CHAPTER 5 | Culture

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Communication
When blood flow is blocked, the human body develops various

Even outside Japan, we think it is rare for a company to bedisorders and illnesses. Similarly, when communication is

so committed to communication. Used with imagination,

blocked in an organization, various issues arise. In short,communication is essential to sharing a variety of feelings:

communication is the lifeblood of an organization.

to inspire emotion, to express gratitude, or to encourage

On the one hand, growing the Link and Motivation Groupreflection. There may be times when employees feelnecessitates specialization into organizational hierarchies andoverwhelmed by their daily workload; however, constantfunctions. However, increasing specialization in an

communication helps engender a Group-wide perspective andorganization gives rise to a host of problems. A sense of

acquaints them with the details of the duties anddistance naturally increases, both vertically in the hierarchy

determination of others who are working to high standards.

and horizontally among functions, the intentions of senior

It is as an opportunity to improve motivation toward work.

management are not communicated, and cooperation

We hold a general meeting attended by all Group

weakens in each department, among other issues. Therefore,

employees once every three months. In addition, senioras we promote specialization within our organization tomanagement sends out a monthly message, which receives

maximize results. We also invest in communication to achievecomments from many employees. We have also implemented

the seemingly contradictory goals of integration and mutuala variety of imaginative communication initiatives in eachunderstanding. Communication also generates greater

department. We understand the importance ofemployee motivation. This investment in communication iscommunicating in such a way and take pride in sharing ouressential for us to maintain a high level of employee

corporate climate and culture, the evolution of which weengagement as we continue to grow.

ourselves promote.
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CHAPTER 5 | Culture
01 Strategic Communication Design

Active Communication for Mutual Understanding
between the Company and Employees

Communication Measures

We believe communication to be the “bloodstream” of anorganization. Therefore, to maintain motivation in the organization,
we think it is crucial to enhance vertical and lateral communication.

Group General Meeting
Average participationin 2021908 people

The Link and Motivation Group ensures communication opportunities
at various meetings, and focuses particularly on the Group General
Meeting and the Top Comment. The Group General Meeting, whichtakes place every three months, includes a review of business results,
presentation of MVP awards, sharing of management policies going
forward, and more, in order to share views of the Group as a whole.

Note: Due to the business models of some of our businesses, it may be difficult for all
employees to attend, so the number of participants varies each meeting.

The Top Comment, posted each month via our intranet, delivers amessage to employees from Chairman and Representative Director
Ozasa Yoshihisa, covering the Group’s current direction and recent

Top Comment
Average accessrate in 2021

92％

developments, in order to share the views of senior management.
Consequently, our yearly investment in communication exceeds
100 million yen. This cost has been declining as we have shifted toholding the Group General Meeting online and cut back on paper-based
publications, but we will continue to actively invest in communication asa way to increase employee engagement.

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CHAPTER 5 | Culture
02 Work Styles

Simultaneously Raising Productivity andEmployee Engagement with a New Work Style

New Way of Working: Compatible Work
2021

The Link and Motivation Group responded to the COVID-19 pandemic byApprox. 60% reduction in floor space from office downsizing andrelocation nationwide

relocating and downsizing its offices throughout Japan, and by

Osaka:
Jan. 2021
downsizing
Fukuoka:
Apr. 2021
relocation

Sendai:Jan. 2021
downsizing
Tokyo Head Office:Oct. 2021
relocation

Hiroshima:
Nov. 2020relocation

Nagoya:Feb. 2021
relocation

establishing a new work style model called Compatible Work.
The idea of Compatible Work is based on transforming the way wework by combining real-world and virtual spaces to increase
productivity and employee engagement.
In Compatible Work, each team schedules days for working at theoffice and for telework, and designs its work processes according torespective work styles. At the office, in-house meetings, quarterly
kickoffs and other such meetings that benefit from real-world interaction

2022
Shifted to Compatible Work while monitoring the COVID-19 situation
Benefits of office work (real world)

are given priority. When teleworking, employees focus on drafting
documents, clerical work, and other activities that benefit from working
virtually. With this approach, we will design our work processes
systematically according to the benefits we seek to obtain.

Cooperation

Chanceoccurrences

Emotion andlogic

SympathyIn this way, we aim to increase productivity by appropriately
designing our work processes, while also enhancing employee

Benefits of telework (virtual)engagement by providing opportunities for real-world communication.
Given how important employee engagement is to us, we will continue toflexibly transform our methods of communication in response toConcentration

Planning

Rationality

Synchronization

the emerging situation.

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