Enhancing job satisfaction and pride

The Bridgestone Group has adopted the following approach to enhancing job satisfaction and pride.

 

In line with our approach, we have put in motion plans to improve HR programs at each Group company and conducted training for human resource coordinators. We are steadily improving our human resource and compensation systems and our education and training programs and ensuring consistency across the Group.

One of the Bridgestone Group’s human resource policies is to optimize our human resources across the Group. We conduct ongoing selective medium and long-term education programs designed to develop key talent with the ability to guide and support future Group management.

Our Global Manufacturing Education Centre (G-MEC) was established in 2007 with a mission to develop manufacturing-sector human resources who can implement the Bridgestone manufacturing way. G-MEC uses three pillars to expand our global manufacturing human resources: the standard human resource development program, the train-the-trainer program, and systemization of manufacturing resources development.

The Bridgestone Group has about 180 manufacturing plants and R&D facilities in 26 countries. Bridgestone focuses on maintaining and enhancing production at all plants so that we can make and supply quality products consistent with standards, and ensure self-directed, high levels of production. To that end, we established promotion structures in each region: C-MEC (China), AP-MEC (Asia), E-MEC (Europe), BRISA-MEC (Middle East), NA-MEC (North America), and SA-MEC (South America). Promotion leaders, or “Masters”, are trained and appointed to each strategic business unit or facility as the key person for promoting education and post-education activities and encouraging more earnest effort at individual facilities.

Number of Masters (as December 2018)

Each of the Bridgestone Group's four major regions (Japan, Americas, EMEA, and China-Asia-Pacific) conducts annual or bi-annual employee engagement/satisfaction surveys.

We use the Korn Ferry engagement survey in Americas and the Denison culture survey in EMEA and China-Asia-Pacific.

In Japan, we conduct an annual satisfaction survey of all employees, which covers a broad range of personnel policies including work, workplace, and compensation. Survey results are reported to our executives, and feedback provided employees via our intranet and internal posters.

In 2018, we achieved a survey response rate of 93.2%, with “General workplace attractiveness” receiving an average of 3.20 points (equivalent to the previous year) out of a possible 5.0 points, while “General attractiveness of the company” earned an average of 3.26 points (also 3.27 points in the previous year). We will continue to conduct these surveys and to include the results in the formulation and development of new measures and improvement efforts to enhance future workplace communication.

* Full score: 5