare while working has become difficult due to the death/injury/illness of the spouse engaged in childcare. |
| Fee assistance for child care services | Employees may choose to receive subsidies for the use of childcare facilities, nursery schools, and babysitters through the cafeteria plan. |
| Reduced working hours (childcare) | On the grounds of childcare, employees can reduce their working hours by two hours from the prescribed working hours from the desired date until the end of the school year during which their child is in the third grade at elementary school. |
| Reduced working hours (long-term care) | On the grounds of long-term care, employees can reduce their working hours by two hours from the prescribed working hours from the desired date until the end of long-term care. |
| Reduced working hours (other reasons) | Regardless of the reason, employees can reduce their working hours by two hours from the prescribed working hours from the desired date to a predetermined date. |
| Child nursing care/long-term care leave plan | Employees can take special leave (unpaid) on an hourly basis to provide child nursing care or long-term care if they are raising a child in the third grade at elementary school or younger, or have a family member (in the first or second degree) in need of long-term care. |
| Special paid leave for employees with disabilities for their outpatient visits | Employees with disabilities who have notified the company of their disability can take special leave (paid) once a month when they need leave for their outpatient visit to undergo an examination or consult a doctor. |
This seminar is designed to help participants strategically consider and prepare for their careers after returning to work after childcare leave.
This seminar targets a wide range of people, including our Group employees and their partners who are on childcare leave or planning to take childcare leave, as well as future child-raising generations, and workplace superiors.
This training is designed for employees returning to work after maternity or childcare leave.
This seminar is designed for supervisors who have subordinates on childcare leave to promote their understanding of the available work-childcare balance support programs and to help make preparations for accepting returning employees.