Safe and Healthy Workplaces and Work-Style Reforms: Building More Engaging Workplaces
Health and Wellness
◆Promoting Health and Wellness
To realize our corporate philosophy and contribute to resolving social issues, while also achieving sustainable growth, we aim to “maximize the value of our human capital” based on a human resources approach aligned with our management strategy by focusing on three key areas.
One of these areas is creating “safe and healthy workplaces.” We believe that the physical and mental well-being of our employees and their family members is essential for a vibrant workplace. As such, we see investing in health as a key to raising corporate value.
To promote health and wellness, we have established at the executive level the NSK Health and Wellness Declaration and the NSK Basic Policy on Health and Wellness as the basis for our company-wide health management system. Our Health and Wellness Management Strategy Map clearly outlines the relationships between challenges, goals, and expected outcomes (such as improving presenteeism and absenteeism and maximizing engagement). We have also identified health issues and specific measures under the three pillars of health initiatives and are actively implementing these activities.
◆Top Message
NSK Health and Wellness Declaration: Promoting Health and Wellness the NSK Way
NSK believes that the health of our employees and their families is essential to realize our corporate philosophy and remain a company that is needed and trusted by society. We are committed to creating safe and healthy workplaces where diverse members can express their individuality, work with vitality, and achieve personal growth.
NSK Basic Policy on Health and Wellness
- Management: We regard corporate health and wellness as a key investment and will strive to maximize the value of our human capital by aiming for employee well-being and sustainable corporate growth.
- Employees: We will support employees in their self-directed efforts to manage and improve their health.
- Environment: We will enhance both physical and psychological safety in our workplaces to create an environment where employees feel secure and able to perform to their full potential.
Akitoshi Ichii, President & CEO, NSK Ltd.
◆Corporate Health Management Structure (Japan)
NSK is committed to helping employees maintain and improve their health and wellness. Our collaborative approach involves the Corporate Health Management Office, the Health and Wellness Office, the HR & GA division at our headquarters and individual sites, occupational health staff, the health insurance association, and labor unions—all working together under the supervision of the president & CEO of NSK Ltd.
In April 2019, we established the Corporate Health Management Office within the HR & GA Division Headquarters to enhance our capacity to pursue health and wellness. We also built an organization that is more conducive to coordination. The resident occupational physicians at each site report to the Corporate Health Management Office, and nurses, including specialized public health nurses, also hold concurrent posts in the office. The Corporate Health Management Office regularly shares information and holds discussions with both the health insurance association, through periodic collaboration meetings, and the labor unions, through NSK Occupational Health and Safety Council, the Occupational Health and Safety Committee and other bodies, to ensure effective collaboration.
By holding regular meetings of occupational health staff and the Health and Wellness Committee—a function established to oversee the activities of the NSK Central Occupational Health and Safety Council—we will continue improving our ability to support the wellness of employees.
◆Health and Wellness Management Goals, KGI, and NSK Health and Wellness Management Strategy Map (Updated September 2025)
The goals of NSK health and wellness management are to help each employee maintain their energy and physical strength and enjoy a greater sense of fulfillment. Toward this end, we have established an Engagement in Health Index (EHI), which tracks employee engagement in their own health through engagement surveys and serves as a key goal indicator (KGI) for our health and wellness management initiatives.
In addition, we have created the NSK Health and Wellness Management Strategy Map in order to clarify the goals and effects of our health and wellness management activities and further strengthen our efforts in this area. The strategy map focuses on key NSK initiatives and approaches and references the Kenko Investment for Health program guidebook.
◆Health Challenges and Three Pillars of NSK Initiatives
Based on analysis of employee health and lifestyle habits, we have identified health challenges and specific measures to address these under a framework of three pillars of NSK health initiatives: body, mind, and lifestyle. These pillars form the basis of our health and wellness activities, with specifics adjusted as needed to address individual situations. Each pillar also combines broadly implemented preventative measures with initiatives designed to prevent aggravation of certain conditions, which are focused primarily on high-risk individuals.
- Body: Focus on prevention. Support employees to prevent aggravation of medical conditions.
- Mind: Implement and promote mental wellness strategies to prevent the onset of mental health issues.
- Lifestyle: Reduce smoking rate and promote non-smoking on premises.
Performance Indicators
◆Specific Health Initiatives (Japan)
＜Physical Health : Preventing Illnesses and Supporting Those with Health Concerns to Prevent Serious Conditions＞
To enable all employees to work as energetically as possible, it is important to help prevent and detect illnesses at an early stage.
NSK collaborates with the NSK Health Insurance Association to maintain and improve the health of employees and their family members.
《Main initiatives》 (including those by the NSK Health Insurance Association)
- Regular health check-ups and encouraging follow-up examinations for those with health concerns
- Specific health examinations, specific health guidance, and metabolic syndrome prevention
- Health check-ups for employees in specific roles
- Various non-mandatory health screenings: stomach examinations, colorectal cancer screenings, breast cancer screenings, etc.
- Infectious disease prevention and subsidies for seasonal influenza vaccinations
- Locomotive syndrome prevention through mobility tests
- Health support using various mail-in test kits
- Various health consultations and guidance
- Consultation services for women’s health issues
- Support for returning to work after leave
- Walking events
- Measures to prevent overwork
- Educational and awareness-raising activities
- Partnerships with sports clubs
Performance Indicators
＜Mental Health : Reducing Mental Health Issues through Preventive Measures＞
Mental health is crucial for employees to experience personal growth and job satisfaction and is supported by a healthy workplace culture. NSK is fostering an environment where employees feel comfortable seeking help when troubled or experiencing difficulties.
《Main initiatives》 (including those by the NSK Health Insurance Association)
- Consultation services: Industrial physicians, health staff, HR personnel, and external counselors
- Employee Assistance Program: A program to support employees’ mental well-being
- Stress checks and subsequent workplace briefings
- Awareness training for managers: Line care training
- Awareness training for employees: Self-care training
- Support for employees experiencing mental health issues
- Support for returning to work after leave
- Educational and awareness-raising activities
Performance Indicators
＜Lifestyle : Prevention of Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Reduction of Employee Smoking Rate＞
Smoking is known to increase the risk of various diseases, including cancer. We are focusing on preventing secondhand smoke exposure and supporting employees who want to quit smoking.
《Main initiatives》 (including those by the NSK Health Insurance Association)
- Preventing secondhand smoke exposure: Moving smoking areas outdoors and consolidating smoking locations
- Promoting smoking cessation: Recommending quitting on certain days and limiting smoking times
- Offering smoking cessation programs
- Pairing up smokers and non-smokers to take on the challenge of smoking cessation
Performance Indicators
◆Promoting Health and Wellness the NSK Way
At NSK, we believe employees can build better lives when they strive proactively to improve their health and have opportunities to do that in a fun way. This is why, rather than simply disseminating information about health, we have introduced various mechanisms that promote internal communication and networking. We are also working to provide more opportunities for employees to collaborate with other organizations to gain more health awareness and knowledge, not just with our health management staff, hoping to broaden their interests. In addition, management, as the owner of company events, is always involved, and support teams work to keep activities lively and enjoyable.
Please follow the link below for information on some of our initiatives.
Promoting Safe, Secure, and Comfortable Workplaces
It is our conviction at the NSK Group that having safe workplaces and employees who enjoy and are actively engaged in both their work and personal lives will have a beneficial impact on our business. An improvement in employee productivity will lead to an improvement in their ability to produce quality work, which will ultimately foster a more fulfilling life both at work and at home. For this reason, we strive to better manage employee working hours, to encourage employees to take their annual paid leave, and to provide a variety of work-style options to fit their diverse lifestyles. At the same time, through work-style reforms, we are working to change employee mindsets and create more rewarding workplaces.
◆Managing Employee Working Hours and Promoting Paid Leave (Japan)
At NSK, we believe that helping employees stay focused and efficient on the job will allow them to enjoy greater productivity and produce higher quality work, without wasting time. For this reason, in addition to making flextime available to employees, we are striving to better manage working hours using objective records and to encourage employees to take their annual paid leave. In particular, labor and management have been calling on employees to use all of their annual paid leave. In addition, the head office and the sales and technology divisions offer remote work for another work-style option.
《Main Initiatives》
- Remote work system
- Flextime and discretionary labor system
- Objectively ascertaining hours worked using time clock and similar records, and proper work rules application
- Promoting time management based on labor-management collaboration
- Promoting full use of paid leave
- “No Overtime” days
And others
◆Programs to Re-energize Employees and Their Social Activities
Re-energized employees provide higher work productivity and efficiency. We also offer programs to support employee social activities, aiming to facilitate their growth as members of society.
《Main Initiatives》
- Refresher leave
To provide opportunities for employee self-development and re-energizing, this program allows employees to take leave for up to five consecutive days every five years, beginning after they complete five years of service with the company. - Volunteer leave
To help employees contribute to society by being involved in volunteer work relating to their local communities and social welfare, this program allows employees to take up to 12 days of special paid leave per year. They must work for a non-profit organization and carry out activities such as supporting people with disabilities and promoting international exchange.
And others
◆Lifelong Design Learning Program
NSK provides opportunities for employees to think about and plan for retirement, including ways to maintain their motivation, health, and personal finances. The aim is for participants to enjoy rich and rewarding lifestyles after mandatory retirement. Many employees participate in the training and seminars to learn about pensions, employment insurance, and taxes.
Facilitating Work-Life Balance
◆Supporting Work-Life Balance in Every Life Stage (Japan)
The NSK Group is building workplaces that meet the wide-ranging needs of a diverse workforce and allow each and every employee to enjoy job satisfaction. NSK wants every employee to enjoy a healthy work-life balance. Our system for ensuring employees can balance their work and child/nursing care responsibilities exceeds legal requirements. As part of this approach, we not only provide comprehensive support for working parents and caregivers, but also strive to create a work environment where they can realize their full potential.
◆Support for Working Parents (Japan)
In recognition of our efforts to support working parents of small children, the Minister of Health, Labour, and Welfare awarded NSK the Platinum Kurumin* certification.
* Platinum Kurumin: A special certification awarded to select companies among those granted Kurumin certification by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare that have displayed particularly outstanding initiatives as a “company that supports child-rearing parents”.
NSK has established an action plan based on the Act on Advancement of Measures to Support Raising Next-Generation Children.
The NSK Group provide even better support for employees balancing work and childcare responsibilities, we obtain feedback from those with childcare experience. NSK is working to create and improve programs that not only exceed statutory requirements, but are also as very convenient for employees to utilize.
Main Support Systems Related to Work-Childbirth/Childcare Balance
《Other Main Initiatives》
- Prenatal interview
- Return-to-work interview
- Return-to-work support seminar
- Career support
- Providing opportunities for self-learning and development (online educational programs)
- Remote work system
- Maternity uniform
- Work-Childcare Balance Support Guidebook
- Changing room exclusively for pregnant employees
- Holiday daycare
- Affiliated daycares
- Providing babysitting discount coupons
- Financial gift for birth of child (from company and labor union)
Main Support Systems Related to Work-Childbirth/Childcare Balance (as compared to legal mandates)*
| System | Details |
|---|---|
| Leave for birthing parents | Legally required to provide 6 weeks unpaid leave before and 8 weeks unpaid leave after childbirth. NSK pays employees a portion of their salary during this time. |
| Leave for partners of birthing parents | Not legally mandated. NSK employees may take 2 days (paid leave) within 14-day period of the birth of a child by a partner. |
| Childcare leave at birth (postnatal paternity leave) | NSK employees may take 4 weeks (28 days) of leave within 8-week period of the date of birth or due date, whichever is later (first 5 days leave paid). |
| Parental leave | Legally required to provide leave that may be extended up to the time the child turns 2 years old. NSK employees may extend their leave through the end of April following the child’s third birthday. (First 5 days of leave paid when employee does not take child care leave at birth) |
| Sick leave (Leave and other support for sickness during pregnancy and/or after birth) | Legally required to provide unpaid sick leave up to 1 year after birth. NSK employees may take paid leave during this period. |
| Medical appointments during work hours | Legally required to provide unpaid leave for medical appointments up to 1 year after birth. NSK employees may take paid leave during this period. |
| Use of half-days | Not legally mandated. NSK employees may generally use (paid) half-days 12 times a year, but this is unlimited when deemed necessary for parental hospital visits, child medical care or other purposes related to the child. |
| Use of banked paid leave | Not legally mandated. NSK employees with a child in sixth grade or below may use (paid) accumulated leave. |
* For up to eight weeks after birth, NSK pays employees a portion of their salary, and the NSK Health Insurance Association pays employees a maternity allowance that is equivalent to two thirds of their salary. Under the parental leave system, NSK pays employees their salary for the first five days of leave. From the sixth day of leave onwards, employees receive childcare leave benefits from the government until the child is one year and two months old. This system ensures continuous financial support in combination with the statutory system.
◆Support for Family Caregivers (Japan)
As part of measures to support employees who are providing care to a family member, NSK is aiming to create an environment where employees can easily raise any concerns about work-life balance.
Systems Related to Caregiver Leave (as compared to legal mandates)
| System | Details |
|---|---|
| Short-term leave for caregiver | 5 days per year per eligible family member, 10 days per year for two or more eligible family members |
| Caregiver leave | Legally required to provide up to 93 days per eligible family member. NSK employees may take a total of up to 186 days* per eligible family member. * May be extended to a maximum of 365 days in special circumstances only. |
| Use of half-days | Not legally mandated. NSK employees may generally use (paid) half-days 12 times a year, but this is unlimited when half-days are taken for caregiving purposes. |
| Use of banked paid leave | Not legally mandated. NSK employees may take the number of days of (paid) banked leave needed for caregiving purposes. |
《Measures to Support Work-Caregiving Balance》
- Seminars to help employees balance work and caregiving
（Major NSK Caregiving Seminars）
- Caregiver allowance (unique NSK benefit)
- Caregiver leave benefits
《Work Style Systems for Caregivers》
- Exemption from overtime work
- Limited work over statutory working hours
- Reduced hours for working caregivers (may be extended beyond 3 years depending on circumstances)
- Limited late-night work
《Other Main Initiatives》
- Publication of work-caregiving balance support guidebook
- Publication of email newsletter for employees regarding family caregiving
- Compilation of reference materials to support family caregiving
◆Support for Balancing Work and Medical Treatment (Japan)
In support measures for balancing work and medical treatment, we are promoting each measure so that employees can balance work with medical treatment and hospital visits and continue to work in their own way.
《Main Initiatives》
- Internal information meeting on balancing work and medical treatment
- Guidebook for balancing work and medical treatment
- Return-to-work program
- Awareness-raising activities: Menopause seminars for men and women, harassment prevention
In addition, we focus on awareness-raising activities and consultation on health issues specific to women.
《Main Initiatives》
- Awareness-raising activities: Training, information sessions, etc. on menstrual pain, pregnancy, menopause (men and women), and other topics
- Consultation: Online obstetrics and gynecology consultation for women's health issues with a physician at any time
- Others: Awareness-raising about postpartum blues in the support for balancing work and health promotion from a young age before pregnancy (preconception care) in the guidebook on balancing work and infertility treatment.