創業者ブログ

At a working breakfast
(Dec.20, 2006)

JSB holds an electric working breakfast every Wednesday. Every full-time executive is required to attend it. For the initial period of time, we used NTT's [Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation's] teleconference system. After a while, IP telephone and small and powerful camera were commercialized. By virtue of them, I can now talk to every executive face-to face at no cost.

In the last decade, communications expenses has become dramatically cheaper. This is really a blessing. In fact, the price of phone calls in Japan was once the most expensive in the world. This dramatic change is especially appreciated by the companies such as JSB, whose branches are scattered across Japan.

I am treated for high blood pressure. My doctor tells me to take a tablet of hypotensive drug every morning. According to him, my blood pressure goes up to its peak in the morning. So I usually get up at 4 in morning, sit at a desk, and make a plan of what to do in the day. Early morning is the best time for intellectual speculations.

Our working breakfasts are held from 7am to 8:30am. Every time I buy bread and coffee for the attendants. Each of them are expected to sat something at least twice during the meeting. Many important decisions have been made at this working breakfasts. My only regret is that our financial directress has been absent from the meeting for a while. She comes to the office at 10 am because she has to care for her baby. Of course, we tell her what we discussed at the meeting. However, we all miss her outspoken criticism to our discussions. We are just expectant of the end of the period of her breast feeding.

The average of the total business hours of a year in Japan is 2268 hours. In the case of JSB, it is about 1900 hours. It could be said that JSB has caught up with the first-class companies in this regard. However, I want to keep improving the conditions of work at JSB. I personally think that JSB should have its own day-care center for babies and children. If it had it, female employees would become able to work more comfortably. In fact, my proposal of the day-care center has not been agreed at the working breakfast. However, I see more competent female staffs ask for maternity or child-care leaves. I strongly believe that my proposal of the day-care center should be brought into realization within the next year.

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