Safe working environment and work-life balance

IIJ recognizes that our employees are an important asset and the foundation for sound business activities.
IIJ is committed to promoting health management that supports the physical and mental health of employees, and strive to create an environment in which each employee can continue to work safely and with peace of mind while increasing their motivation and energy. Additionally, IIJ establishes an environment that helps employees achieve a healthy work-life balance.

Promoting health management

Management message

Mental and physical health is necessary for IIJ employees with a wide variety of talents to be highly motived to work and to feel fulfilled. Supporting each employee's health results in the growth of IIJ as a business and to our being able to continuing to take the initiative in the domain of internet technologies. Our business philosophy states, "provide meaningful opportunities for growth to our employees," and IIJ considers the management of employees' health from a managerial perspective and strategically implements it.

Eijiro Katsu
President and Co-CEO & COO

Structure for the promotion of health management

Guided by the Health Management Supervisor and led by the Human Resources Department, all of IIJ works together to promote health management in cooperation with industrial physicians, public health nurses, employee representatives, the Health and Safety Committee and the health management promoters of our business locations.

Health management strategy

Our efforts are based on this strategy diagram that visualizes the process from investing in health (initiatives and indexes) to the management issues that should be solved through health management and their resolution.

The Final Target Indicators for Health Investment

We have set the final target indicators for health investment as follows: "Reduction of absenteeism," "Reduction of presenteeism," "Improvement in overall satisfaction from employee awareness surveys," and "Reduction in overall health risks identified in stress checks."

	FY2022	FY2023	FY2024
Absenteeism (*1)	1.3%	1.5%	To be disclosed in April 2025
Presenteeism (*2)	-	B	B
Employee Survey - Overall Satisfaction (*3)	3.9	3.9	3.9
Stress Check - Overall Health Risk (*4)	84	84	83

• (*1)Absenteeism: A condition in which an employee is unable to work due to mental or physical illness, etc.
  It is measured by the percentage of employees on leave for more than one month due to illness or injury.
• (*2)Presenteeism: A condition in which an employee is present at work, but their performance is declining due to some physical disorder.
  It is measured per business site by Wfun which is a questionnaire developed by the University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, to measure the degree of work function impairment due to health problems. The evaluation is on a four-point scale from A to D (A being the highest rating).
• (*3)The Employee Survey is an annual engagement survey (approximately 50 questions), and each item is rated on a five-point scale: 1 (disagree), 2 (somewhat disagree), 3 (neutral), 4 (somewhat agree), and 5 (agree). The "Overall Satisfaction" is the result of a question, "I am satisfied overall."
• (*4)Stress Check - Overall Health Risk: Risk value calculated based on the scores of "Quantity/Control" and "Workplace Support." This value represents the risk of health problems occurring in the workplace. The national average value (100) is used as the reference value, and the higher the value above the reference, the greater the risk.

Initiatives for physical well-being and mental health

Initiatives for physical well-being

Our employees are provided with free health checkups, a comprehensive medical checkup (once a year), and flu vaccinations to maintain their personal health. Employees 35 years old and older may receive a checkup to prevent lifestyle-related diseases while employees may receive a comprehensive medical examination when they are 35 years old and 40 years old or older. Special paid leave may be taken on the days when these examinations occur. If employees work a night shift an average of four times or more per month in the most recent six months, they are required to take a medical checkup twice a year.

Our industrial physicians check the results of all checkups and, on an individual basis, follow-up with employees who require treatment. These follow-ups may take the form of, for example, recommending that an employee visit a medical institution or conducting a health guidance interview. Also, a smartphone app for recording the results of checkups, health condition and other related data has been introduced in an effort to further promote employee health.

In addition, each business site is equipped with rest spaces and AEDs, and they feature an environment where employees can regularly consult with industrial physicians and public health nurses.

Mental health initiatives

The Mental Health Development Plan has been formulated and communicated to employees. Based on the plan, we conduct annual stress checks in compliance with the Industrial Safety and Health Act. If an employee is deemed as being highly stressed and interview-based guidance is necessary, the employee may talk with an industrial physician upon request. The results of stress screenings are shared at the Stress Check Group Analysis Results Report Meeting for general manager or higher, where they take steps to improve the work environment.

Furthermore, IIJ has introduced interviews with industrial physicians and public health nurses and counseling by outside counselors to create an easy environment to seek advice.

As part of mental healthcare, we offer programs such as mental health training (line care and self-care) and communication training (anger management, assertions) helpful to development of good personal relations.

Controlling work hours and promotion of paid leave

IIJ has made a policy on working hours management and has been promoting efforts to comply with the Labor Standards Act and to ensure appropriate working hours. IIJ constantly monitors the working hours of its employees through measures such as advance application for overtime work and the preparation of overtime status reports for departments. If overtime hours exceed a certain level, the human resource department alerts concerned departments, conducts hearings with them, and arranges interviews with industrial physicians for those who work more than a certain level of hours. In addition to annual paid leave, anniversary leave and other forms of special leave are given to employees so that they can feel refreshed both mentally and physically. IIJ ensures that employees take at least five days of annual paid leaves, not including special ones.

Average overtime per month

	FY2019	FY2020	FY2021	FY2022	FY2023
Average overtime per month（hour）	21.3	24.7	28.1	27.7	26.2

Number of days and percentage of paid leaves taken

	FY2019	FY2020	FY2021	FY2022	FY2023
Average number of paid leaves taken per year (days)	13.2	10.2	11.3	12.6	13.1
Annual average acquisition rate (%)	75.6	58.5	64.4	71.0	75.0

Promoting communication

We have an in-house chat tool, an information sharing tool and other tools to stimulate communication between employees. It is recommended that managerial-level employees talk with their subordinates one-on-one, to encourage dialogue within departments. We also support club activities where employees interact with one another while feeling refreshed both mentally and physically.

The on-the-job training program for new employees and the onboarding program for employees hired mid-career increase opportunities to communicate with our new colleagues joining the company and also help to ease their psychological insecurity before and after entering the company. Additionally, Family Day is held to enable our employees' families to participate, and we put a lot of effort into energizing interactions with the people who support our colleagues.

• Developing human resources through on-the-job training
• Family Day

Helping employees balance medical treatment and work

Industrial physicians interview employees undergoing outpatient care to stay up to date on their recovery. In this way, we exercise the consideration necessary so that such employees can balance work and medical care by, for example, working shorter hours. An employee who cannot take paid leave because they took a long leave due to an injury or disease unrelated to their work may take special paid leave under the personal injury and illness return leave system, so that the employee can feel secure continuing with work. We recommend that employees buy insurance covering the three major diseases, cancer, acute myocardial infarction and stroke and group long term disability (GLTD) insurance to indemnify them against the loss of income when they take leave due to an injury or illness unrelated to work, and provide them with support to prepare for illness- and injury-related risks to their lives.

Support for employees returning to work

An employee returning to work after taking leave is interviewed by an industrial physician and a public health nurse. We will exercise the consideration necessary for facilitating an employee's return to work by, for example, allowing them to work shorter hours when necessary.

Respect for human rights

IIJ is committed to ensure that human rights are always protected in its corporate activities.
We promote a range of activities for employees in line with the principles of the International Labour Organization's (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.

Initiatives for prevention of harassment

Since FY2017, IIJ has implemented a system to prevent harassment, and periodically provides harassment prevention training for managers and general employees at each level. The Human Resources Department provides a consultation service for issues related to harassment. It reviews recurrence prevention measures and other measures regularly and continuously implements improvements.

Achievement of a healthy work-life balance

IIJ respects the life stages and values of each employee and moves forward with initiatives for achieving a healthy work-life balance to enable our employees to demonstrate their full potential.

As for working environment, IIJ Group operates a variety of support systems for illness, childcare and nursing care that enable employees to balance work and family life, including the Childcare and Nursing Care Leave Systems, and the Private Injury and Illness Return Leave System. Additionally, IIJ operates the Flextime System, Shift Work System, Shorter Working Hours System, Remote Work System, and other systems to meet the needs of the characteristics of their specific job and their individual situation.

Promoting diverse working styles

Diverse working hours (Flextime and discretionary work systems)

System	Overview
Flextime	Employees work flexibly in accordance with the core time set for each department according to the business characteristics of the department. In addition, employees who are raising children may use the "Childcare Flextime System" until their child enters the sixth grade. Employees who are nursing family members may use the "Nursing Flextime System."
Discretionary work system	Under this system, employees are considered to have worked during the hours set by labor and management, and how to proceed with their work and allocate time and working hours is left to their own discretion so they can work efficiently and effectively.
Staggered hours system	This is a work-hour modification system that enables employees to work flexibly according to their individual needs, such as to balance between childcare and nursing care and secure time for self-improvement.
Shortened working hours	This system allows enables employees who are raising children or taking care of family members to shorten their working hours by up to 1.5 hours per day (2 hours for business support positions). Employees raising children may use this system until the end of September when their children are in first grade (until the end of the third grade for business support positions). Employees taking care of family members are eligible to use this system for three years.

Diverse work environments (remote work, satellite offices, and hot desking)

IIJ Group expanded its remote work system, which was introduced as a part of our working-style reforms, to apply the system companywide as a measure to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 infection as the virus became a pandemic in 2020. By enabling employees to work from home to a certain degree even after the number of new infections began to decrease, IIJ is enabling work patterns that allow employees to leverage the advantages of working from home while ensuring the smooth execution of business based on face-to-face communication.
Similarly, IIJ Group has introduced a satellite office system mainly for its sales division. IIJ plans to expand it to other divisions where it promises to be effective, further increasing the options for how employees work.
In addition, IIJ Group introduced a hot desking system in its workplaces, establishing a seamless working environment while stimulating internal communication.

Diverse support systems catering to people in different life stages

Childcare support systems

In addition to legally mandated maternity and childcare leave, IIJ has established a system that goes beyond these, including special leave for spouses and childcare flextime, which we have introduced on our own. Stemming from this action, many employees, regardless of gender, have taken childcare leave or maternity leave and have returned to work afterward. In 2024, IIJ received Kurumin certification, awarded to companies that support childcare, from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare under the Act on Advancement of Measures to Support Raising Next-Generation Children. Our goal is maintaining a 10% or greater utilization rate of the childcare leave system for male and a 90% or greater utilization rate for female employees.

IIJ（non-consolidated basis） Ratio of employees using the childcare leave system and ratio of employees returning to work after childcare leave system (Male / Female)

		FY2019	FY2020	FY2021	FY2022	FY2023
Ratio of employees using the childcare leave system (%)	Male	14.7	26.4	24.6	33.3	53.5
	Female	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0
Ratio of employees returning to work after childcare leave system (%)	Male	100.0	100.0	92.9	100.0	100.0
	Female	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	93.3

Helping employees balance fertility treatment and work

To support employees receiving fertility treatment, we ease work regulations as much as necessary so that the employees can feel secure about continuing to work with IIJ. For example, employees are encouraged to use childbirth support leave (special leave), flextime, telecommuting and other options.

Support for employees returning to work

IIJ has signed contracts with childcare facilities through the Company-Led Childcare Business Program to support the smooth return of employees who have taken childcare leave. The contracts involve multiple companies using facilities established by childcare businesses, and they can be used when employees' requests for services are judged as appropriate after consultation between IIJ and the childcare business. As of April 2024, we have signed contracts with 16 service providers (33 facilities in 6 prefectures).

Family Day

IIJ holds Family Day and invites the employees' families who support them every day to participate. The goal of the initiative is, through interaction with participants, to help them gain a deeper understanding of the company and work and create a workplace that facilitates work and respects employees' families. The event consists of visits to offices, a work experience opportunity, a quiz competition about the company, the interaction of participants in groups and other activities.

Nursing care support system

To prevent the loss of employees due to nursing care, IIJ has introduced a system that enables employees to take nursing care leave on a one-day basis and for up to 365 days per eligible family member, which exceeds the legal requirement in Japan. Employees who are taking care of their family members can take advantage of the nursing care shortened working hour system and nursing care flextime system, and may also be able to work remotely from home.

Promoting women

Responding to the Act on Advancement of Measures to Support Raising Next-Generation Children and the Act on Promotion of Women's Participation and Advancement in the Workplace

IIJ Group has set targets for employment and work-style modification based on the Act on Advancement of Measures to Support Raising Next-Generation Children (from hereon, the "Next-Generation Act") and the Act on Promotion of Women's Participation and Advancement in the Workplace. We have been working to create an environment in which women can play an active role over the long term by introducing systems to work remotely and providing flexible or shortened working hours for employees who are raising children.
Recognizing these efforts, IIJ Global Solutions Inc., an IIJ Group company, received a 3-Star certification under the "Eruboshi" recognition system based on the Act on the Promotion of Women's Participation and Advancement in the Workplace. This is the highest level of certification for a company that meets the criteria for all categories: employment, continuous employment, working hours and other working styles, management-level ratio, and diverse career paths.

Support for employees' asset formation

IIJ Group has a system to help employees accumulate assets through a shareholding association within the group, an employee savings scheme, regular financial seminars, and other initiatives. The Human Resources Department provides an asset formation consultation service.