Our People
We’re creating an environment in which employees work in accordance with our philosophy of “Respect for Humanity.”
Work-life balance and job satisfaction
Supporting the next generation and promoting women’s participation
We’ve embraced the following goals to foster an environment where all employees, regardless of gender or caregiving responsibilities, can find both ease and fulfillment in their work:
- Ensure women comprise approximately 50% of new hires and are represented across all job categories
- Ensure at least 10% of management positions are held by female employees
- Ensure our remote work system is utilized by at least 15% of employees overall*
- *Percentage of employees who used remote work at least once per month on average during the target period
Realizing lifelong employment by extending retirement age
In April 2017, Hioki raised the age of retirement to 65. Under our reemployment system, employees can now continue working until age 70.
Passing on skills and experience to younger colleagues and continuing to participate in social life while experiencing the joy of work help these employees maintain their physical and emotional health. Providing an environment in which employees can work with peace of mind and a sense of security about the future is an essential part of ensuring Hioki can continue to grow and develop on an ongoing basis.
Programs
Childcare and nursing care leave
Employees can take childcare leave until their child turns three, and they can utilize shortened working hours and flex-time programs after they return to the job. We’re working to create an environment that’s conducive to child-raising, for example by holding information sessions about parenting support programs for male employees and pursuing workstyle reforms.
Opportunities for part-time employees to move to full time
In 2008, we introduced a system that offers part-time employees opportunities to move to full-time positions. We believe that chances to refine their skills and take responsibility for higher-added-value tasks help boost motivation and engagement.
Promoting global communication
Realizing diversity
As of 2024, Hioki employs staff from over 30 countries and is actively creating a comfortable and inclusive work environment for all. Current initiatives include introducing a partnership recognition system, offering vegetarian meal options, adding prayer rooms, providing Japanese language learning support, and establishing special leave programs for returning home during family celebrations or bereavements.
We’re striving to promote cross-cultural understanding through these efforts.
Dialogue with management
We provide opportunities for direct dialogue between employees and company executives. These exchanges help reinforce our management policies and vision while supporting employee career development.
Executives regularly visit both domestic and international sites, reflecting the high level of importance we place on face-to-face communication with staff. In 2024, a Board of Directors meeting was held at our overseas office in China, with all directors and auditors visiting the location. We plan to continue holding board meetings at overseas offices in the future.
Connecting with Hioki employees worldwide
We regularly hold internal events and training programs to strengthen connections among our employees around the world. By fostering mutual understanding of each other’s work and perspectives, we create new ideas that embrace diversity and drive overall company growth.
Career development
Hi-Career system
The Hi-Career system is designed to help everyone realize their personal purpose—the desire to do, achieve, challenge, or contribute—by aligning it at a higher level with the company’s management philosophy and fulfilling it through their work. An expanded range of workstyle options means employees can take on new challenges in line with their own life and career goals.
In pursuit of realizing individual purpose, achieving Vision 2030, and moving forward, we aim to transform both individual and organizational mindsets and behaviors so that all employees become autonomous solution creators and build an indispensable organization.
Hi-Challenge system
The Hi-Challenge system promotes our Vision 2030 goals of “enabling everyone to become a solution creator” and “spurring ongoing, company-wide functional innovation through new combinations.” Employees can take on new roles through internal job changes or voluntarily participate in internal projects, ventures, and internships. In the three years since the system was launched, more than 30 applications have been submitted, with employees actively realizing their individual purposes.
Comprehensive training framework
We believe that when each employee continuously develops their abilities and builds an autonomous career based on their own sense of personal purpose, it contributes to both corporate growth and the advancement of society. To that end, we offer a wide range of education and training programs, not only for improving skills through daily work, but also including pre-employment and onboarding training, level-specific training, career development programs, and specialized skill development opportunities.
Manufacturing education
To provide high-quality products to our customers, we place a strong emphasis on manufacturing education. Our goal is for employees to continuously accumulate technical knowledge and skills in production. Designated instructors, selected according to internal guidelines, carry out education in a planned and systematic manner. We also support employees’ efforts to earn official certifications through self-study and encourage participation in competitions like the WorldSkills to help hone their skills. Throughout, our goal is to foster a learning environment that enables sustainable growth.
Safety and health
Hioki’s unique safety and health initiatives
At Hioki, we operate our own safety and health management system through specialized committees focused on areas such as safety promotion, electrical safety, chemical substance management, traffic safety, health promotion, 5S (sort, set in order, shine, standardize, sustain), and in-house fire response. Each committee takes the lead in activities such as establishing rules and procedures, conducting risk assessments, performing workplace patrols, and organizing training and education programs. The initiatives of each committee are reported monthly to the Safety and Health Committee, ensuring continuous improvement through the PDCA cycle.
Health management
Health Management Declaration
Guided by our corporate philosophy of “Respect for Humanity” and “Contribution to Society,” Hioki strives to empower all employees to cultivate individuality and creativity and achieve personal fulfillment. To that end, we’re committed to health management that promotes both a workplace where employees can work in good physical and mental health and initiatives that support the health of employees and their families.
Takahiro Okazawa
President and CEO
Key health initiatives
- Improving health literacy
We’re committed to raising employees’ health awareness to encourage proactive health management. Members of the Health Promotion Committee play the leading role in implementing initiatives to promote better dietary habits and establish exercise routines.
- Measures to prevent serious lifestyle-related diseases
Employees under the age of 35 receive regular health checkups, while those aged 30, 35 and above, as well as dependent spouses, are provided company-sponsored medical checkups including cancer screenings. In collaboration with our health insurance association, we offer health guidance and various wellness seminars to employees.
- Mental health promotion
We conduct stress checks to prevent mental health issues, provide individual follow-up, and implement workplace interviews and environmental improvements for high-risk departments.
- Workplace health indicators
To create a comfortable work environment where each employee can perform at their best, we are working to reduce absenteeism, address presenteeism, and to improve work engagement.