HOME > Corporate Social Responsibility > Employee Relations > Together with Employees
Sojitz depends on its employees for growth and development. In accordance with its basic personnel policy, the company carries out a variety of measures to provide opportunities for self-actualization and a workplace environment where employees can work with peace of mind.
Basic Personnel Policy
Sojitz’s basic personnel policy is to provide fair recompense for performance and lift employee morale to generate energy in the company and lay the foundations for the growth of the Sojitz Group. Performance is defined as actions taken to meet targets and employees’ achievement of those targets in accordance with their assigned roles in fulfilling the organization’s objectives. The system provides fair remuneration for both results achieved and actions taken.
System Emphasizing Role-based Communication
The Sojitz personnel system is based on clearly defining each person’s role within the organization. A yearly objective is set in accordance with each person’s role and the actions needed to reach the objective are outlined. Remuneration is determined according to evaluation results. The system aims to boost organizational strength by having each employee contribute to the operation of the organization in accordance with his or her role.
Evaluation is employed not simply to measure results but also to improve employee morale and contribute to their training. For this reason, the evaluation process emphasizes communication between evaluator and evaluee. When objectives are set for individual employees, the evaluator is required to explain the company’s objectives and strategy to the employee. The two sides also communicate regarding progress toward the objective and actions taken, and evaluators must provide a written explanation of evaluation results in addition to giving feedback when employees are notified of evaluation results.
Opportunities for Self-actualization
(1) Job group switch system
The Sojitz personnel system has job groups determined according to the nature of their role and degree of responsibility for the organization’s overall performance. Employees can take advantage of the job group switch system to try different roles.
(2) In-house recruiting
In-house recruiting is used to fill various jobs, giving employees opportunities for self-actualization by exerting their autonomy or following a career plan and making the most of diverse attitudes toward work.
Personnel Hiring and Training
When hiring, Sojitz looks for individuals with internationallyminded, entrepreneurial and managerial qualities, to develop personnel who will become professionals with high market value. Its employee training programs are designed to further enhance those qualities. The company gives employees opportunities for self-actualization and career advancement, focusing on developing personnel capable of taking the initiative and equipped with the necessary imagination and drive to tackle change and absorb new knowledge. To obtain a diverse workforce, Sojitz adopts a no-discrimination policy—on the basis of race, sex, religion, nationality, age or disability—toward prospective recruits and current employees.
Employee Education and Training
Various training programs are available for employees in accordance with their position or work environment. Programs include training for prospective employees and new employees, new employee follow-up training, and training for employees hired in mid-career employee, as well as introductory training for new employees, elective training courses for middle- ranking employees and management trainee courses. To promote self-improvement and train leaders for the next generation, qualified candidates are sent abroad for language courses, law school or MBA programs, or to business schools in Japan.
