Supporting a sound work-life balance

Seeking to ensure comfort and ease for its employees, SMK also focuses on enhancing the benefits it provides. It is currently seeking to enhance systems that permit flexible days off, whereby employees can choose the times they want to take off, as well as childcare and family leave and reduced work hours. As part of these efforts, SMK is also targeting various company facilities, including dormitories for single employees, company-owned housing, recreation facilities, and employee dining halls. SMK provides support based on the idea of achieving harmony between work and personal life for each employee.

■ Flexible days off

In addition to the 123 days on the SMK calendar that all employees take off, employees can take four consecutive days off at the times they choose. By combining these with weekends and annual paid vacation, employees can take extended leaves from work.

■ Childcare leave

Under this system, employees devoting themselves to childcare (male or female) can take up to three years off.
   Female employees: Up to three years following the conclusion of maternity leave
                                 (eight weeks’ paid holiday before and after childbirth).
   Male employees: Up to three years following the birth of the child.

■ Family leave

This system enables employees to take up to one year off to devote themselves to the care of a parent, spouse, child, or other family member.

■ Reduced work hours

Under the system of reduced work hours, an employee can continue to work while caring for a child or another family member.
The employee can choose the reduced work hours within the range of 5.75-7.75 hours/day.
Reduced work hours are available during the following periods:
   Childcare: until the child enters elementary school
   Caring for a family member: up to one year

■ Rehabilitation employment system

Under the system of reduced work hours, an employee can continue to work while caring for a child or another family member. The employee can choose the reduced work hours he or she wishes to work, within the range of 1.5-7.5 hours/day.

■ Housing systems and facilities

SMK provides a full range of company-owned housing and dorms for male and female single employees in the Tokyo area. It also helps employees living in rental housing with their rent. (For example, it provides 27,000 yen/month in assistance to single employees living in the Tokyo area.) It also provides a mortgage system to promote home ownership among employees.

■ Recreational facilities and training facilities ：

The health insurance society directly manages three recreational facilities in Japan and one in overseas, Hawaii. An SMK-owned recreational facility with tennis courts and a training facility are located in Sugadaira, Nagano Prefecture. Employees also have access to other resort facilities, such as those of Laforet, of which SMK is a corporate member.

SMK Sugadaira Club (recreational and trainng facility)

■ Employee dining halls

SMK head office, Toyama and Hitachi works have staff cafeterias. At branches and sales offices without cafeterias, employees receive 5,000 yen per month in assistance for lunch expenses.

■ Club activities

SMK offers a wide range of employee clubs, from cultural to sports clubs, to encourage interaction among employees.

Tennis club, basketball club, volleyball club, badminton club, soccer club, running club, flower-arrangement club, tea-ceremony club, and light-music club

Head office summer festival