To promote our transformation into a company where diverse talent can flourish as they work in a constantly growing organization, we have established a human resources management system that encourages employees to think and act on their own and leverages their individual qualities and attributes. Our system aims to foster the personal motivation to grow by empowering ambitious, skilled employees to pursue more important roles and greater responsibilities as soon as they wish to.
Concept of our Human resources management system: “think and act” and diversity
We have established three core human resources management systems based on the concept of “think and act” and diversity.
Structure
All members of the Board attend talent development meetings, which are held periodically to check on the progress of talent development initiatives, the operation of the human resources management system, and the development of the executives of the next generation, as well as to implement and review measures such as the construction of a talent pipeline. The Human Resources Department also promotes talent development and training in cooperation with each work location and department.
Evaluation and compensation
We have established and are operating an evaluation system that evaluates the capabilities, results, and attitudes required to achieve organizational goals, focusing on the specific actions of employees. The evaluation system is used to develop and utilize talent, promote appropriate compensation based on the demonstration of an employees’ capabilities, and identify their level of performance and areas for improvement. Goal setting involves consulting with supervisors and subordinates, setting personal goals and processes, and supervisors communicating the expectations they have regarding growth to their subordinates. At the end-of-term evaluation interview, the degree of achievement of the goals are confirmed, and the supervisor carries out an evaluation. Each individual’s compensation is determined based on that evaluation.
Systems that promote the invigoration of human resources with a focus on individual employees
Self-reporting
Each employee writes down own vision of career development and has a consultation with supervisor once each year. This provides opportunities for employees to think about their careers in addition to helping the Company understand employees’ thoughts and circumstances, information the Company can use to develop employees and examine ways to get them more actively involved.
The continuity of work location
We have introduced the continuity of work location system as a measure to promote diverse work styles and to secure talent. Employees who would like to avoid changing work locations for childcare, nursing care, or other personal reasons may continue to work at their current office for as long as they wish.
Administering engagement surveys
Once each year, we administer an engagement survey to all employees to enhance their engagement by providing assistance for group invigoration activities at each workplace. The survey results are used to quantitatively evaluate the circumstances of each organization, and division leaders clarify organizational challenges and take steps to improve on them. This leads to the improvement of organizations and engagement as we administer progress surveys to verify the impact of the measures.
Promoting active participation by seniors
We provide training that helps seasoned employees reflect on their careers and consider ways to exhibit their strengths to the fullest to enable them to work independently over the long term as we approach an era in which people live for 100 years. We are also working on measures to support career independence, for example enrolling employees in a practical program that allows them to experience working for other companies without giving up their current positions.
Talent acquisition
Basic concept
Our basic policy is to conduct recruitment activities fairly, without discrimination based on gender, age, nationality, race, ideology, disability, etc. Based on the belief that diversity of thought and inclinations is what creates new innovation, we promote the acquisition of talent with a diverse range of values, experiences, and skills, which will lead to the sustainability of both society and Nippon Shokubai.
Initiatives and achievements
Hiring results
FY2021
FY2022
FY2023
Number of new graduate
98
84
76
Female
14
12
15
Number of mid-career hires
15
44
41
Female
4
12
9
Percentage of mid-career
13.3%
34.4%
35.0%
Enhancing talent acquisition through a diverse range of approaches
The acquisition of talent is an extremely important part of realizing our long-term vision: “TechnoAmenity for the future.” We are using a variety of approaches in acquiring talent, including strengthening the recruitment of doctoral candidates, promoting the recruitment of foreign nationals, and actively utilizing mid-career recruitment. In addition to the conventional hiring methods, we have introduced new recruitment methods such as hiring through referrals from our employees, “comeback hiring” for employees who have worked at our company in the past, and “position search hiring,” where we find a position for candidates based on their past experience and skills. We will continue to take various approaches to acquire the talent essential to our growth.
Talent development
Overall vision for talent development
Talent Development Policy
The Nippon Shokubai Group views employees as essential assets based on the recognition that people are the source of constant value creation. The following three points are the focus of our talent development.
Utilizing the individuality, willingness, and abilities of diverse talent
Providing support to talent who think, act, and grow on their own initiative
Fairly evaluating and rewarding employees under company systems
To become a chemical company that continuously evolves based on an acute awareness of changes in society, we implement and promote the invigoration of talent with a focus on individual employees so that they can exhibit their individual strengths to the fullest.
Ideal talent
In talent development, the Company and employees are on equal footing; the Company provides employees with opportunities for growth and expects them to have high aspirations and motivation to grow as well as to contribute to the Company.
Definition of ideal talent
Respect for Diversity & Inclusion
People who respect and acknowledge each other’s differences and can contribute organizations where everyone can grow and flourish. People who can improve productivity by enhancing the psychological safety of organizations.
Collaboration
People who as members of an organization can create synergy by cooperating with other members to achieve a goal. People who can work to maximize organizational value through effective communication within the organization.
Challenge & Action
People who interpret things positively and can think and take action on their own. People who can facilitate individual and organizational development by taking on challenges without fear of failure.
Professional
People who can contribute to the organization as professionals with a sense of pride and responsibility for their job. Also, people who proactively work to improve their skills with the aim of becoming professionals.
Globalization
People who can adapt flexibly to changes in the external environment based on an awareness and understanding of global standards (e.g. international standards, rules, ideas, systems).
People who can use their understanding of foreign cultures as well as their linguistic ability and other components of effective communication to expand their fields of expertise in addition to creating opportunities and produce results for organizational development.
Talent development system
On-the-job training (OJT) is the basis of employee growth and the foundation of learning from working experience in actual positions and workplaces. The process promotes growth as trainees receive support from their supervisors and fellow employees. We concurrently create opportunities for off-the-job training—learning from training and other experiences outside the workplace—to foster among each and every employee the motivation to create a vision of the person they want to be in terms of ideal talent and to enhance their own value to achieve that vision.
Developing autonomous talent
We promote the development of autonomous talent who find their own purpose and take the initiative to work toward solutions rather than waiting for instructions. We visualize the skills required for each job family and advancement in terms of the definition of the different job classes under the Human resources management system and the matters considered for advancement. In addition to ongoing level-based training, we provide opportunities for each and every employee to apply their skills in systematic learning to progress toward the next level. Specifically, we have enhanced Company-recommended training named “autonomous learning programs (ALPs)” in which employees can choose and participate in order to improve their skills and abilities, and have made other efforts to establish a system allowing everyone to develop their capacities effectively and efficiently.
Developing talent for leaders
We are implementing a variety of measures to cultivate leaders who can drive the organization. Specifically, we offer training for developing the leaders of the next generation, which aims to cultivate the leaders who will lead the organization using rank-based education, as well as selective education, with the Future Leaders Development Program (FLDP) for section managers and the Next Leaders Development Program (NLDP) for general managers, in which we select participants based on certain criteria with the aim of developing the next generation of executives who will bring about innovation. We have also extended invitations to roundtable management discussions—previously conducted for general managers throughout the Company—to section managers as well, and are conducting manufacturing manager training, which lasts 18 months and specializes in developing potential section managers for manufacturing divisions.
Leaders training
Developing talent who will be active Globally
At any given time, more than 50 Japanese employees are seconded to overseas affiliates. As our overseas sales revenue accounts for more than 50% of our Group’s total sales, it is increasingly important to develop talent who can play active roles on a global scale. We have a program to dispatch employees to overseas affiliates for short periods of time, as well as a study abroad program where employees can study for up to two years at an overseas graduate school.
