Human Resources Strategy
Relevant SDGs
At Seiko Group, we are dedicated to enhancing employee satisfaction, fostering innovation, and transitioning into a solution-oriented company. To achieve this goal, we actively work on talent development, improving diversity, and fostering an organizational culture that encourages innovation.
Policy and Basic Approach
Human Capital Management to Realize Group Purpose
Our Group's human capital management focuses on human resource strategies that foster talent and a culture that embodies our Group purpose. By developing individuals who accept challenges, grow constantly, and are ready to innovate, we aim to achieve our medium-to-long-term vision, enhance corporate value, and generate further investment in human capital. In other words, we are investing in a self-perpetuating virtuous cycle of talent development.
Human Resource Strategy Linked to the 8th Medium-Term Management Plan "SMILE145"
The basic policy of our Group human resources strategy is to "actively engage in human resource development, diversity enhancement, and organizational culture creation, improve employee job satisfaction, and aim to become a solutions company through innovation." Within this framework, we have set key themes such as "talent development," "promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I)," and "creating a healthy organizational culture," along with foundation activities such as "health management" and "respect for human rights." We are working on Group-wide initiatives and domain-specific measures for each operating company.
Talent Development
Developing Management Talent
In a complex management environment, we believe it is essential to develop management talent early and to systematically enhance corporate value and achieve sustainable growth. Based on this philosophy, we are engaged in a variety of management development programs. Beginning in fiscal year 2024, we introduced a succession planning system for executive positions in each company and implemented our "Next-Generation Leader Development Program" for young management candidates. This program effectively identifies a candidate pool, provides management education, and appoints good candidates to more challenging roles (occasionally very tough assignments) within the Group.
Management Support
As workplace diversity progresses, employee awareness and values also diversify, making uniform management theories less applicable. Meanwhile, management’s roles in areas such as risk management and compliance are steadily increasing, adding to the burden on executives. We have introduced a platform that continuously provides useful information for smooth communication and appropriate responses among participants. In order to support early-stage managers, we produce and promote original videos offering practical know-how on motivational strategies and factors to consider in personnel evaluation, as well as real-world examples of success and failure from interviews with experienced executives. We plan to conduct workshops to share workplace concerns, challenges, and initiatives from other departments to further strengthen organizational management.
Promoting Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I)
Promoting Women's Success
Since fiscal 2013, our Group has been working to support women through a wide range of environmental improvements, awareness reforms, and more. We believe that developing a greater awareness of women’s roles, skills, and contributions to our Group’s success is crucial to our future growth. Consequently, we are promoting educational programs for all employees. In fiscal 2024, we launched the SEIKO WOMAN ACADEMY to help female employees further advance their careers. In the Academy, next-generation female leaders from Group companies learn about their own strengths, gain input on important skills, and interact with various types of role models. Participation from Group companies fosters horizontal connections and solidarity among employees. We will continue to create an environment where female employees can aim for career advancement while amicably competing and actively cooperating with one another.
Work-Life Balance Support Initiatives
Our Group actively supports a healthy work-life balance, including balancing work and childcare. In the past, male employees seldom took parental leave, but we are working to change that situation. We made childcare leave at birth a fully paid entitlement, issued messages from top management to Group employees about the importance of childcare leave, and held seminars to promote male childcare leave. Improving awareness of male childcare leave is one more step towards creating an environment conducive to a healthy work/life balance for both male and female employees.
In fiscal 2023, we introduced the SEIKO×DIVERSITY Group Employee Interviews, sharing Group employees' childcare experiences to promote greater understanding among supervisors and colleagues. As a result of these initiatives, the male childcare leave rate in our Group improved from 23.1% in FY2021 to 87.9% in FY2023. We will continue to create an environment where employees facing various life events, including childbirth and childcare, can choose work styles that suit them and build their careers with confidence.
Establishing Systems for Flexible Working Styles
As values regarding work styles diversify, we believe it is essential to create an environment where employees can work productively without being constrained by location or time. We have introduced a telecommuting system to realize remote work and a system for working in shared offices to achieve efficient working styles, providing opportunities for talent exchange beyond company boundaries.
Care Leave and Short-Time Work for Caregivers
Seiko Group Corporation has established systems that exceed legal requirements for care leave and shortened working hours for caregivers.
| Care Leave: | The leave period is up to 365 days per eligible family member |
|---|---|
| Shorter Working Hours for Caregivers: |
The applicable period is up to three years from the time an employee first uses the system Employees can choose from various work models, with a reduction of either 90 or 150 minutes per day |
In addition to the above, we have introduced flexible working hours and telecommuting for caregivers.
Activating Senior Talent
We are actively working to improve the situation for senior employees. We want to create an environment where they feel that they are still contributing meaningfully to our corporate growth by nurturing their successors and constantly improving our operations.
Promoting Employment of People with Disabilities
In recognition of their efforts to meet the challenge of diversity, Seiko Group Corp. and seven operating companies (Seiko Watch Corp. and its two domestic subsidiaries; Seiko Time Creation; Wako Co.; Human Capital Corporation; and Aoba Watch Service) have received special certification within the Group and are actively promoting the employment of people with disabilities.
Promotion of Local Employment
Our Group conducts business globally and proudly promotes local employment at its overseas locations.
Building an Organizational Culture that Supports Challenges and Drives Innovation
Company-Wide Organizational Culture Reform Initiatives
To create new innovations as a united Group, we believe it is necessary to develop an organizational culture where diverse talent can freely and openly discuss ideas and challenge existing norms without fear of criticism or failure. This is part of an overall program to help employees transcend organizational barriers both physically and mentally. In fiscal 2023, we held direct dialogues with executives to enhance employees' connections with upper management and strengthen their connection with our business. In fiscal 2024, we introduced a new program to support employees' independent career planning. By conducting stage-specific career seminars and programs for supervisors to support their subordinates' career development, we aim to promote employees' individual challenges.
