Product innovation Process innovation Improving external assessments Workplace effects Corporate Name Manufacturing SME Zm’ken Service Co., Ltd. A team of women architects played an active role in designing products taking advantage of women’s standpoints, contributing Women to doubling the company’s sales and profits over five years. Main points ▶ The desire of top management to provide opportunities for women with time constraints to play active roles in the construction industry, led to the employment of women. ▶ Efforts were put into a work sharing system, which is uncommon in the field of architectural design, and its method was established by trial and error. Foreigners ▶ By sharing work, opportunities for women with time constraints to play active roles were created, and now women who at various stages of life are actively participating. ▶ An environment in which employees support each other like a big family enriches their experience with households and families, and contributes to understanding the needs of customers when designing houses. ▶ There are cases where store layout and design from the unique standpoint and sophisticated sense of women attracted attention, and the company was put in charge of designing all disabilities Persons with Persons affiliated stores as well. ▶ Company sales doubled, and a higher value was added thanks to strategies reinforcing women’s point of view. Zm’ken Service corporate philosophy (excerpt) Vision We are the best team in Japan which gives women joy and a purpose in life. We put a work- life balance policy into practice, and transform women’s power into capabilities on site through cooperation with leading technology. We create places where architects, designers, and site supervisors can play active roles, and promote sustainable Elderly persons teamwork in which child-rearing parents, singles, and parents who have adjusted to child-rearing help each other. Each of us will become like the Milky Way which shines in the sky of Japan, play active roles globally, and contribute to the development of the nation. Data ◎Corporate profile Year of foundation 1993 Capital 20 million yen skills and experiences Head office address 3-7-4 Katano, Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture Persons with diverse careers, with diverse Persons General construction, first-class architectural firm Business outline Layout, construction, design, and consulting for housing and stores Sales 120 million yen (to July 2013) ◎Data for employees (unconsolidated) Number of employees 8 persons (no non-regular employees) specific group Number of employees [Women] 6 persons (no non-regular employees) No focus on any on any focus No by attribute category Women’s share of managerial jobs at 50.0% Average service years 4.2 years (7.8 years for men, 3.5 years for women) for regular employees 1 Best Practices Collection 2014 Zm’ken Service Co., Ltd. in the construction industry, and it had a significant impact Background and goals of on the industry as well. diversity management Providing opportunities for women with time Specific measures for constraints to play active roles promoting diversity Zm’ken Service is an architectural firm which engages in the layout and design of housing and stores mainly in Work sharing, which is uncommon in the field of design Kitakyushu City. Currently, six out of eight employees are The company practices work sharing which is quite women, and four of them are child-rearing workers. Three uncommon in the field of layout and design. This is a method out of those six female workers are qualified first-class where work is done through sharing one task among architects, and they are in charge of design, sales, and site multiple persons in charge as a team, instead of one person supervisors as well. Other than first-class architects, second- in charge of a whole task. Design work in the construction class architects and female designers also play active roles. industry is generally performed by professionals, such as The construction industry is a male-dominated business architects, at their own responsibility. However, sometimes in which the concept of a strong, no-women-allowed way of it is difficult for female architects with time constraints to thinking remains. In such an industry, especially for women take all the responsibilities alone. Therefore, the company who take care of household chores and child-rearing uses a method where female workers with time constraints under time constraints, there were few opportunities to be complement each other, and do their work while sharing successful as professionals, such as architects. However, Mrs. information as a team. Komorita, President of the company, thought that, while With regard to the method of sharing information, the she herself is struggling to find a balance between childcare company has always used a process of trial and error. and work, she wanted to provide a chance for child-rearing Currently, the employees share information by using a women to play active roles as well, and that was the start mailing list, sharing drawings on the Web, and sharing of the company creating an environment in which women schedules via Facebook. can fully exercise their potential. Taking advantage of this, In the field of architecture, deliverables designed by the company delegated one task to two female workers, architects are achievements of individual architects, and and started experimenting with work sharing where people deliverables are often regarded as a piece of craftsmanship. work together by helping each other. After this experiment, However, in order to produce results as a company team, although there were difficulties, a unique method for such values and pride become obstacles. As professionals, sharing work was developed, and a work environment sometimes employees have conflicts of opinions with where women with time constraints can play active roles each other, but the company set a goal of getting good was realized. Currently, six female workers who are at various results for customers by working together as a team, and stages in life, are actively participating in business. a concept of working together towards the overall goal is well-established. As just mentioned, it is considered that A big breakthrough by a team of women architects one of the strengths of women is that they do not take all started from Kitakyushu City the credit for accomplishments, but can take it as a team. Female architects and designers of the company established a team two years ago, and started working Employees who support each other like a big family as the JKDT Women Architects Design Team a year ago. Women with time constraints help each other not only Proposals and designs that take advantage of women’s with work. Female workers who actively participate at the viewpoints gained a good reputation in the region, and company have a cooperative relationship with each other the company’s sales started increasing, almost doubling. besides work. For example, children come back to the The success of the team of women architects, with the company office after school hours instead of going back slogan of “Creating housing, stores, towns, and happiness,” to their own homes. Children wait until their mothers’ attracted attention in various places, and they are now finish their work, while playing with other children at the much in demand in newspapers and television. The office where snacks are provided, and go home with their company’s achievement gained national acceptance, and mothers once the work is done. At the corner of the office President Komorita, who is also a female architect, received there is a makeshift day-care center, and children spend the Women’s Challenge Award from the Cabinet Office in their late afternoon there very pleasantly. 2013. It was the first time that such an award was received The members of the company have established a Best Practices Collection 2014 2 Zm’ken Service Co., Ltd. big family-like relationship where they help each other goals for the next ten years, and they can use it to make a besides work. They openly talk not only about work-related plan for life and clarify their goals for career development. problems, but also private problems as well. In order for Such consideration for development of human resources women with time constraints to do work together, it and improvement of skills is another great resource to is desirable that they know about each other’s current support the company’s business performance. situation as far as possible. If the employees know about each other’s circumstances, such as how their children are Managerial effects through or any illness in the family, positive cooperation can grow out of this understanding. promotion of diversity In addition, families and households are an essential perspective for the job of designing housing and stores. An Stores utilizing women’s unique standpoints drawing environment in which employees support each other as a attention big family broadens the perspective of single employees, Housing and stores built by a company which values and is beneficial for deeply understanding customers’ women’s standpoints and common sense have gained a feelings as well. good reputation from many customers. President Komorita says her daily life is a source of ideas For example, for a travel agency where a majority of staff for performing the job of layout and design for housing. members are women, counters with consideration for the In fact, achievements she makes in her own life often lead psychological side of working women are appreciated. to a design that is appreciated by customers. Given this Counters where female staff members sit to serve customers perspective, fulfilling one’s own life goals has a large positive are shaped in a semicircle, with the staff members sitting effect, especially on the job of layout and design.