Initiatives Against COVID-19

We established the Crisis Management Task Force in February 2020 to ensure the continuation of our business activities and to provide a safe and secure work environment for our employees. Since then, we have continued to implement measures to address COVID-19.

The GIKEN Group participated in workplace vaccinations that allowed all employees, regardless of age, to receive vaccinations at a certain speed. This initiative has allowed employees working on-site or at factories, where teleworking is difficult, to carry out their duties with peace of mind. Vaccinations were carried out at each site as follows, and most employees who requested the vaccination had completed two doses as of the end of August 2021.

Kochi
The Kochi Machinery Industrial Development Cooperative Society organised workplace vaccinations starting in July 2021. GIKEN provided the vaccination site and assisted with its operation.
・Vaccination site: Kochi Head Office of GIKEN
・Eligible recipients: Kochi Machinery Industrial Development Cooperative Society employees (including partner companies) and their family members (aged 12 and older) as well as employees of nearby companies
・Vaccination period:
<First and second vaccinations> July 6, 2021, to October 7, 2021
<Third vaccination> March 17, 2022, to June 9, 2022

Tokyo
Following a referral from an industrial physician, employees of the GIKEN Group and their family members who wished to receive the vaccine participated in workplace vaccinations organised by another company.
・Vaccination period:
<First and second vaccinations> July 13, 2021, to August 12, 2021, and August 2, 2021, to September 4, 2021
<Third vaccination> February 17, 2022, to June 30, 2022

Response for Employees Outside the Kochi and Tokyo Areas
We also invited employees working at sales offices located far from the vaccination sites to participate. Those who wished to do so were able to participate in workplace vaccinations in Kochi or Tokyo with all transportation costs covered by the company.
Eligible business offices: Hokkaido Sales Office, Tohoku Sales Office (Miyagi), Kansai Factory (Hyogo), Kansai Sales Office (Osaka), Kyushu Sales Office (Fukuoka)

We introduced a COVID-19 vaccination leave (special leave) system to enable our employees and their families to receive COVID-19 vaccinations with peace of mind as they rolled out nationwide.

For Employees
・Vaccine can be administered during working hours
・Special leave granted to employees experiencing side effects after vaccination (one day per vaccination)

For Family Members of Employees
• Special leave granted to employees if their family members require care due to side effects after vaccination (one day per vaccination)

We introduced teleworking in March 2020 in response to the spread of COVID-19.

This was initially a temporary measure to respond to the spread of the infection, but we decided to continue it as a new way of working even after the end of the pandemic. We formalised the system in September 2020 and established a new remote work allowance.

Telework Allowance
A standard payment of 30,000 yen was paid to all employees of the group in June 2020 (including contract and part-time employees)
*Subsequently, payments for new and mid-career hires are made in June of the year after being hired.

Remote Work Allowance
A maximum of 6,000 yen per month is paid based on the number of days worked from home

We are refraining from non-essential business trips and conducting online meetings as one of our measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. However, business trips may be necessary for operations such as on-site work or sales promotion activities.

Therefore, to prevent infection, introduction of the virus, and creation of close contacts, we are providing antigen test kits to all employees who will be on business trips for five consecutive days or more and conducting tests after the completion of their business trips. Similarly, we are conducting pre-transfer tests for employees who are being transferred.

Nationwide
・Notifying employees of thorough infection prevention measures
・Daily temperature checks and fever monitoring
・Installing droplet prevention partitions and alcohol-based disinfectants
・Full telework in areas with widespread infection
・Staggered breaks (lunch breaks)
・Promoting and establishing remote meetings
・Holding company events online
・Priority sale of surgical masks to employees
・Supporting with food and daily necessities as needed (dropoff delivery)

Tokyo Area
・Full telework during states of emergency
・Staggered working hours

Kochi Head Office
・Achieved a maximum 90% reduction in attendance at the Kochi Head Office through telework
・Continuously distributing country-specific information on measures against COVID-19 to overseas subsidiaries and business offices

Overseas subsidiaries and business offices are implementing infection control measures in accordance with the policies of each country, in addition to the same measures as those implemented in Japan.