Note: Departments and posts are as of the time of the interview(February 2020)
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SMBC Group is committed to creating workplaces in which older workers make use of their capabilities to retain enthusiasm and remain active for longer. Here we meet a veteran employee who is still active on the frontline thanks to leveraging his many years of experience as a personnel consultant.
The presence of young employees provides a good stimulus. The shared office makes the environment even more pleasant to work in
“The consulting business is booming right now, so young people have been joining the company one after another. Our workplace also contains a lot of veteran employees like me, and one aspect of our jobs is to take people who are youthful from our point of view under our wings, so I try to create lots of opportunities to visit clients with them. All the youngsters that join the company are smart, so I get a lot of stimulus from working with them.
Consultants visit the companies they serve almost every day, to the point that we might say, “I can gain something very valuable from visiting clients...” In the past, I would often be holed up all day long at a client’s office, but these days I spend about two hours at each company, during which I discuss things with them and resolve problems. That’s my consulting style now. On a busy day, I might visit two or three companies. And recently we’re making use of shared offices. Our company has signed contracts with shared offices, so I don’t have to go back to our main office after every meeting. Instead, I can go to a nearby shared office and get to work straight away. It’s really convenient. Thanks to that, as soon as I’ve finished meeting with a client, I can put together a list of the things I want to confirm, so my work has become more efficient. And the company has created a really efficient environment for consulting work.”
All the practical experiences I had when I was young are my most precious asset
“I joined the company in 2000. Until then I worked at a real-estate developer for 13 years, 10 of which were spent in the personnel department handling matters such as payroll, fringe benefits, hiring, and assisting with the establishment of new companies. Given that now I work mainly as a consultant in the human resources field, I’ve spent 30 years in the HR arena. I can’t say that it was all smooth sailing to begin with. I learned on the job by observing the consulting work performed by my seniors.
The period that I was working at the real-estate developer saw Japan’s bubble economy reach its peak and then collapse. As a personnel manager, I had some pretty painful experiences, what with implementing restructuring plans that involved letting people go or reassigning them, selling assets, and liquidating companies. Human resources consulting mainly involves designing personnel systems, but when you start work, lots of problems come up. Without practical knowledge of personnel matters, it’s difficult to arrive at solutions. Now, as I interact with various people at numerous workplaces, the experience I gained in my younger days of overcoming various worries and resolving issues is my lethal weapon when I’m consulting. It’s my most precious asset.”
What I can do as a senior employee
“At our company, a senior is defined as someone 55 or older. I wondered what I could do as senior, but in the end I couldn’t imagine doing anything other than consulting. I’m now 56, and my official position is general manager, but I basically regard myself as a lifelong player. Until now, poking my nose into various different areas, such as ones that are new to me or are interesting, is what has made my work enjoyable, but since becoming a senior, I feel like I’d also like to stay close to the young people so that I can impart some of my experience and knowhow to them. Recently, accompanying young people on visits to clients, I’ve realized that I’m making them more confident. I might feel that this one’s okay on his own, or that I should continue accompanying this one for a little while longer. Seeing the growth process of young people motivates me and gives me enjoyment in my work these days.
Retirement age is set at 60 years old, but if you wish, you can be rehired and work until you’re 65. Until now I’ve been working incessantly, but I think it’ll soon be time to start thinking about my private life and my future. My children are already grown up and working, so I’d like to spend more time with my wife. I actually make it a rule to go shopping with her every Saturday. Though to be honest, she finds it a bit of a bore (smiles).”
Going forward, SMBC Group will continue pushing forward establishing an environment in which each and every employee can work with enthusiasm, and in which everyone can thrive regardless of their age.
Daily schedule
Special memory
On the left is of a book called Shiten Keizai wo Kangaeru [Considering the Branch Economy], which was authored by Isao Tochimoto, one of professors from my days at Hiroshima University. The book on the right is Jinjiken no Houteki Tenkai [Legal Development of Authority over Personnel Matters] by attorney Nobuo Takai, who advised me during the period I was in charge of restructuring. Both books help me a lot, so I always have them close by.
Our two dogs aged eight and nine are treated like celebrities by everyone in the family.
