Motivating Work Environment

Labor Law Compliance

DENTSU SOKEN is committed to complying with labor-related laws and regulations, including prohibition of child labor and forced labor, freedom of association and protection of the right to collective bargaining.

  • Formulation of working conditions based on labor-management discussion
    In accordance with the Labor Standards Act, we select representatives from our employees who negotiate with the company to adjust work rules and conclude labor-management agreements.
  • Compliance with the minimum wage
    We support levels of living standards for our employees by complying with regionally stipulated minimum wages and paying reasonable living wages.
    Comparison between our university graduate starting salary and minimum wage: 163%*
    • *
      Calculated based on the Tokyo minimum wage (¥1,072/hour, as of April 2023)

    Work–Life Balance

    We seek to create workplaces in which employees can have peace of mind as they work. We make it possible for them to choose from among a number of flexible workstyle options in order to best meet their needs and maximize their abilities at whatever stage in life they find themselves.

    Flexible Work Systems

    DENTSU SOKEN respects the independent labor methods of individual employees and facilitates improvement in productivity through flexible support for a variety of workstyles. Furthermore, to ensure the mental and physical health of our employees, guarantee their safety, and promote work–life balance, we strive to optimize working hours, slash and curb incidents of overwork, and encourage employees to take paid leave.

    Telework

    This allows employees to work outside the office—at home or satellite offices—and so make the most efficient use of their time.
    We support flexible workstyles for all employees, regardless of location or time, to facilitate high productivity.

    Discretionary Labor System

    This allows employees to use their wit and ingenuity to decide how best to do their work and allocate their time for maximum efficiency.

    Flex Time

    Employees can determine when to start and end their workday to suit both workload and personal needs.

    Other Initiatives
    • No late-night overtime
      Generally, no work after 22:00
    • No work on holidays
      No work on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays in principle

    Leave

    DENTSU SOKEN believes that the physical and mental health of employees helps strengthen their creativity.

    Refresh Holidays

    In addition to annual paid leave, every five years we grant staff so-called refresh holidays. How long these holidays are depends on the length of an individual’s employment.
    Those who have been working for us for 10 or more years also receive a refresh bonus.

    Accumulated Leave

    Up to 60 days of paid leave can be accumulated and used for medical treatment and recovery from illness or injury.

    Educational Leave

    Leave is granted employees if DENTSU SOKEN believes that a particular activity will contribute to an individual’s education. Included are athletics, cultural and educational activities, and pursuits organized by third organizations.

    Donor Leave

    Employees wishing to donate bone marrow, or stem cells from bone marrow, are granted the number of weekday daytime hours required by appropriate medical facilities to undergo the relevant procedures. These include such activities as registration at a bone marrow bank and health checks following sample collection and donation.

    Other Paid Leave

    DENTSU SOKEN endorses the Positive Off movement advocated and promoted by the Japan Tourism Agency of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in conjunction with the Cabinet Office, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
    Employees are encouraged—at DENTSU SOKEN by in-house emails—to use vacation time for pleasure or travel.

    Numbers of days of annual paid leave and the rate

    Average Overtime, and Paid Leave

    Benefits

    Programs

    Wealth-building home loans, corporate-type defined contribution pension plans, employee shareholding association, wealth-building savings, childcare/nursing care leave, fertility treatment leave, childcare/nursing care reduced scheduled working hours program, reduced scheduled working hours for medical treatment, telework program, travel subsidies, club subsidies, various congratulatory and condolence benefits, etc.

    Insurance

    Health Insurance (Dentsu Health Insurance Association), Employees' Pension Insurance, Employment Insurance, Industrial Accident Insurance

    Facilities

    Facilities contracted by Dentsu and Dentsu Health Insurance Association, corporate sports club contracts, etc.

     

     

     

    Balancing Work, Childcare, Long-term Care, and Medical Treatment

    To allow employees to balance work with their childcare, long-term care, and medical treatment responsibilities, we have in place systems that exceed the legal requirements and support a work–life balance.

    We offer childcare and nursing care leave, as well as a number of other leave, flextime, and telework options.

    Maternity leave is available to spouses, and staff can also take advantage of leave for nursing, long-term care, and fertility treatment. The leave available exceeds current legal requirements. Moreover, it is possible for staff to accumulate their annual paid leave should they require leave to carry out nursing care or long-term care, or to undergo fertility treatment.

    We aim to achieve 100% childcare leave utilization among female employees, and at least 30% among male employees. That is the minimum standard we must maintain to qualify for ongoing Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare certification under the Platinum Kurumin system.

    In addition, DENTSU SOKEN provides subsidies to cover the cost of babysitters and childcare for sick and recovering children.
    We hold seminars for all employees on nursing care, to enable them to acquire basic, necessary knowledge and a better understanding of that care system.

    Childcare Support System

    DENTSU SOKEN provides an environment in which employees who are raising children can enjoy a comfortable work–childcare balance.

    Leave: Childcare

    Leave is granted until a child reaches the age of one (one year and two months if both parents take leave). If the child cannot gain entry to a nursery school, employees can extend the leave until the child turns two.

    Reduction of Scheduled Working Hours: Childcare

    Employees can work shorter hours—up to two hours less per day, in increments of 30 minutes—until their child finishes elementary school.

    Leave: Child Nursing Care

    Employees are granted leave, in half-day or one-day units, for up to 10 days a year, to care for a sick child. This is regardless of the number of children in the family.

    Allowance: Sick and Recovering Children, Babysitters

    Until a child finishes elementary school, if employees need to use services for childcare and sick or recovering children, or babysitters (to perform duties including childcare and nursing care; provide transportation to and from nursery school, childcare centers, and cram schools; pick up and/or drop off individuals requiring attendants for transportation) as a result of a conflict with their work responsibilities, a parent can request that half of the out-of-pocket expenses be covered by DENTSU SOKEN.

    Support: Family Nursing Care, Long-term Care

    DENTSU SOKEN helps those employees who need to balance work with nursing care and long-term care. This enables staff to continue working even as they provide family members with the appropriate care.

    Leave: Long-term Care

    Employees needing to look after family members needing long-term care can take up to one year of long-term care leave that can be taken in up to five installments.

    Leave: Short-term Care

    When family nursing care is required, employees can take leave in half-day or full-day increments, for up to 10 days per year. This is regardless of the number of family members requiring care.

    Reduction of Scheduled Working Hours: Long-term Care

    Employees with family members who need long-term care can reduce the number of regular working hours by a maximum of two hours in 30-minute increments per day.
    Shorter working hours can be applied up to five times within three years from the first time hours are reduced.

    Leave: Family Nursing Care

    Employees caring for family members (spouses, elementary school or older children, parents, or a spouse’s parents, regardless of whether they live together or separately) can take leave in half-day or full-day increments for up to 10 days a year.

    Support for Balancing Work, Fertility, and Other Treatment

    To support employees seeking to balance their work with medical treatment, we provide environments that allow employees undergoing treatment to continue working comfortably.

    Reduction of Scheduled Working Hours: Medical Treatment

    To facilitate an appropriate balance between work and medical treatment, scheduled daily working hours may be reduced by up to two hours, in 30-minute increments.

    Leave: Long-term Fertility Treatment

    Eligible employees are entitled to a maximum of one year of fertility treatment leave, which may be taken in up to five installments.

    Leave: Short-term Fertility Treatment

    Employees may take up to 10 days of fertility treatment leave per year, in half-day or single-day increments.

    Health Support

    DENTSU SOKEN set up a department to manage health-related matters for the entire Company. Health management is based on regular health checks conducted by staff including occupational physicians, public health nurses, and counselors. Currently, we are working on measures to support the physical and mental health of our employees, so that they can maximize their abilities.

    Organizational chart
    Health and Safety Management
    • Based on the safety and health regulations, we have set up safety and health committees at all business locations that employ 50 or more regular workers.
    • We hold monthly safety and health committee meetings to discuss topics related to the employee health maintenance, improvement of employee health, and the prevention of illness and injury, as well as any company-specific problems related to working hours or work environments.
    • Occupational physicians and health managers conduct monthly workplace patrols to ascertain the status of workplace environment and to make improvements where necessary. The results of these workplace patrols are reported to the safety and health committees.
    Information Dissemination
    • Each month, DENTSU SOKEN distributes an issue of Health Management Office News to all employees. It has information that employees enjoy and that interests them, including seasonal topics and essays on health by occupational physicians. Employees thus can learn about their own health.
    • We also raise awareness of health by disseminating additional information on infectious diseases and seasonal health issues.
    Mental Health
    • DENTSU SOKEN is involved in both mental and physical care.
    • Department general managers receive mental health training, to better understand mental health issues and provide appropriate care through line management.
    • A booklet is distributed each year to ensure that health remains top of mind.
    • We also provide e-learning programs for all employees on mental health care and good methods of communication
    Health Checks, Preventive Measures
    • Employees aged 29 or under undergo regular health examinations at the office. Those age 30 or over receive a more comprehensive checkup off the premises.
    • A Health Promotion Seminar is held each year. These seminars measure physical fitness and calculate physical fitness age. Sports trainers introduce simple exercises and health keepers offer quick neck, shoulder, lower-back and hand massages using aroma oil.
    • We offer dental examinations at our offices each year, to protect the health of employees’ teeth and mouths.
    • We provide timely information on preventing outbreaks of infectious diseases, provide flu shots at our business sites, and subsidize vaccinations at nearby clinics (run by the health insurance association).
    • DENTSU SOKEN believes that disseminating information and conducting activities to educate staff about prevention are important for employee health management.
    • All regular and contract employees conduct a stress check once a year.
    • Based on the results, employees can consult with an industrial doctor if they request.

    Staff with qualifications as occupational physicians, public health nurses, and occupational counselors are onsite to care for the health of employees on a daily basis.

    Consulting Occupational Physicians, Public Health Nurses

    Employees can consult occupational physicians and public health nurses when they wish or as required by health conditions.
    Employees’ family members can also consult these health workers.

    Employee Consultations

    Consultation desks are readily available, so employees can feel free to discuss a range of issues involving work and health concerns.

    Relaxation

    Health Keepers at Head Office provide a relaxation service. Acupuncturists, moxibustion specialists, and licensed masseurs/masseuses are also available


    Health and Safety for Staff Posted Abroad and Their Families

    DENTSU SOKEN takes a number of steps to ensure the health and safety of employees working overseas and any accompanying family members. Before being transferred to a new post, employees see occupational physicians who inform them and accompanying family about the vaccinations recommended by government quarantine offices at their respective destinations. After arriving at a new overseas posting, public health nurses follow up on regular staff health checkup results. They also monitor individuals' physical condition as required, and are available for medical consultation.

    The Company's Risk Management Committee monitors risk conditions abroad in conjunction with an outside consulting firm. This oversight is ongoing and ensures the health and safety of employees working overseas abroad, their accompanying family members, and employees on overseas business trips. The committee has defined business trip approval standards. These adequately reflect the degree of danger in terms of local security conditions and other relevant factors. It has compiled a safety handbook, describing necessary precautions and safety measures while staff are overseas, and provides information and warnings for employees and others staying in areas with health or safety concerns. In the event of an emergency, the Risk Management Committee takes the lead in setting up procedures to enable a prompt response. It places the utmost priority on the safety of local employees and their family members.

    Emergency Safety Confirmation

    A safety confirmation system is in place through which the safety of employees can be ascertained quickly in the event of a major natural disaster, other incident, or an accident. There are multiple safety confirmation systems ready for any situation.

    In the event of an emergency, the Response Headquarters at Head Office ascertains the safety of employees, so helping protect their lives and ensuring business continuity.