When a person works enthusiastically, it brings about results for the organization. Through research about management practices that enable this, publishing research papers on this topic, and conducting workshops for companies, my goal is to promote business practices that improve well-being and spread this concept throughout society.

There are more than a few employees who experience stress, or a sense of being forced to do their job. These people cannot feel positive about work, and as a result, their productivity does not improve, and their contribution to improving organizational performance is limited.

A method for addressing these issues that is recently drawing attention is “job crafting.” In job crafting, employees customize their jobs by changing their tasks and interactions with others, leading to an improved sense of purpose in their roles.

For example, there are custodial jobs at Tokyo Disney Resort. The job scope covers cleaning up the park and its surroundings. It was not a popular job, but then a custodial cast member used their broom not just for cleaning, but to draw characters on the ground, making the guests happy. By incorporating one’s skill in drawing into the job scope, the cast member succeeded in transforming the work into something that brings greater job satisfaction.

Besides increasing employee motivation, job crafting improves employee performance and also helps to produce results for the organization. Companies are required to have management that motivates and supports employees so as to bring out proactive working styles.

Invigorating internal communications through measures for physical and mental health

Another method drawing attention is well-being management. Well-being is a state whereby a person is healthy in both mind and body and is also socially satisfied. Previously, there was the approach of “KENKO Investment for Health” that sought to promote physical health for employees. Well-being management is an approach that goes beyond the body to also emphasize the mental health of employees and lead to better corporate performance as a result.

I conducted workshops in collaboration with 17 companies and had them undertake a project whereby the same health habits are maintained for 100 days. At each company, everyone started at the same time to embark on habits of walking together and eating vegetables, and measured their own evaluation of their health and motivation toward work before and after the project.

The results showed that internal communications were invigorated through the health measures, and employees have higher motivation and greater liking of their organization. I believe that health measures can be effective methods for building bonds within the company.

Besides making money, companies also make people and society better

Recently, I have been working with architectural researchers to study the link between office environments and social well-being. Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, working environments have also become more diverse, including the adoption of hot desking where employees do not have their own fixed desks and activity-based working (ABW) that allows them to freely choose their place of work.

While there is greater individual freedom, the ability to focus on work, sharing of information, and methods for cooperation are some challenges that need to be addressed. I intent to explore ideal office environments that help to improve employee well-being and corporate performance, and management methods that match the working environment.

Companies do not exist just to make money. There is also an aspect of contributing to people and society through business and making them happy. Instead of an individual, greater results can be achieved by many people working together. My goal is to think about and convey mechanisms that allow every employee to enthusiastically participate in these corporate activities.

The book I recommend

“Sensu wa Chishiki kara Hajimaru”(Intuition Comes from Knowledge)
by Manabu Mizuno, Asahi Shimbun Publications

When we are young, we tend to prefer living intuitively rather than working hard. I passed this book around in class for students to read, hoping to convey that it becomes possible to apply intuition after gaining knowledge, and the students were very receptive. I recommend this book to young people.

Interviewed: June 2024