Those who responded to our interview<\/p>\n
![\"Mr.](\"\/hp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/01.jpg\")
Executive Officer, General Manager of Human Resources Dept.<\/span>
Mr. Yoshikazu Asano<\/span><\/div>\n
![\"Nanae](\"\/hp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/02.jpg\")
Manager, Diversity Promotion Office, Human Resources Department<\/span>
Nanae Awaji<\/span><\/div>\n
Chief Staff<\/span>
Yuki Omura<\/span><\/div>\n
Chief Staff<\/span>
Hikaru Nakagawara<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Motivation for Initiatives<\/h4>\n
\u3000While approximately 90% of Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance employees, including sales staff, are women, as of 2012, only 3.8% of the company’s employees were women in management positions.
In the rapidly changing social and economic environment, the Diversity Promotion Office was established within the Human Resources Department based on the top management’s recognition that the success of diverse human resources, including women, people with disabilities, and senior citizens, is essential for the company’s development. Based on the premise that in order to become a company where both men and women can play an active role, it is natural for men to participate in housework and childcare, we have been working to raise the awareness of all employees, from management to managers and general employees.<\/p>\n
Planning and support systems to encourage “men’s participation in housework and childcare<\/h5>\n
\u3000The “Diversity & Inclusion Promotion Site” on the company’s intranet features stories of employees who have served as role models for male employees taking childcare leave. The stories, along with photos, show how they prepared for and coordinated their childcare leave, how they spent the leave period, and what changes they saw in their families and themselves as a result of taking the leave. The site also provides tips on how to spend the childcare leave period in a meaningful way.<\/p>\n
\u3000We are producing a booklet titled “Work-Life Management Handbook for Dads. Along with interesting contents such as how to support a spouse during pregnancy, and “How to keep mom and dad smiling,” it explains the company’s childcare support system and provides a checklist of how to share household chores. We have devised a flexible way to make adjustments according to each family’s situation.<\/p>\n Work-Life Management Handbook for Dads” (excerpt)<\/a> [PDF: 1,854KB] (in Japanese only)<\/p>\n \u3000In addition, we hold seminars every year to support employees returning to work after childcare leave. The purpose is to shorten career interruptions as much as possible and support a smooth return to work after childcare leave. In these seminars, we also convey the importance of both men and women taking on (sharing) housework and childcare. Senior employees also share advice based on their own experiences, such as, “You should ask your spouse to do this to balance work and childcare. We hope to change the mindset of not only the employees taking the course but also their spouses.<\/p>\n \u3000Efforts are also made toward supervisors. A “Work-Life Management Program” is implemented every year to score subordinates’ efforts to take male childcare leave, which is reflected in the evaluation of their departments. \u3000I had planned to take childcare leave at the same time my wife returned from giving birth at home, so I adjusted my work schedule and took over from my boss and others beforehand. During the childcare leave, I did housework and childcare other than breastfeeding, which gave me a renewed sense of gratitude to my parents and respect for many people, including my wife. ![\"sight\"](\"\/hp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/03.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
Recently, I believe that this has led to a mindset change whereby the heads of departments encourage their subordinates to take childcare leave, regardless of whether it is because they are being evaluated, and subordinates take childcare leave as a matter of course. In addition, it seems that female employees are more likely to work under a boss who understands men’s childcare leave.<\/p>\n\u301cMale employee (Mr. Nakagawara) who took childcare leave<\/h4>\n
\u3000My wife is currently pregnant with our second child. I read the “Work-Life Management Handbook for Dads” after she became pregnant with our second child. I was surprised to learn about many of the company’s systems, and the handbook helped me to learn about systems that I had not previously known were useful for childcare.
\u3000I have had my story published on the aforementioned “Diversity & Inclusion Promotion Website,” and the response from my acquaintances within the company has been great, and I am often consulted by my peers and junior staff about childcare leave. At such times, I realize that the mindset of younger employees is changing.
\u3000Since my experience of childcare leave, I have been trying to go home early and am conscious of working more efficiently and productively than before.
\u3000Currently, due to the Corona disaster, I come to work once or twice a week. On telecommuting days, I have breakfast with my children and change their diapers before starting work. During my lunch break, I go for a 30-minute walk in a nearby park. My pregnant wife appreciates this very much.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n