Labor Relations and Safety and Health Activities
Employee Health Promotion Initiatives
At STAR MICRONICS CO., LTD., we believe that enriching the lives of our employees and ensuring their physical and mental well-being contributes to both personal happiness and the growth of our company. To this end, we have implemented various health promotion activities:
Walking & BBQ Event
As an annual tradition, we hold a "Walking & BBQ Event" in both spring and autumn. This event aims to promote health and foster camaraderie, providing a valuable opportunity for new and existing employees to interact in nature and develop a sense of unity.
Health Seminars
To improve health literacy, we regularly organize health seminars led by company doctors and external speakers for executives, employees, and their families as needed.
- Implemented in 2023
-
・Seminar on perspectives on life and death by a palliative care physician
・Thai yoga (Rusie Datton) classes
・Bone density measurement event
Mental Health Seminars and Mindfulness
We actively address mental health through self-care, including hosting annual mindfulness seminars led by a yoga instructor. These seminars teach coping strategies for the increasing stress of modern society and methods to maintain mental peace. To ensure broad participation, we offer online attendance, allowing employees in different offices or on overseas business trips to join easily.
Health Consultations & Newsletter Distribution by Industrial Health Staff
- Health Consultations with a Company Doctor
- Held monthly at the headquarters and Kikugawa factory, these consultations allow employees to seek advice from a company doctor regarding post-health checkup measures and health concerns.
- On-site Industrial Nurses
- An industrial nurse is stationed at both the headquarters and Kikugawa factory, offering consultations on daily health and stress-related issues. We also distribute a monthly health newsletter on our company intranet, sharing timely health information with employees.
- Industrial Counselor
- Every two months, an industrial counselor visits to provide industrial counseling, including mental health and career development consultations.
Subsidies for Medical Examinations and Introduction of Health Tools
- Workplace Flu Vaccinations
- As an infection control measure and to achieve herd immunity, we conduct workplace flu vaccinations around November each year. The company subsidizes the vaccination cost.
- Subsidized Comprehensive Medical Examination Costs
- STAR MICRONICS CO., LTD. supports employees in leading healthy lives by understanding their health status. Annually, in spring, we offer regular health checkups with the option to add age-appropriate additional tests (subsidized by the company). Employees aged 35 and over can opt for a comprehensive medical examination. Subsidies are also available for cancer screenings, including comprehensive medical exams and gynecological exams, creating an environment where medical checks are easily accessible.
- Health Apps & Health Management Systems
- We have introduced a health app that allows employees to read health articles, participate in walking rallies, and take part in weight measurement challenges, earning points for their activities. We also have a health management system that stores and allows employees to check their health examination data and other health-related information.
Health Metrics & Goals
At STAR MICRONICS CO., LTD., we are clarifying specific figures for the following metrics and setting target values, with the aim of making improvements.
| Content | FY2021 | FY2022 | FY2023 | Target Values |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Health Checkup Participation Rate | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Specific Health Guidance Implementation Rate | 69.0% | 59.0% | 52.5% | 75.0% |
| Stress Check Response Rate | 98.9% | 100.0% | 95.7% | 98.0% |
| Metabolic Syndrome Prevalence Rate | 7.8% | 9.4% | 7.6% | 8.0% |
| Pre-Metabolic Syndrome Prevalence Rate | 12.0% | 10.0% | 5.5% | 10.0% |
| Appropriate Weight Maintenance Rate (Individuals with a BMI of 18.5 to less than 25) |
70.0% | 67.5% | 74.3% | 75.0% |
| Smoking Rate | 15.6% | 14.3% | 12.5% | 12.2% |
| Exercise Habit Ratio (Percentage of people who exercise for 30 minutes or more twice a week) |
39.0% | 26.1% | 22.2% | 50.0% |
| "People who get sufficient rest through sleep" Ratio | 59.7% | 54.7% | 63.2% | 75.0% |
| Drinking Habit Rate (Percentage of people who drink occasionally or daily, and whose daily alcohol consumption is equivalent to two or more go of sake) |
5.5% | 15.3% | 12.3% | 5.0% |
| Blood Pressure Risk Rate (Percentage of people with a systolic blood pressure of 180 mmHg or higher, or diastolic blood pressure of 110 mmHg or higher) |
0.0% | 0.3% | 0.6% | 0.0% |
| Blood Sugar Risk Ratio (Percentage of people with fasting blood glucose levels of 200 mg/dl or higher) |
0.6% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Poor Diabetes Management Rate (Percentage of people with HbA1c levels of 8.0% or higher) |
0.1% | 1.0% | 0.6% | 0.0% |
| Breast Cancer Screening (Mammography or Breast Ultrasound) |
61.9% | 36.0% | 50.9% | 50.0% |
| Cervical Cancer Screening | 35.4% | 31.5% | 42.2% | 50.0% |
| Detailed Examination Participation Rate | 73.1% | 78.0% | 82.4% | 100.0% |
| Absenteeism | 0.72 days | 0.29 days | 0.43 days | 0.5 days |
| Annual Leave of One Month or More Due to Mental Health Issues | 3 people | 2 people | 2 people | 0 people |
Occupational Safety and Health Initiatives
Prevention of Work-Related Accidents (Safety and Health Management)
To elevate the safety and health awareness of our employees and aim for the prevention of accidents and diseases, we have established "Safety and Health Committees" at each workplace. These committees meet once a month to engage in activities aimed at improving safety and health, including guidance and education on daily safety and health matters and patrols within the factory premises.
Prevention of Traffic Accidents
By ensuring that employees adhere to a policy of no accidents or violations, we contribute to the development of the workplace, the safety of drivers, and traffic safety in the community. At STAR MICRONICS CO., LTD., employees who drive company vehicles during work are required to obtain an "internal driver's license," and we conduct driving aptitude tests for eligible individuals.
Work-Life Balance & Welfare Benefits
Leave System
We have a full weekend off policy on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays. Long vacations are provided four times a year: Golden Week, summer, Obon, and the year-end/New Year holidays, with a total of 131 annual holidays in the fiscal year 2023. This includes five days of mandatory paid leave. Paid leave can be taken in full-day, half-day, or hourly increments (up to 40 hours), and the leave acquisition rate typically ranges between 70 to 80% annually. In addition to paid leave, we also offer the following types of special leave:
Special Leave
| Content | Number of Leave Days |
|---|---|
| For personal marriage | up to 6 days |
| When a child, sibling gets married | 1 day on the day of the wedding |
| When a spouse gives birth | up to 6 days |
| Medical support leave (for infertility treatments or long-term outpatient/inpatient care due to illness or injury) |
up to 20 days per year |
Special Leave (Targeted at Female Employees)
| Content | Number of Leave Days |
|---|---|
| Prenatal and postnatal leave | 6 weeks before birth, 8 weeks after birth |
| Leave for morning sickness | up to a total of 7 days |
| Menstrual leave | days of menstruation |
| Prenatal appointment leave (Leave for prenatal appointments depending on the week of pregnancy) |
Up to 23 weeks of pregnancy: 1 day every 4 weeks, up to 35 weeks: 2 days every 4 weeks, from 36 weeks onwards: 4 days every 4 weeks |
Childcare and Work Life Balance Initiatives
At STAR MICRONICS CO., LTD., we have established systems to support the balancing of childcare and work, in accordance with the Act on Advancement of Measures to Support Raising Next-Generation Children. In 2020, we were certified as a "Childcare Support Company" and awarded the special recognition "Kurumin mark."*
Note*: Kurumin mark
A certification mark awarded by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare to companies actively supporting the balance between childcare and work, based on the Act on Advancement of Measures to Support Raising Next-Generation Children. It symbolizes the company's commitment to enhancing childcare support measures and providing a friendly working environment, and is widely recognized in society.
- Childcare Leave
- Employees, excluding those in their probationary period, who are raising children under the age of one are eligible for childcare leave. The leave period lasts until the child reaches the age of one as a general rule. However, the leave can be extended until the child turns two under certain circumstances, such as inability to find a spot in daycare, or if the spouse dies, is injured, or falls ill, making childcare difficult.
- Nursing Care Leave for Children
- Employees raising children who have not yet started elementary school can take nursing care leave to care for a child who is injured or ill, or to accompany a child to vaccinations or health check-ups. Leave can be taken up to five days per year for one child, or up to ten days per year for two or more children.
Support Systems for Caregiving
- Caregiving Leave
- Employees, excluding those in their probationary period, who have family members in need of care can take caregiving leave. The total leave period for caregiving is up to 365 days for each family member in need.
- Reduced Working Hours for Caregiving
- Employees with family members in need of care can reduce their daily working hours by up to two hours.
Company Housing and Dormitories
At STAR MICRONICS CO., LTD., we offer dormitory housing for single employees up to the age of 32 if commuting from their parental home is difficult. We rent general rental properties (studio or 1DK apartments) and provide them as dormitories. The rent charged to the employees is 3,000 yen per month.
Remote Work and Flextime Systems
STAR MICRONICS CO., LTD. has implemented a remote work system that can be chosen up to eight times per month and a flextime system with core hours from 10:15 to 15:00. By allowing flexible work styles that are not constrained by location or time, we support the improvement of work-life balance and the active participation of a diverse workforce.
Labor-Management Relations
At STAR MICRONICS CO., LTD., we have established the Management-Labor Council (Central Management-Labor Council & Branch Management-Labor Council) as a forum for the labor union and management to regularly negotiate and discuss labor conditions and personnel systems, building a labor-management relationship based on mutual trust.