Work–Life Balance
It is vitally important to improve the workspace environment so that employees can continue working while ensuring a proper balance between their work and their private lives. At Mizuho, various lifestyle support systems are in place for employees to promote better balance between their work and private lives.
Work–Life Balance Support System
At Mizuho, to help employees better balance their work and life, we have developed various initiatives such as promoting their taking vacations, leaving work on time and early leave for child care, as well as various lifestyle support programs, to nurture next–generation human resources.
Going forward, we will conduct seminars and supervisor–level training, and take other steps, as well, to change awareness and encourage even more of our male employees to take leave for child care.
- Childbirth and Child Care Support System (Overview)
| System/initiative | Applicable period | Outline of the system | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before childbirth leave | Six weeks before childbirth | Leave at the request of the person who gave birth to a child | |
| After childbirth leave | Eight weeks after childbirth | Prohibited from work in principle | |
| Child care time | From birth until age 1 | Secure child care time twice a day (30 minutes x 2) | |
| Child care leave | From birth until age 2 | Leave at the request of the person who gave birth to a child | |
| Short–term paid child care leave | 8 weeks leave after childbirth | 5–day paid leave | |
| Shortened work hours due to child care | From birth until about the third grade of elementary school | Shortened work hours at the request of the person who gave birth to a child | |
| Husband's child care leave after childbirth | Before and after childbirth | Possible for husband to take a leave of five days before and after childbirth | |
| Nursing care leave | From childbirth to the child becoming an elementary school student | Special leave of up to five days per child allowed when a child is sick other than yearly paid vacation time | |
| Subsidy for expenses for a home helper or a babysitter | – | Part of or all of such expenses is paid by the subsidy | |
| Use of BabyLife | During the leave for childbirth and the following child care leave | A mailing list "BabyLife" was set up to exchange mutual information and eliminate anxiety | |
| Family care leave | Up to 122 work days | Employees with a family member requiring long–term care | |
- (Note)Systems for flexible personnel change with regard to the transfer of spouses and transfers of employees having to meet child–care or family–care demands, and systems for providing financial support for club activities, supporting employees with childbirth–related needs, and other types of support are also in place.
| FY2008 | FY2009 | FY2010 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of employees on child–care leave | 883 (Incl. 280 men) | 952 (Incl. 275 men) | 1086 (Incl. 270 men) |
- (Note)Figures for men include men taking time off to support spouses giving birth.
Children's Visitation Day
Every August, Mizuho holds its "Children's Visiting Day" for the children of employees. On this day, children come to where their parents work to deepen their understanding of what their parents do in the workplace through observation and experience. In fiscal 2010, a total of 770 children visited their parents at group companies.
Children's Visiting Day
