Five companies -ITOKI CORPORATION, Kao Corporation, TOHO LEO Co., Ltd., Nishikawa Corporation, and Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd. - launched the "Marunouchi Work Culture Lab" (hereinafter referred to as "the Project") today, Friday, July ³¹, 2020. The project aims to verify, propose, and put into practice a work culture for the future that will realize both the well-being*1 (health and happiness) of each individual and the sustainable growth of companies. Going forward, they plan to plan and implement demonstration experiments based on surveys, and widely publicize the results of their efforts.

In light of the current social situation amid the COVID-19 pandemic, in which working from home and other working styles that differ from the traditional style centered on office work are being tried out, this project will verify and analyze working styles that balance the well-being of each individual with the sustainable growth of the company, and propose and disseminate a new work culture for the future.

In addition to utilizing the knowledge of the five companies, the demonstration and analysis will involve extracting hypotheses through interviews with experts in various fields and surveys of workers attitudes, and then conducting demonstration experiments and analysis of the hypotheses to propose new work styles from a variety of perspectives. The results of the initiative are expected to be widely published in the form of a white paper at the end of fiscal year 2020.

Through this initiative, the five companies aim to propose a new work culture that balances the well-being of individuals with the sustainable growth of companies, and to provide new value to people, organizations, and society.

• This project was launched based on the idea that if the goals of each employee at participating companies are aligned with the company's vision and goals, and they proactively choose work styles that maximize their abilities, then each individual's well-being (health and happiness) can be achieved simultaneously with the sustainable growth of the company.
• As the line between on and off becomes blurred when working from home, our preliminary research suggested that in order to be most productive at work, it is effective to put the mind and body in a "certain state and environment." Therefore, we decided to re-analyze this mechanism and attempt to hypothesize and verify the effectiveness of this, as well as methods for achieving that state and environment.
• This "certain state or environment" is a "time" or "space" that does not belong to either the "on" state where you are working or the "off" state where you are not working. We also hypothesized that it would be important to create a "neutral" relationship, somewhere between official and private, that differs from the "human relationships" found in conventional, typical workplaces, and we felt that this might provide a hint for a new way of working.
• This time, participating companies will pool their resources and conduct various investigations and verifications to carry out activities to design this "neutral" state and environment.

To launch this project, a "survey on health and work styles during the COVID-19 pandemic" was conducted at the end of May 2020 targeting users of the "Marunouchi Health Company" app operated by Mitsubishi Estate. The survey revealed that with the majority of people working from home, the ability to "switch between on and off" is recognized as a major health issue.

Survey results (excerpts)

• Work-from-home situation as of the end of May
  • Approximately 80% of people work from home at least one day a week, and more than half work from home five days a week or more.
  • Of those who live with family members, roughly half have family members who also work from home.

• Health challenges under a state of emergency
  • When asked about their health concerns, about 70% of people answered "lack of exercise," followed by "weight," "switching between on and off," "eye fatigue," and "stiff shoulders."
  • Of these, about a quarter of people answered that the thing that has the greatest impact on their work is "switching between on and off."

• What initiatives do you think are effective in improving your concentration at work?
  • With the majority of people now working from home, the most common ways to improve concentration at work are to "go for a walk/walk," "drink a drink," "take a nap," and "stretch/exercise."
    Many people practice methods that don't take much time and can be done by one person.

Survey name: "Survey on work styles and health during the COVID-19 pandemic"
Survey period: Wednesday, May 20, 2020 to Sunday, May 31, 2020
Target audience: Marunouchi Health Company app users
Number of respondents: 153
Survey content: Questions about changes in work style and health status before and after the request to refrain from going out (19 questions in total)

In addition to these questionnaire surveys, we plan to conduct interviews with experts and additional questionnaire surveys of workers, and use the results to plan and design the demonstration content of this project. We will also ask the following experts and specialists to participate in the planning and consideration of future demonstrations, and will develop them with their advice.

• Mr. Mizuhito Aoto
  He dropped out of high school in Japan. He graduated from UCLA with a degree in neuroscience. He is using his knowledge of the brain not only for medicine but also for the development of human growth and well-being. A pioneer in Japan in applied neuroscience for being. NeuroEdTech(R)︎/NeuroHRTech(R)︎ He is also pioneering a new field called "neural biology." He is primarily active as a neuroinventor and holds several patents. In order to create a new world for human growth and well-being, he founded DAncing Einstein Co., Ltd. in 2014 and has been active in areas ranging from preschool children to executives of major companies, spatial design, art, health, and sports.
  
  
• Yoshiki Ishikawa
  Preventive medicine researcher, Doctor of Medicine
  Born in Hiroshima Prefecture in 1981. Graduated from the Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, completed the Harvard University Graduate School of Public Health, and obtained a PhD in Medicine from Jichi Medical University. Representative director of the public interest foundation Wellbeing for Planet Earth. Conducts interdisciplinary research with companies and universities on the theme of "What is a Good Life?" Specializes in preventive medicine, behavioral science, computational creativity, and conceptual evolution. Recent publications include Full Life (NewsPicks Publishing) and The Power of Keeping Thinking (Chikuma Shinsho).
  
  
• Yuri Ishimatsu
  Representative of DOT.RECIPE
  After graduating from university, I have 16 years of experience as a registered dietitian. He has provided nutritional advice to over 50,000 people. In the area of sports nutrition, he provides individual support for the nutritional training of top athletes around the world, including the Japanese national soccer team. He is currently working on a book called "He is currently promoting "Conditioning Food." He is working to help people achieve their aspirations with his "tricky nutritional science" that does not compromise on deliciousness.
  
  
• Shunichi Tanaka
  Chairman of Minato Mirai Medical Corporation
  Visiting Professor, Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama City University
  Japan Diabetes Society Specialist/Instructor
  After graduating from the Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, he graduated from the Yokohama City University School of Medicine. After that, he became an assistant professor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in the United States, a professor at the International University of Health and Welfare, and a professor at Yokohama City University. Minato Mirai Medical Corporation, where more than 1,000 sleep apnea patients visit As the representative of the company, he operates eight clinics in the Tokyo metropolitan area, aiming to realize scientific medical care by digitizing daily patient data. We are active every day in this area.

We will develop various demonstrations focusing on "time," "space," and "human relationships" that bring about neutral conditions and environments.

• time...
  Nap, meditation, tea time, lunch time, etc.
• space...
  Shared spaces within the office, corridors and staircases connecting work spaces, concentration rooms, relaxation rooms, nap rooms, tourist spots and campsites, etc.
• Relationships...
  Club activities both within and outside the company, study sessions and social gatherings, Marunouchi Morning University (※3), etc.

Issues will be identified based on the results of the demonstration project and additional verification will be carried out as necessary.

Identifying and verifying issues

• Examining differences by generation and occupation:
  As it is assumed that neutral spaces, times, and human relationships will differ depending on generation and occupation, we will examine them by generation and occupation and propose working styles that are appropriate for each generation and occupation.
• Verification of organizational culture and systems necessary for realization:
  Based on interviews with experts, we will make suggestions on what kind of organizational culture, systems, rules, etc. would be desirable for each individual to be able to choose their own working style.
• Data-based validation:
  To make it easier for companies to introduce this policy, verification will be conducted based on objective data obtained using sensing equipment and subjective data obtained through surveys, etc.

We plan to compile the results of our efforts in 2020 into a white paper and publish it.

For your reference: Company overview

• ITOKI CORPORATION
  Head office location: Nihonbashi Takashimaya Mitsui Building, 2-5-1 Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
  Established: April 20, 1950
  Capital: 5,294,000,000 yen (as of December 31, 2019)
  Business description: We support the creation of a wide range “Space," “Environment," and “Place" with a wide range of products including office furniture, logistics equipment, ICT and audiovisual equipment, building materials and interior equipment, and home furniture.
  Number of employees: 2,022 (Consolidated): 4,151 (As of December 31, 2019)
  Representative: President and CEO Yoshiro Hirai
  

  Company website: https://www.itoki.jp/
  
  

• Kao Corporation
  Head office location: 1-14-10 Nihonbashi Kayabacho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
  Founded: May 21, 1940
  Capital: 85,424,265,916 yen (as of December 31, 2019)
  Business Description: We operate a consumer products business aimed at general consumers in four business fields: Cosmetics, Skin Care & Hair Care, Human Health Care, and Fabric & Home Care. In the Chemical business field, we offer a wide range of chemical products that precisely meet the needs of the industrial sector.
  Number of employees: 7,905 (Consolidated: 33,603) (As of December 31, 2019)
  Representative: Michitaka Sawada, Representative Director and President
  

  Company website: https://www.kao.com/jp/
  
  

• Toho Leo Co., Ltd.
  Head office location: 1-1-28 Uemachi, Chuo-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture
  Established: January 23, 1965
  Capital: 96 million yen
  Business description: Proposing new lifestyles through urban greening and community building through greenery, external insulation for energy conservation measures, rooftop living, etc. We are working on city development through green infrastructure that encompasses technology, design, development and operation.
  Number of employees: 245 (as of 2018)
  Representative: Toshio Tachibana, Chairman and CEO
  President and CEO Minoru Yoshikawa
  

  Company website: https://www.toho-leo.co.jp/
  
  

• Nishikawa Co., Ltd.
  Head office: 8-8 Tomizawacho, Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
  Founded: 1566
  Established: June 1947
  Capital: 100,000,000 yen
  Business operations: Manufacturing, processing, buying and selling, import and export of textile products (bedding, towels, interior goods, baby goods), manufacturing, processing, buying and selling, import and export of medical equipment, measuring equipment, diagnostic equipment, health equipment, nursing care products, nursing care equipment. Data analysis and information provision services using the Internet, licensing, maintenance and management of intangible property rights such as patents.
  Number of employees: 1,685 (as of February 1, 2019)
  Representative: President and CEO Yasuyuki Nishikawa (also known as Hachiichiyuki)
  

  Company website: https://www.nishikawa1566.com/
  
  

• Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd.
  Head office location: Otemachi Park Building, 1-1-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
  Founded: May 7, 1937
  Capital: 142,279,066,281 yen (as of May 22, 2020)
  Business operations: Development, rental, and management of office buildings and commercial facilities, development and asset management of profitable real estate, development and sales of residential and industrial land, operation of leisure facilities, buying and selling of real estate, brokerage, and consulting.
  Number of employees: 903 (Consolidated: 9,619) (As of March 31, 2020)
  Representative: Junichi Yoshida, President and CEO
  

  Company website: http://www.mec.co.jp