Note:Departments and posts are as of the time of the interview(May 2019)
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SMBC Group is engaged in health management programs, a strategic approach to regard the health of employees from management point of view to ensure Group companies can consistently add value for customers through the efforts of motivated workers, all of whom enjoy good physical and mental health. As part of this, in April 2018, SMBC Nikko Securities instituted a Statement on Health Management concerning the maintenance and improvement of employee health. The company also appointed a Chief Health Officer (CHO) and created a Health Management Office within the HR Department. Below, the office's head discusses her resolve for health management activities.
Supporting employee health and promoting health management
"I was appointed as the head of the newly created Health Management Office about a year ago. I could not hide my surprise and wondered whether I could do it. But thanks to the support of all our staff, I've become dedicated to my job and encouraged by my duties which support the health of employees and promote health management strategies.
The Health Management Office promotes health management through various measures aimed at maintaining and improving health by managing and supporting the health of employees. Over the past year, we have been disseminating information through in-house publications to make all employee know our initiations and holding events to make it a chance of health promotion. We hope that increasing the profile of the Health Management Office translates to more employees seeing health management as their own personal challenge. With that in mind, we have been steadily continuing our activities."
A range of health promotion measures that employees enjoy challenging
"Our measures to target health improvements have focused on the high-priority areas of metabolic syndrome, quitting smoking, mental health, and working hours. With metabolic syndrome, those employees with poor health check-up results have gone on a program to improve lifestyle habits as a way of tackling future health risks. To make it more enjoyable, we introduced a program where people receive points for measuring daily step counts or for managing their weight. Many employees have found it highly motivating to get instant feedback on their step count ranking from their smartphones.
"With the government trying to address the issue of passive smoking ahead of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, we have banned cigarette use in the smoking rooms at SMBC Nikko's HQ building. To help people quit smoking, we have launched an app-based program in partnership with the health insurance association to help subsidize the cost of trying to quit. We will continue with perseverance to education in this area, not only to improve the health of smokers, but also for the health of their work colleagues and family members."
Realizing "Our Mission" by practicing health management
"Our goal is for all employees to be healthy and motivated at work. As the business philosophy of SMBC Nikko states, this is the basis for continuing to add value for customers. To achieve this, we must redouble our efforts to assess and analyze the health of employees, and of the organization and the company. In this way, we will derive a more comprehensive view of the outcomes of the health management program.
"We must also promote our work in coordination with the work being done by the Diversity Promotion Office, as well as the other activities to provide support to balance work with childcare and nursing care, and promote employment among seniors. SMBC Nikko's brand slogan 'Share the Future' expresses our resolution to build a worthful future together with customers and employees. At the Health Management Office, we will continue making steady progress towards that goal, by taking one step at a time hand in hand with our employees."
Aside from SMBC Nikko Securities, as introduced above, other SMBC Group companies are pursuing various health management programs. As the result, our progress has been recognized through our listing for three years in a row (2017-2019) in the Top 500 entities as the Certified Health & Productivity Management Organization in the Outstanding Organizations Recognition Program operated by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Individual employees comprise the growth engine of the SMBC Group. We will continue to improve the health and dynamism of our employees and contribute them back to our customers with more high-value services.
Daily schedule
Special memory
Photo with colleagues of HR Department's Health Management Office. Together, we will safeguard the health of employees!
Osaka-based staff of Health Management Office
Accepting the challenge to quit smoking by using an app!
Solution Business Planning Ⅰ, SMBC Nikko Securities Inc. Kibe Yuichiro, General Manager
SMBC Nikko Securities is working with the health insurance association to support employees trying to quit smoking as part of our health management program. This message comes from an employee in the program.
"My motivation came at a university reunion, when I realized that most of my friends who had been smokers had quit. The embarrassment I felt made me decide to quit. The company recommended that I enroll in an app-based 6-month smoking cessation program, and I decided to give it a try. Part of the attraction was its simplicity, as I did not need to see a doctor or go to a pharmacy.
"Besides instruction from your program mentor and regular video chats, the app provides continuous support as you work to 'graduate from smoking class.' The app has a diary function to record your progress each day, along with content to help you learn correct ways of quitting. It comes with varied features to make it easier to persevere. I have been in the program for a month, so I find it especially hard in certain situations such as breaks after meeting or going out for drinks. I keep gum and mints on me all the time so that I don't succumb to temptation (laughs).
"In my opinion, a company cannot prosper unless its employees stay physically and mentally healthy. I am still in the process of quitting smoking, but the important thing for health management is how the company is committed to supporting the health of employees. I am feeling that level of commitment from SMBC Nikko, and it gives me a strong desire to quit smoking and then improve my health more and more. The future looks bright!"