Group human resource development・Realization of diverse, flexible work styles

Our human resource strategy focuses on three key themes: “interlocking the management strategy and the human resource strategy,” “promoting Group-wide human resource development,” and “reskilling for DX.” During the three years of our new medium-term management plan, in preparation for becoming a health creation enterprise, we will revitalize our workforce and enhance our human resource portfolio through five key initiatives: “securing human resources,” “reskilling” to cultivate human resources with specialized expertise which includes DX, “promoting well-being” through health management and work style reforms, “enhancing engagement” by offering employees opportunities to participate in management decisions, and fostering “diversity & inclusion” to enable a diverse workforce to thrive.

Human resources are the most important asset in the Suzuken Group. As the environment surrounding the Group is changing dramatically and more rapidly than expected, we feel the need to foster human resources with diverse ideas for responding to changes in order to realize the Group’s goal of becoming a health creation enterprise that will contribute to all elements of patients’ healthcare life cycles.

As the diverse human resources in the Group and in our partner companies work as One Team to contribute to society through our business, we are managing human capital in ways designed to leverage each individual’s growth and capabilities to the fullest.

Human resources are the most important asset in the Suzuken Group. As the environment surrounding the Group is changing dramatically and more rapidly than expected, we feel the need to foster human resources with diverse ideas for responding to changes in order to realize the Group’s goal of becoming a health creation enterprise that will contribute to all elements of patients’ healthcare life cycles.

As people’s work style needs diversify, we are enriching our options, including the possibility of regional recruitment. When it comes to securing DX human resources, a key focus of our medium-term management plan, we are conducting career hiring alongside internal development.

Based on a concept of human resource development that aims to develop autonomous talent who study, think, and act independently, we are providing mechanisms for learning and opportunities to take on challenges. In addition to the basic training for employees up to their fifth year with the company, we are building a wide-ranging education system to support self-actualization and further skill enhancement, primarily through on-the-job training (OJT) supplemented by off-the-job training and self-development. This system includes hierarchical training, for different levels such as management, and job-specific training along with elective training based on self-prepared reports.

We have rolled out a rank-specific DX reskilling program that combines e-learning and certification, among other offerings, and more than 4,300 employees participated in fiscal 2023. Additionally, with the goals of enhancing our proposals for digital products to customers and our ability to meet their needs, as well as developing human resources who will become workplace instigators and leaders, we began a proprietary skills acquisition program called the DX ambassador development program. We are fostering and dispatching 50 DX ambassadors authorized through this program to sites around the country to improve the overall skills of our sales representatives.

In fiscal 2024, we are making efforts to improve DX literacy in the Group as a whole, such as expanding the DX reskilling program across the entire Group and offering new recommended certifications and curricula. We are also providing growth opportunities that leverage knowledge learned, such as proposals for work improvements and new businesses through a Group proposal system and elective trainings. Additionally, we are considering the adoption of an internal internship system.

We aim to develop 100 or more next-generation leaders, namely those human resources who are not only responsible for the future of each of our businesses but who can also create and cultivate new businesses and promote collaborations with external companies. To realize that, along with implementing special development programs, the Beyond Council we established in fiscal 2023 conducts Group-wide discussions on themes such as the creation of systems and rules for excelling beyond company boundaries, as well as the formulation of equal education opportunities and human resource assessment criteria across the Group. By conducting intra-Group rotations and temporary assignments to other companies, proactively providing opportunities for both younger and female employees, and selecting individuals for exceptional promotions without regard to employment status or the Group company they belong to, we identify and develop potential leaders who can work in a variety of businesses and provide them with a platform to utilize their skills.

We are increasing opportunities for ongoing communication, such as by carrying out trainings and events jointly as a Group and meetings with the management level.

We have been implementing the “Chienowa” Group proposal platform since April 2022. It serves not only as a system for collecting proposals on business operation improvements and new business ideas but also as a platform for sharing successful case studies within the group, gathering opinions that inspire new ideas, and hosting events for discussions. These initiatives provide an opportunity for members to actively engage in management through the “One Team” concept.

In July 2023, Suzuken formulated an action plan based on the "Act on the Promotion of Women's Active Participation in Professional Life" (commonly known as the Act on the Promotion of Female Active Participation).

With growing awareness of the importance of work-life balance, Suzuken has worked to improve childcare support systems in line with the purpose of the "Next Generation Development Support Measures Promotion Law." Currently, we have established an action plan for 2023–2025 and are striving to strengthen it even further.

We established the Beyond Council to bring out the full potential of all employees working in the Group. The Beyond Council addresses topics such as the establishment of systems and rules to enable employees to play an active role across companies’ boundaries, discussion on equal educational opportunities, and creation of standards for human resource evaluation. The Council also engages in discussions across the group to identify, nurture and provide opportunities for leaders who can play an active role in various businesses.

Suzuken, Sanki, ASTIS, Shoyaku, Suzuken Iwate, S.D.Logi, Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho and Suzuken Business Associe Co., Ltd., and the Suzuken Health Insurance Society were all designated by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry as Certified Health & Productivity Management Organizations.

The CEOs of Suzuken, Sanki, ASTIS, Shoyaku, Suzuken Iwate, S.D.Logi and Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho declare the Health & Productivity Management, and the organization specialized in the promotion of the healthy management has been established at each of the companies.

As a result of these efforts, Suzuken, S.D.Logi, and Suzuken Health Insurance Society have been designated as Certified Health & Productivity Management Organizations for six consecutive years since 2020, Sanki for four consecutive years since 2022, Shoyaku for three consecutive years since 2023, ASTIS, and Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho for two consecutive years since 2024 , and Suzuken Iwate, and Suzuken Business Associe for the first time for 2025.

Regarding the mental health of our employees, Suzuken entrusts an external company specializing in the field to perform regular stress checks and has put in place a system in which employees can receive counseling by specialists.

The company has also established an in-house health consultation office staffed with an industrial physician and public health nurses with specialized knowledge that employees can tap for information regarding their physical and mental health. At the Group level, we have introduced the HELPO^※1 online health consultation service provided by Healthcare Technologies Corp. (Softbank Group) as a step to support and promote good health among employees and their families.

We are promoting flexible working styles with a focus on reducing total working hours and increasing flexibility to balance these needs while maintaining and improving customers satisfaction. We are considering introducing measures to broaden working styles, such as implementing a flexible working hour system or allowing employees to go directly to a customer site and then return home, without stopping by the office, leveraging mobile phones or other IT technology. Other plans under consideration include establishing rules and guidelines for working from home. Additionally, we are working to improve the percentage of paid leave taken.