Human Capital Strategy Aiming to Promote Global Diversity Hiroyuki Kanou, Executive Officer Chief of Human Resources Unit Dai-ichi Life Holdings, Inc.

At the Dai-ichi Life Group, 70,000 personnel work in seven countries around the world.

The Group has positioned acceptance of each other’s differences (diversity and inclusion of human capital) as one of its management strategies based on the belief that it is a source of sustained growth, and we promote a workplace where people can thrive, regardless of gender, age, nationality, ethnicity, ability and disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, lifestyle and other factors.

As is referred to as Society 5.0 and Fourth Industrial Revolution, global change is occurring at unprecedented speed in modern society. In order to respond to such change with more agility than ever before and for the Dai-ichi Life Group to continue to grow, it is vital to leverage the diverse individuality and strengths of our 70,000 personnel and keep striving to further promote diversity and inclusion on a global basis.

As for initiatives to promote global diversity, we regularly hold Global Management Conferences (GMCs) and a Global Talent Exchange (G-TEX) to accelerate the exchange of human capital with overseas Group companies, to visualize and share the know-how of solving the problem and building foundation for further growth after putting strength and challenges of each company into perspective.

Moreover, as an example of promoting gender diversity, at Dai-ichi Life, for example, we are working to develop human capital so that female employees, who account for a large share of our workforce, will be able to reach their full potential. In particular, we provide systematic job level-specific training aimed at developing female leaders.

“Respecting each other, learning from each other, growing together”
Going forward, we will continue to forge the future with innovation by creating an environment that allows diverse individuality to shine through the entire Dai-ichi Life Group to provide scope for “value-creating synergies.”

Aiming to Develop Global Human Capital

Part 01Management Sharing Case Studies

We regularly hold Global Management Conferences (GMCs) where management from overseas Group companies come together to share best practices and discuss challenges. Diverse themes are raised at GMCs, including sales channels, product strategy, risk management and other areas. In addition to encouraging mutual understanding across officers and employees regardless of region, the GMCs promote the development of a corporate culture oriented toward the creation of Group synergies. Fiscal year 2017 marks the fifth anniversary since the start of GMC and a total of 400 people have attended so far. While being an important conference, it also serves as a valuable opportunity for leadership development of executives of Group companies.

GMC Operation Policy for Fiscal 2017

GMC
  • Continues in fiscal 2017 as a forum for management to share best practices and create synergies
RMC*
  • Continues in fiscal 2017 as a forum for more individual and specific problem-solving and promotion tailored to regional characteristics (hold mainly in Asian emerging countries under the leadership of the Asia Pacific regional headquarters)

*RMC: Regional Management Conference

Part 02Exchanging Global Human Capital

In addition to dispatching expert human capital from Dai-ichi Life in order to support needs of overseas Group companies, we also run a Global Talent Exchange (G-TEX) under which we welcome talent from overseas Group companies to Dai-ichi Life departments on a short-term basis. The G-TEX program not only promotes language skills and cross-cultural understanding, but also develops human capital with the ability to play an active role on the global stage and develops human capital networking. It also helps Dai-ichi Life and other Group companies to learn from each other and make use of initiatives and functions in improving in their own organizations.

Aiming for Diverse Human Capital to Take Active Roles

Part 01Promoting the Achievements of Female Employees

The entire Dai-ichi Life Group is striving to foster next-generation leaders with the goal of pursuing enhanced corporate value on a global basis and developing human capital capable of assuming the role of management leaders. Particularly, having female employees, who account for a large share of our workforce, take an active role in business is a major theme that we are committed to. For instance, our officers are striving to develop female leaders with executives as their mentors, and our female managers are playing a role in developing candidates to be the next generation of female managers.

Training System of Next-Generation Female Leaders

Training System of Next-Generation Female Leaders

Percentage/Number of Female Managers

  April 2015 April 2016 April 2017
Percentage of female managers 22.5% 23.3% 24.2%
Number of female managers 808 836 873

Note: April 2015 and April 2016 figures for the three domestic life insurance companies (Dai-ichi Life, Dai-ichi Frontier Life, and Neo First Life), and April 2017 figures for the Company and the three domestic life insurance companies.

Part 02Achieving Work-Life Balance

At the Dai-ichi Life Group, the two main pillars to promote work-life balance are enhancing our Family-Friendly System (measures to support the balance between work and family) and implementing measures for work-style reform. At Dai-ichi Life, the ratio of male employees taking childcare leave was 77.1% in fiscal 2016. In addition, we have introduced a telecommuting program to enable employees with a certain degree of work for which telecommuting is possible to have flexible work styles, and approximately 400 employees were taking advantage of this system as of April 2017.

Part 03Strengthening the “Ability to Inspire”

At the management level, the “ability to inspire” to invigorate communication within the organization and capitalize on individuality is vital to becoming an organization where diverse human capital demonstrates individuality and can play an active role. At the Dai-ichi Life Group, we provide training for general managers. We have also compiled the 12 Fundamental Principles of the Inspiring Leader to promote changes in the awareness and conduct of managers.

Dai-ichi Life’s 12 Fundamental Principles of the Inspiring Leader

  1. To continue with unremitting efforts to increase his or her own integrity, wide-ranging education, and warm-heartedness as good model for the organization.
  2. To talk about and share the ideal organizational vision in his or her own words to every team member.
  3. To accept changes in the environment and diversity and take the initiative towards value creation and transformation of the organization.
  4. To identify every team member’s individuality, understand their qualities and aspirations, and provide support for their autonomous growth.
  5. To believe in growth and allocate roles without fearing risk with a commitment to back up team members to the end.
  6. Not to interfere excessively once having delegated, forgive minor mistakes, and look out for team members patiently.
  7. Be cheerful and smile often, always consider the health and lives of team members, and be generous with words of gratitude.
  8. To listen to the thoughts of every team member, respect different opinions, and enable free discussion.
  9. To engage in repeated dialogue to ask questions and review rather than immediately informing team members about the correct answer.
  10. To give praise as soon as he or she finds a positive point and provide every team member with the sense of fulfillment that they are being developed.
  11. To understand the difference between rebuking and being angry, not to rebuke team members in front of others, and not to become angry indiscriminately.
  12. To provide fair guidance with a warm heart and enthusiasm, and objective feedback without favoritism.

Part 04Achieving Normalization

We proactively employ people with disabilities and create a comfortable working environment for them. As of June 2017, we employ 987 people with disabilities nationwide, or about 2.22% of our workforce. As one of our initiatives, we have established the Employment Counseling Service for People with Disabilities at Dai-ichi Life, creating a counseling system for anxieties and concerns at work. In addition, Dai-ichi Life Challenged, a special subsidiary of the Dai-ichi Life Group, has developed an extensive scope of operations, including cleaning, printing, and cafeteria operations. These operations are mainly carried out by employees with intellectual disabilities or mental disabilities. Furthermore, Dai-ichi Life Challenged provides support for the acquisition of qualifications that will help to improve the quality of operations, regardless of whether employees have a disability or not. Among the employees who engage in cafeteria operations, some have acquired the barista qualification and utilize these skills in their work.