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Amidst an uncertain business environment, the keys to achieving medium- to long-term growth are the development of the next generation of employees, and the creation of a comfortable environment within which they can work.

To develop self-reliant employees capable of independent thought and action, Tosoh has overhauled its training system, which focused mainly on skill development and acquisition, and restructured it into a sustainable learning program based on career education. Tosoh director and executive vice president Mamoru Kuwada serves as the head of Human Resources. Mr. Kuwada talks about the company’s current human resource strategy and future initiatives.

Q1: Thoughts on the development of human resources to support the company’s future

We aim to develop independent employees who can think and act on their own initiative by leveraging the quality of the corporate culture that has been cultivated at Tosoh over the years.

In fiscal year 2022, Tosoh revised its basic policy for human resource development (see Figure 1). The new policy is to develop self-reliant personnel who can create their own tasks and roles and involve others toward the achievement of their goals, whether inside or outside the organization. They must have their own vision of how they would respond to changes in the business environment, and be motivated to learn and persevere in achieving that vision.

In my view, this does not mean that we have introduced an entirely new way of thinking; rather, we have characterized the quality of our carefully cultivated corporate culture and crystallized it as a basic policy for human resource development.

Tosoh’s work ethic has always been one that values the independence and personal initiative of its employees. The relationship between superiors and subordinates is very open, and subordinates are able to work with a high degree of freedom rather than being told what to do. I come from an engineering background and have been in the manufacturing sector for about 30 years since I joined the company, and I feel the same way about my own personal experience.

Although I joined the company in 1984, I still remember the instruction I received from the executive director upon entering Tosoh. Once you join the company, there are no tests like there were in school. From that point onward, you have to negotiate and overcome hurdles on your own. Your success in doing this will determine your future. The point is that you cannot grow unless you train yourself independently. Sometime later, the Tosoh Spirit was established, and I felt that the words of these three tenets of the Tosoh Spirit—'eager acceptance of challenges,’ ‘calm assessment of situations,’ and ‘firm resolve’—embody the basic theme of the instruction I received.

I believe that this way of thinking, which values self-reliance and independence, is especially important in today's diverse, complex, and ever-changing world. As changes in the business environment are constantly occurring, the career paths of today's young employees are changing from the past. There will be many types of jobs that did not exist before. The nature of work will become broader and more challenging, and there will be an increasing number of situations that will require people to think on their own feet and act accordingly. As the head of Human Resources, I believe that our mission is to develop human resources who can respond to changes in the business environment with confidence and self-reliance.

We are working to implement educational programs to develop the five essential elements of self-reliant human resources and to foster a work environment where each and every employee can work with enthusiasm.

Figure 1 – Basic policy for human resource development

To develop human resources who can envision what they want to be in order to respond to changes in the business environment, and who have the motivation to learn and persevere in order to achieve that goal.

Q2: Specific measures you are taking to promote your human resources strategy

First of all, with regard to education, we reviewed our training system in fiscal 2022 in order to achieve our basic policy of nurturing self-reliant human resources. Our previous system was based on the development of work competency and management skills, but we have evolved it into a sustainable learning program based on career education. This program is based on the Tosoh Spirit and discussions with management to identify the aforementioned five elements—the ability to involve and motivate, the ability to change and improve oneself, the determination to get things done, the ability to envision and execute, and the spirit of exploration—that are necessary for the independently minded and self-reliant human resources that Tosoh aims to cultivate. The program is designed to help participants acquire each element step by step through career education and self-study using learning tools provided by Human Resources.

One of the key points of the revised training system is to enable employees to consider their individual careers within the rank-based education system. For this reason, we have added career counseling wherein employees can look back on what they have accomplished, assess their personal skills and abilities, and consider the next steps to take. This supports employees by providing a structure under which they can receive counseling after training and the opportunity to discuss the future of their individual careers.

Human Resources also strives to promote diversity, based on the belief that it is essential to utilize diverse human resources and values. In particular, I see the promotion of the role of women as an essential factor. In terms of hiring, the ratio of female employees has been steadily rising year by year. In fiscal year 2021, we achieved one of our CSR priorities of having more than 20% of career-track positions filled by female employees. Furthermore, we are also promoting the assignment of women to manufacturing, sales, and shift work, where traditionally there have been few female employees, in order to expand their opportunities and create a workplace where they can continue working for a long time. In 2021, we established a new return system that will allow those who have left the company due to family circumstances to return to work.

In addition, as part of our efforts to create a workplace where employees can work enthusiastically, we are working to achieve a work-life balance and promote Kenkokeiei^® whose measures include establishing various leave and absence systems for childcare and nursing care, as well as shorter working hours.

It is important to support the promotion of physical and mental health so that employees, who are responsible for the fulfillment of our corporate philosophy, can maximize their potential. To this end, we are implementing a variety of health promotion activities based on the three pillars of ‘physical fitness,’ ‘lifestyle,’ and ‘mental health’ with the aim of preventing illness and promoting health. Every year, we hold walking activities, events on the themes of good nutrition, giving up smoking, and moderate alcohol consumption. We also conduct mental health workshops led by industry-related physicians and outside lecturers. These activities serve to raise health awareness among our employees and support self-care as a company policy. These activities have been received positively, as evidenced by our having been recognized by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry under Certified Health & Productivity Management Outstanding Organizations program, in the large enterprise category, for the second straight year.

Q3: Thoughts from the standpoint of an executive in charge of human resources

We will continue to create a workplace culture in which fear of failure does not stop us from accepting challenges, and in which we support each other in difficult times.

I believe that on-the-job training is essential to human resource education. Of course, there are areas where OJT alone is not enough. We need to supplement it with classroom lectures such as rank-based training. However, I believe that performing the actual work affords people the best opportunity for growth.

For OJT to be effective, the company must proactively provide young employees with opportunities to try things on their own. As I mentioned earlier, this is part of Tosoh’s corporate culture. There are often difficulties early on in the process, so the supervisor must monitor the situation and follow up accordingly.

Failure, though, is vital to a person’s growth. As in my own experience, I believe that people grow through repeated failures of any kind.

Putting it another way, I think it is important for the development of human resources to maintain a work environment where the boss, seniors, and colleagues are willing to support junior employees even when they make mistakes. I think it is also important that the workplace is comfortable with a variety of measures in place, as well as clean offices and a system for remote work. Above all, I think the most important thing is to foster an atmosphere in the workplace where we continue to support each other even when conditions become challenging. In the future, I would like to pass on Tosoh’s quality corporate culture, within which superiors and subordinates can communicate frankly, and develop human resources in a way that enhances the potential of each individual. I want as many people as possible to feel they are glad to work at Tosoh.

Five elements required for Tosoh's self-reliant human resources

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