- Promotion of Diversity and Inclusion
- Policy on Work-Style Reform and Work-Life Balance
- Reduction of Working Hours and Consideration of Scheduled Working Hours
- Reform initiatives towards new work-styles
- Efforts to Prevent Recurrence of Labor Issues
- Supporting Employees in Balancing Work with Childcare/Nursing Care
- Raising Awareness
- Benefits
- Consulting Service to Encourage Employees to Take Parental Leave
Toshiba Group has been promoting work-style reform since April 2019 to resolve social issues and contribute to the further development of society. By encouraging flexible work styles that are in line with the aims of the “decent work” advocated by the International Labor Organization (ILO), business reform and health and productivity management, we aim to reduce long working hours and deliver work with high added value so that each and every employee can work safely, happily and in health.
Policy on Work-Style Reform and Work-Life Balance
Toshiba Group stipulates Workplace in Article 16 of the Standards of Conduct for Toshiba Group, and strives to develop a working environment where officers and employees may perform their duties creatively and efficiently, as well as provide support to realize employees' work/life balance through various ways of working so that they can maximize their capabilities to the fullest extent. We also comply with rules regarding working hours specific to each country.
Reduction of Working Hours and Consideration of Scheduled Working Hours
We have set goals customized to factors particular to the business sector for hours of overtime work and are aiming to gradually reduce overtime work to rectify the long working hour situation and enable work with high added value. Toshiba is striving to transition to a style of work that does not depend on overtime work, so that more diverse personnel can be deployed and work-style reform is promoted.
Key systems and measures concerning working hours for full-time employees (Toshiba)
| System/Measure | Overview |
|---|---|
| Flexible work system | Flextime system, discretionary labor system, and work-at-home system * Partially applied to non-regular employees as well |
| Long leave system | Employees can take a maximum of 20-day accumulated leave for personally selected objectives, such as self-development, social contribution activities, nursing, and also for treatment of non-occupational injuries and diseases, and other conditions including infertility. |
| Introduction of PC shutdown system | Introduction of a system that automatically shuts down PCs at a specified time * Applies to non-regular employees as well |
| Annual paid vacation | We have been facilitating the planned use of annual paid vacation. In FY2023, the percentage of annual paid vacation taken was 75.6%. * Starting from FY2020, the reporting scope of the percentage of annual paid vacation has been changed to include employees of key Group companies (excluding Toshiba Tec Corporation). |
| Making working hours visible |
* Applies to non-regular employees as well |
| Other measures related to work-style reforms |
|
| System/Measure | Overview |
|---|---|
| Flexible work system | Flextime system, discretionary labor system, and work-at-home system * Partially applied to non-regular employees as well |
| Long leave system | Employees can take a maximum of 20-day accumulated leave for personally selected objectives, such as self-development, social contribution activities, nursing, and also for treatment of non-occupational injuries and diseases, and other conditions including infertility. |
| Introduction of PC shutdown system | Introduction of a system that automatically shuts down PCs at a specified time * Applies to non-regular employees as well |
| Annual paid vacation | We have been facilitating the planned use of annual paid vacation. In FY2023, the percentage of annual paid vacation taken was 75.6%. * Starting from FY2020, the reporting scope of the percentage of annual paid vacation has been changed to include employees of key Group companies (excluding Toshiba Tec Corporation). |
| Making working hours visible |
* Applies to non-regular employees as well |
| Other measures related to work-style reforms |
|
In Toshiba, in FY2023, the average total annual actual working hours per employee was 1,966 hours, and the average annual overtime working hours per employee was 299 hours.
Activity Example : Use of a System that Makes Working Hours Visible
In order to effectively monitor the working conditions of our employees, Toshiba launched a system that allows employees to visually monitor working hours on their computers (FY2009). We also started operating the systems Work Record Notification and Work Record Display to ensure a setting where employees and their supervisors are made aware of their work hours (since FY2010).
The Work Record Notification System automatically sends an e-mail to each employee and their supervisor on the work record of the employee. The Work Record Display System sends records and alerts to each employee and their supervisors to draw their attention to overtime work hours in line with the Work Style Reform Bill that came into effect in April 2019.
Reform initiatives towards new work-styles
With regard to remote work, which was rapidly adopted since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have applied working from home to all employees who can do so and promoted online meetings from the perspective of preventing the spread of COVID-19. In order to make working from home a common practice and improve its productivity, we distribute videos on how to communicate properly and even better when working remotely, and provide online IT skills training. In the post-COVID-19 era, we will aim to achieve an improved work-life balance by creating a worthwhile time away from work for our employees, such as the time for improving their health, the time spent with their family, the time to participate in child-raising and nursing care, and the time for themselves to study again. To do so, we will opt for a hybrid work system in which employees can combine working at the office with remote work, allowing them to work from home or use satellite offices during a business trip. In this way, employees will be able to effectively use the time that would have otherwise been used for commuting or traveling.
| System/Measure | Overview |
|---|---|
| Hybrid work system | Presuming that we secure productivity at each workplace, we aim for a work-style that allows greater flexibility in terms of a place each employee works. Specifically, presuming that we ensure achievement of performance targets, we are aiming for a situation in which each employee can choose whether to work at the office or remotely according to their work and childcare schedule on a specific day, in collaboration with other members of their workplace. |
| Remote work system (trial)* | Depending on the work, we will apply this system if it is possible to complete all work remotely without coming to the office for the purpose of preventing employees from resigning because of the need to accompany a spouse who has been transferred or to provide nursing care, increasing flexibility in terms of personnel placement, and leveraging and hiring diverse people, among others. In this way, we will increase flexibility in employees’ choice of where to live. |
| System/Measure | Overview |
|---|---|
| Hybrid work system | Presuming that we secure productivity at each workplace, we aim for a work-style that allows greater flexibility in terms of a place each employee works. Specifically, presuming that we ensure achievement of performance targets, we are aiming for a situation in which each employee can choose whether to work at the office or remotely according to their work and childcare schedule on a specific day, in collaboration with other members of their workplace. |
| Remote work system (trial)* | Depending on the work, we will apply this system if it is possible to complete all work remotely without coming to the office for the purpose of preventing employees from resigning because of the need to accompany a spouse who has been transferred or to provide nursing care, increasing flexibility in terms of personnel placement, and leveraging and hiring diverse people, among others. In this way, we will increase flexibility in employees’ choice of where to live. |
- Currently under trial at Toshiba and its key Group companies (Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation, Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation, Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation, Toshiba Digital Solutions Corporation).
Efforts to Prevent Recurrence of Labor Issues
Although Toshiba Group had implemented measures to ensure the health and safety of employees, a labor issue arose in FY2019. We have taken this seriously and implemented the following measures to prevent recurrence.
Specifically, top management regularly sent out messages on health and safety. At the same time, we took measures to prevent overwork and to encourage communication within the workplace. We are also working to improve employees’ self-care and implemented initiatives to maintain and promote their physical and mental health.
In accordance with the Toshiba Group Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Management Policy and the Toshiba Group OHS Management Declaration, preventing the recurrence of labor issues continues to be the top management priority. We remain fully committed to creating an environment where Toshiba Group employees, including non-regular employees, can work with peace of mind.
Supporting Employees in Balancing Work with Childcare/Nursing Care
Since the 1990s, Toshiba Group has been supporting employees to balance their work and personal life. Starting in 2005, in accordance with the Law for Measures to Support the Development of the Next Generation, we have implemented various measures and systems, which surpass the legal standards, and continue to make them more adaptable and flexible.
In FY2014, we revised our Hourly-Unit Annual Leave System. Now employees can take leave on a quarterly hour basis instead of hourly when they take a leave over an hour.
In accordance with the Act on Childcare Leave, etc., revised in April and October 2022, we started in April 2022 confirming with employees their intention to take childcare leave with the aim of encouraging them to take the leave, and began improving our environment by setting up a consultation center. In October 2022, we reviewed the number of times employees could take childcare leave separately, and also created the childcare leave system at the time of birth.
Major supporting systems for full-time employees’ work and childcare/nursing care (Toshiba)
| Childbirth/ Child-rearing | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| System | Toshiba system | As required by law | |
| Childcare leave | Period | Until the end of the month in which the child turns three years old | Up to one year old except when certain requirements are met |
| Number of times | Depending on the child’s age, up to five times separately | Up to twice separately | |
| The childcare leave system at the time of birth | Period | Up to four weeks within eight weeks of childbirth | Same as left |
| Number of times | Up to twice separately | Same as left | |
| Life support leave* | Five days of paid leave (100%) may be taken continuously or dividedly within six weeks before and eight weeks after the spouse’s expected date of giving birth. | － | |
| Short-time shift | Target | Employees who are raising children in elementary school | Employees who are raising children under three years old |
| Others | 1) No limits to the number of times one can apply 2) Possible to combine with the flextime system 3) Can be set in 15-minute units |
－ | |
| Hourly leave system | Leave is available in one-hour units. If more than one hour is taken at a time, however, employees may take leave in 15-minute units for those over an hour. | － | |
| Childbirth/ Child-rearing | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| System | Toshiba system | As required by law | |
| Childcare leave | Period | Until the end of the month in which the child turns three years old | Up to one year old except when certain requirements are met |
| Number of times | Depending on the child’s age, up to five times separately | Up to twice separately | |
| The childcare leave system at the time of birth | Period | Up to four weeks within eight weeks of childbirth | Same as left |
| Number of times | Up to twice separately | Same as left | |
| Life support leave* | Five days of paid leave (100%) may be taken continuously or dividedly within six weeks before and eight weeks after the spouse’s expected date of giving birth. | － | |
| Short-time shift | Target | Employees who are raising children in elementary school | Employees who are raising children under three years old |
| Others | 1) No limits to the number of times one can apply 2) Possible to combine with the flextime system 3) Can be set in 15-minute units |
－ | |
| Hourly leave system | Leave is available in one-hour units. If more than one hour is taken at a time, however, employees may take leave in 15-minute units for those over an hour. | － | |
| Family care | ||
|---|---|---|
| System | Toshiba system | As required by law |
| Family care leave | Up to 365 days in total per person requiring nursing care | Up to 93 days in total per person requiring nursing care |
| Short-time shift | Possible to use per person requiring nursing care, separately from the period for family care leave, until it is no longer necessary to provide nursing care for the person concerned. (including up to one year for short-day shifts) | － |
| Hourly leave system | Leave is available in one-hour units. If more than one hour is taken at a time, however, employees may take leave in 15-minute units for those over an hour. | － |
| Family care | ||
|---|---|---|
| System | Toshiba system | As required by law |
| Family care leave | Up to 365 days in total per person requiring nursing care | Up to 93 days in total per person requiring nursing care |
| Short-time shift | Possible to use per person requiring nursing care, separately from the period for family care leave, until it is no longer necessary to provide nursing care for the person concerned. (including up to one year for short-day shifts) | － |
| Hourly leave system | Leave is available in one-hour units. If more than one hour is taken at a time, however, employees may take leave in 15-minute units for those over an hour. | － |
| Returning to work | ||
|---|---|---|
| System | Toshiba system | |
| Subsidies for expenses | Allowance for raising the next generation | To be provided to each eligible child * Even if the applicant’s spouse who works at another company is the head of household, the child is still eligible for the allowance. |
| Selective welfare system Teatime | For child-rearing and nursing care points will be worth 1.2 to 1.5 times the value of normal points. | |
| Program to support employees in balancing work with childcare/nursing care | The program offers the opportunity for employees to discuss future career plans and any necessary arrangements with their supervisor and HR personnel before taking a leave of absence or after resuming work, thus helping to reduce concerns of the employees who take such leave. | |
| Reemployment system (return to work system) | Established a system to reemploy employees who had to resign for the following reasons: 1) Resignation in order to accompany a spouse who has been transferred (within five years) |
|
| Returning to work | ||
|---|---|---|
| System | Toshiba system | |
| Subsidies for expenses | Allowance for raising the next generation | To be provided to each eligible child * Even if the applicant’s spouse who works at another company is the head of household, the child is still eligible for the allowance. |
| Selective welfare system Teatime | For child-rearing and nursing care points will be worth 1.2 to 1.5 times the value of normal points. | |
| Program to support employees in balancing work with childcare/nursing care | The program offers the opportunity for employees to discuss future career plans and any necessary arrangements with their supervisor and HR personnel before taking a leave of absence or after resuming work, thus helping to reduce concerns of the employees who take such leave. | |
| Reemployment system (return to work system) | Established a system to reemploy employees who had to resign for the following reasons: 1) Resignation in order to accompany a spouse who has been transferred (within five years) |
|
- Available for childbirth by an employee’s spouse, marriage, and bereavement. (In FY2022, we added the reasons of attending school events for children and receiving fertility treatment.)
Employee participation of diverse working style options (Toshiba and key Group companies*1)
| System | FY2017 | FY2018 | FY2019 | FY2020 | FY2021 | FY2022 | FY2023*2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Childcare leave | Male: 20 Female: 363 |
Male: 10 Female: 277 |
Male: 34 Female: 316 |
Male: 72 Female: 299 |
Male: 94 Female: 289 |
Male:152 Female:274 |
Male:144 Female:96 |
| Life support leave (Paternity leave) | Male: 382 | Male: 194 | Male: 203 | Male: 210 | Male: 150 | Male:156 | Male:126 |
| Family care leave | Male: 5 Female: 2 |
Male: 6 Female: 5 |
Male: 9 Female: 4 |
Male: 9 Female: 2 |
Male: 5 Female: 5 |
Male:10 Female:5 |
Male:6 Female:4 |
| Short-time shift | Male: 11 Female: 462 |
Male: 5 Female: 329 |
Male: 5 Female: 411 |
Male: 11 Female: 416 |
Male: 15 Female: 384 |
Male:15 Female:364 |
Male:15 Female:336 |
| System | FY2017 | FY2018 | FY2019 | FY2020 | FY2021 | FY2022 | FY2023*2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Childcare leave | Male: 20 Female: 363 |
Male: 10 Female: 277 |
Male: 34 Female: 316 |
Male: 72 Female: 299 |
Male: 94 Female: 289 |
Male:152 Female:274 |
Male:144 Female:96 |
| Life support leave (Paternity leave) | Male: 382 | Male: 194 | Male: 203 | Male: 210 | Male: 150 | Male:156 | Male:126 |
| Family care leave | Male: 5 Female: 2 |
Male: 6 Female: 5 |
Male: 9 Female: 4 |
Male: 9 Female: 2 |
Male: 5 Female: 5 |
Male:10 Female:5 |
Male:6 Female:4 |
| Short-time shift | Male: 11 Female: 462 |
Male: 5 Female: 329 |
Male: 5 Female: 411 |
Male: 11 Female: 416 |
Male: 15 Female: 384 |
Male:15 Female:364 |
Male:15 Female:336 |
- Sum of the figures for Toshiba Corporation, Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation, Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation, Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation, and Toshiba Digital Solutions Corporation
- From FY2023, only new applicants using childcare and family care leave are counted (excludes those who continue to use leave from the previous year).
Raising Awareness
In order to spread the concept of work-style reform and put it into practice, we raise awareness through various means such as training programs and distributing brochures.
Key awareness-raising measures concerning work-style reform and diverse work styles
| System/Measure | Target | Overview |
|---|---|---|
| Time management training | Full-time employees of Toshiba Group in Japan | Learning diverse work styles (work-life balance), how to work efficiently, and time management of junior colleagues, as part of training programs based on levels. |
| Nursing care seminars | Employees of Toshiba Group in Japan | Nursing care seminars (held at 41 business sites in FY2023) |
| Cancer treatment seminars | Employees of Toshiba Group in Japan | Cancer treatment seminars (held at 46 business sites in FY2023) |
| System/Measure | Target | Overview |
|---|---|---|
| Time management training | Full-time employees of Toshiba Group in Japan | Learning diverse work styles (work-life balance), how to work efficiently, and time management of junior colleagues, as part of training programs based on levels. |
| Nursing care seminars | Employees of Toshiba Group in Japan | Nursing care seminars (held at 41 business sites in FY2023) |
| Cancer treatment seminars | Employees of Toshiba Group in Japan | Cancer treatment seminars (held at 46 business sites in FY2023) |
Informational materials concerning work-life balance support system
| Title | Contents |
|---|---|
| Easy! How-To Guide for our nursing care support system (from FY2010 onward) |
A handbook that provides information on the various plans supporting family / nursing care so as to help balance work and family care (posted on the intranet) |
| Easy! How-to Guide for our child care support system (from FY2008 onward) |
An easy-to-understand brochure on systems designed to support working mothers and fathers from pregnancy through to their return to work, including necessary procedures (distributed to eligible employees) |
| Title | Contents |
|---|---|
| Easy! How-To Guide for our nursing care support system (from FY2010 onward) |
A handbook that provides information on the various plans supporting family / nursing care so as to help balance work and family care (posted on the intranet) |
| Easy! How-to Guide for our child care support system (from FY2008 onward) |
An easy-to-understand brochure on systems designed to support working mothers and fathers from pregnancy through to their return to work, including necessary procedures (distributed to eligible employees) |
Providing information on the intranet website
Our intranet website for employees of Toshiba Group in Japan introduces external websites that are helpful for coping with needs that arise from life events or finding out about them beforehand, such as nursing care, balancing work life with treatment of illnesses, to ensure employees’ access to the information they need.
| Name | Details |
|---|---|
| Consultation on mental and physical wellbeing | Free telephone consultation for people with questions or concerns about nursing care |
| Introduction of external websites |
|
| Name | Details |
|---|---|
| Consultation on mental and physical wellbeing | Free telephone consultation for people with questions or concerns about nursing care |
| Introduction of external websites |
|
Activity Example : Nursing Care Seminars and Cancer Treatment Seminars
Due to changes in family makeup and increase of two-income households, more employees are expected to need to take care of elderly family members while working full time. In FY2012, Toshiba conducted a fact-finding survey on nursing care, which revealed a strong need for information on nursing care among employees. In response, we held nursing care seminars per business site from FY2015 for Toshiba Group employees in Japan, with a cumulative total of 241 seminars conducted in the nine years up to FY2023. In FY2020, we also started a cancer treatment seminar to support employees balancing between cancer treatment and work, which was later shifted to a live-streaming format, and held the seminar six times in total (46 business sites participated) in FY2023.
Nursing care seminar at Toshiba Smart
Community Center
Benefits
Toshiba Corporate Pension Plan: For full-time employees at Toshiba Group in Japan, we provide the Toshiba Corporate Pension Plan (defined benefit plan) and the defined contribution pension in addition to the old-age pension from Japan’s welfare pension insurance scheme to support their lives after retirement. Currently, around 59,000 employees from 74 business sites have subscribed to the Toshiba Corporate Pension Plan (defined benefit plan) and around 60,000 employees from 67 business sites to the defined contribution pension.
Health Insurance Association: Toshiba Group in Japan operates the Toshiba Health Insurance Association to which 143 business owners and approximately 169,000 people (including retirees and dependents) have subscribed. The Association strives to prevent illness and enhance the health and physical strength of the Group employees as well as supports medical expenses and provides benefits in the event of illness, injury, childbirth, etc. for Group employees and their families.
Teatime, a Selective Welfare System: Toshiba offers a selective welfare system called Teatime under which full-time employees can make choices according to their needs and receive support from a wide range of welfare benefits. This system has been introduced at 32 companies of Toshiba Group in Japan (approximately 45,805 employees). In addition to reimbursement for spending on self-development programs and health support, the system also covers support for childcare and nursing care, including costs for day-care centers, child-rearing, education, and nursing care, among others. Our wide-ranging support caters to the various needs of employees.
Other Welfare Programs: Toshiba Group in Japan has a program for medical, accident and life insurance for its employees that takes advantage of the Group’s scale to provide a range of insurance policies at low premiums, as a means for life with reassurance for Group employees. We also provide programs in Japan to support the financial independence of Group employees such as an accumulation scheme for purchasing homes and funding life after retirement.
Consulting Service to Encourage Employees to Take Parental Leave
In line with the 2022 revisions to the Act on Childcare Leave, Caregiver Leave, and Other Measures for the Welfare of Workers Caring for Children or Other Family Members (“the Act on Childcare Leave, etc.”), key Group companies have established, in April 2022, consultation services related to taking parental leave, and have appointed counselors to staff the services.
The Toshiba Hotline, The Toshiba Group Overseas Hotline and the Corporate Auditor Hotline, which are whistleblower systems and consulting services for employees other than those listed above, are listed in the Whistleblowing, Consultation, and Remedies under Risk Management and Compliance.
And the Harassment Consultation Center are listed in the Whistleblowing, Consultation, and Remedies under Respect for Human Rights.