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.
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.
Childbirth and Child Care Support System (Overview)
Work-Life Balance Support System
| 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 housemaid 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 | |
Number of Child-Care Leaves Taken
(Person)
| FY2007 | FY2008 | FY2009 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of employees on child-care leave | 443 | 606 | 686 |
