Movements and initiatives to pursue intrinsic happiness have been steadily emerging and spreading across Japan during my 18 years of living here. We can see amazing examples of people trying to measure happiness and genuine affluence, instead of just gross domestic products, and emphasizing the quality of life more in community planning.
This post introduces initiatives to develop local “happiness indices” and efforts to create a whole society pursuing intrinsic well-being. As is well-known, Japan is a collective society, so if one person does something everyone wants to do it for the sake of unity and also so as not to be left out.
The JFS (Japan For Sustainability) newsletter introduced a selected series of examples of good companies in Japan, referring to the book “Jizoku Kano-na Shihon Shugi” (‘Sustainable Capitalism’ written by Kazuhiro Arai, director and asset manager of Kamakura Toshin, a Japanese investment company).
The 4th article, ‘Eightfold Satisfaction: Management for Everyone’s Happiness,’ introduces 3 special companies with very unusual approaches to keeping their employees happy.
1. The Yamato Group
The case of Japan is so interesting because of strategies to recover after major natural disasters such as earthquakes and massive landslides, etc. In 2011 when the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred the Yamato Transport Co. a major parcel-delivery company in Japan, fully supported its employees who were desperate to provide voluntary aid work for the victims.
Immediately after the impact, local Yamato workers delivered relief supplies on their own initiative using company vehicles. The company HQ co-operated with the Self-Defence forces and promoted delivery of survival supplies as part of routine work. Management also lobbied the government to use all of the group’s donations for specific purposes. It decided to donate 10¥ (about US$0.09) per parcel delivered. The total was ¥14.2 billion (US$126 million) in 2011, accounting for 40% of its annual profit. Then, further negotiations were made with the government to make the group’s aid donations tax exempt.
The group has recently been cooperating with many municipalities especially in respect of elderly support and shopping systems for depopulated areas.
2. Cybozu Incorporated
Cybozu develops and sells groupware that provides many services, e.g. mail, schedule management and message board services. Their policy puts social reinvestment above profit so suddenly it declared that it did not intend to make a profit which shocked the stakeholders. But the clever marketing is based on the idea of ignoring a drop in its company stock prices as long as those who are in tune with this policy invest in the company.
In 2016, the company was having problems with its work schedule which included weekends and midnight work as a matter of routine. Staff turnover was 28% so Yoshihisa Aona, the current president, decided to reorganize work-styles and personnel systems. He continually implemented new schemes including a childcare leave scheme and flexitime, both virtually unheard of in Japan. He even set an example and took childcare leave himself and as a result staff turnover decreased to 4%.
The company then reinvested profits into social activities, e.g. work-style education—for example, producing cartoon videos about overworking mothers’ difficulties and work-style improvements in general.
These were bold moves in a highly conservative and some say Machiavellian business culture.
3. FP Corporation
FP manufactures and sells simple food containers such as foam trays for supermarkets and food shops. However, the company has developed a unique recycling system and technology. It collects used food trays, containers and PET bottles at the same time it delivers its products.
The group employs about 400 workers with disabilities as regular workers. In fact, the ratio of disabled to all workers is 14.56% and 3 out of 4 workers are severely disabled. Hisao Katsuta, president of a special division of the company, says that he will patiently wait for disabled workers to progress and recognizes their potential.
Plastic foam trays take up a great deal of space if transported long distances for collection. So the company has established recycling plants around the country manned by members of the local disabled community in an attempt to foster mutually beneficial regional relationships.
Finally: “happo-yoshi” (eightfold satisfaction)
“Happo-yoshi” is a management style advocated by Kazuhiro Arai in his book mentioned above.
It combines the merits of traditional Japanese business ethics (“sampo-yoshi”) with the western style of CSV (Creating Shared Values). Originally, in the Edo Era (1600-1868) “sampo-yoshi” aimed to benefit 3 parties: the seller, the buyer and society. By contrast, CSV creates economic value while addressing social needs through business activities. They are subtly different, the Japanese approach being much more transparent.
The eight parties in “happo-yoshi” are:
- corporate managers
- employees
- suppliers/creditors
- shareholders
- consumers
- communities
- society
- the nation
“Happo-yoshi” was created to give attention to the finite nature of natural resources. This style makes all 8 parties happy and the companies mentioned in this interesting series of articles are making what seems like a dream come true. It looks quite certain that many such aware companies are coming into existence.
This article is written from the admiration of a permanent resident in Japan—such a special and shy nation struggling to become globalized and step into the limelight.
Linden Thorp is a writer and mindful educator living and working in Japan. She is currently writing a book about Japanese education and the conspiracies that the culture breeds. Watch this space to find out more.
