Shimizu respects the unique qualities and characteristics of each employee. We are promoting development of Iku-Bosses (inclusive leaders) through e-learning, group training, and other means from the perspective of the importance of understanding and including diversity in gender, age, nationality, and other attributes to help each employee advance.
Iku-Boss Initiatives
The initiatives that Shimizu has implemented thus far are listed below.
| FY 2020 | |
|---|---|
| FY 2019 | |
| FY 2018 | |
| FY 2017 | |
| FY 2016 | |
| FY 2015 |
FY 2020
Iku-Boss (Inclusive Leader) Training 2020
" Iku-Boss Seminar" started from 2017, and this year, which is the 5th time, we move forward from " Iku-Boss Seminar" and changed the name to " Iku-Boss (Inclusive Leader) Training". We held the training by online first time to prevent spread COVD-19, and about 130 participants who work at construction site from all branches including overseas.
The theme of the seminar was "learning the skill of making diverse opinions from diverse human resources a workplace strength." Three instructors from training firm, including instructor who are foreign nationals, taught the seminar and participants learned about the need for skills in managing different cultures and shared in group discussions. We received many impressions from seminar participants such as "I learned new perspective and new ways of thinking. It provided an opportunity for me to re-examine myself and was extremely beneficial." and "The online seminar reduced the time pressure so I would like it to continue."
FY 2019
Held FY 2019 Iku-Boss Seminar
A total of 120 people participated in the 4th Iku-Boss Seminar from all branches, including overseas. The participants were mainly project managers and administration managers in their 40s who work at construction sites.
The theme of the seminar was “Thinking About Communication Styles That Will Improve Workplace Performance.” The purpose was to give participants an understanding of gender, age, nationality, and other attributes of diversity, and develop inclusive management skills.
We invited Akira Isshiki, Fellow, Peter Frazer, and Jay Kraemer-Jones from Link Global Solution Inc. as workshop instructors. Participants learned about differences in workstyles and communication styles between Japan and various foreign countries from the three instructors, who possess extensive global experience. They learned through lectures, role playing, dialog between participants, a real-time survey responded to via smartphones.
※The Iku-Boss Awards became part of Shimizu’s Workstyle Reform Awards from fiscal 2019.
FY 2018
FY 2018 Iku-Boss Seminar
We held the Iku-Boss Seminar on June 1, 2018 as one of our measures to promote diversity. 108 executive managers of department general manager rank and above attended from all branches, including overseas.
We designated "Iku-Boss" and "workstyle reform" as themes again this year to ensure that everyone developed a greater understanding of workstyle reform amid the work-from-home trial that we launched in May of this year and revision of the flex-time system.
We invited Takayuki Kawashima, the director of Fathering Japan, as the seminar instructor, as we did last year. By working in groups and participating in other activities, participants learned how important it is for managers to understand the personal lives of their staffs and share work appropriately.
At the end of seminar, everyone presented the "Iku Boss Action Declaration" and sent a cheer each other.
2018 Iku-Boss Awards
The 4th Iku-Boss award ceremony was held during the Iku-Boss Seminar on Friday, June 1.
FY 2017
FY 2017 Iku-Boss Seminar
The FY 2017 Iku-Boss Seminar was held at the head office on June 9, 2017, the second annual seminar of its kind. A total of 117 executive managers of department general manager rank and above attended from all branches, including overseas branches.
「We invited Takayuki Kawashima, the director of Fathering Japan, as the instructor to deliver the keynote lecture, as we did last year, and the content of the seminar focused on the Iku-Boss program and workstyle reform based on the goal of creating a work environment that makes it easy for anyone to work, and the future increasing need for workstyle reform.
In the process of completing various tasks, each participant gained the understanding that creating an environment that is comfortable to work in will increase the motivation of subordinates and increase organizational strengths. It provided an opportunity to refresh their recognition that the initiative to increase the number of Iku-Bosses is directly linked to the management strategy.
At the end of the workshop, each participant compiled an Iku-Boss Declaration of Actions listing things that he could begin the next day, and each participant boldly proclaimed their lists to everyone at the same table.
2017 Iku-Boss Awards
The Iku-Boss Awards ceremony was held during the Iku-Boss Seminar on Friday, June 9, as it was last year.
See the 2017 Iku-Boss Awards for further details.
FY 2016
FY 2016 Iku-Boss Seminar
The FY 2016 Iku-Boss Seminar was held on May 20, 2016. One hundred and twenty men and women who engage in field work participated from Japan and overseas.
At this seminar, participants discussed what was needed to improve productivity as one part of the measures to promote diversity. The seminar was held to raise awareness. We invited Takayuki Kawashima, the director of Fathering Japan (and the president of Mitsui & Co. Logistics Partners, Ltd.), as the instructor to deliver the keynote lecture. He spoke on the topic of "Iku-Bosses improve results while increasing smiles." Lively discussions ensued afterwards in the work groups, based on the theme of "A virtual job site: What would you do in this instance?" They tried out a new tactic in the work groups of simulating the perspective of the other person by switching the roles of the officer and the subordinate.
After the seminar was over, we held an informal reception that was attended by the officers as well, and participants got to know one another better while reflecting on the seminar.
2016 Iku-Boss Awards
An award ceremony was held during the Iku-Boss Seminar on Friday, May 20.
We asked for nominations of Iku-Bosses to develop awareness and transform actions aimed at promoting activity by a more diverse range of human resources and adopting good examples across the organization. Out of the 23 people recommended, three people were awarded the Gold Boss award and four were awarded the Special award.
See the 2016 Iku-Boss Awards(only in Japanese) for further details.
FY 2015
Joining the Iku-Boss Corporate Alliance
Shimizu joined the Iku-Boss Corporate Alliance sponsored by the NPO, Fathering Japan, to promote the development of managers skilled in diversity management.
2015 Iku-Boss Awards
We solicited recommendations of Iku-Bosses (managers who actively work to support the development of women and support their childcare needs, and promote the creation of an energetic work place that makes it easy to work). Those who represented superior examples were awarded the Gold Boss Award.
See the 2015 Iku-Boss Awards(only in Japanese) for further details.
