JICA is promoting various personnel initiatives and work-style reforms aimed at enabling every staff member to actively maximize their potential as a development professional, which will lead to enhanced productivity and thus achieve the ultimate goal of greater work quality.
JICA Family Day (workplace tour).
Promoting “Work-Style Reform”
From FY2015, JICA began its “Smart JICA Project” for work-style reform, with the four main goals of (1) further strengthening the balance between work/career development and life; (2) strengthening efforts aimed at balancing family life with overseas assignments and business trips; (3) promoting male participation in childcare; and (4) controlling overtime work and encouraging the taking of paid leave. As a result, the number of days of paid leave taken throughout the organization rose by 10.7% between 2015 and 2019, along with a 5.2% reduction in overtime hours worked, and in 2018 JICA was the only public entity selected as one of the “Top Hundred Telework Pioneers” by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, demonstrating the high external regard for our efforts.
Then, in FY2017, we expanded the scope of our existing work-style reform goals and efforts with the formulation of “SMART JICA 2.0.” This clarified that work-style reform must be addressed by the entire organization under the leadership of management, and established a PDCA cycle with progress to be confirmed at meetings such as those of the board.
This effort was then further scaled up in 2019 under “SMART JICA 3.0: Teamwork in Diversity,” which marked 10 years since the establishment of the new JICA in 2009. In addition to existing initiatives, efforts have been made to foster teamwork that creates new value through diversity and to improve our growth environment. In addition, with the spread of COVID-19 in 2020, efforts were made to implement greater flexibility with the work-from-home system, further update IT tools to improve the telework environment, and make working hours more flexible to avoid peak commuting times, among other endeavors.
Launch event of JICA’s internal activity “Every little consideration matters.”
Initiatives for the Realization of Diverse Work Styles
Based on the Smart JICA plans, efforts are being made to promote women’s empowerment and to employ persons with disabilities, as part of our aim to create a work environment in which diverse human resources can play an active role.
Promotion of Women’s Empowerment
In March 2022, the “Action Plan to Support Next Generation Development and the Promotion of Women’s Empowerment (period: April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2027)” (Note 1) was formulated as an action plan for the next five years in relation to balancing childcare/nursing care with work, as well as realizing women’s empowerment. Once a year within the organization, the “Committee on the Promotion of Support for Next Generation Development and Planning for the Promotion of Women’s Empowerment ” meets, consisting of the Director of Human Resources as Chairperson and other regular employees, to formulate an annual action plan and check on its status of implementation.
In terms of increasing the ratio of women in management positions, the target of 27% or higher was set as a management issue for the 5th Medium-term Plan (April 2022-March 2027), and as of the end of FY2022 the figure was 23.2%. It should be noted that we have already reached the Japanese government’s target for the ratio of women in management positions at all incorporated administrative agencies (18% by March 2026).
These efforts to promote work-style reforms and the empowerment of women have also been recognized outside the organization with various awards, and have been introduced in the media as advanced initiatives.
Initiatives to Employ Persons with Disabilities
JICA is working to promote the employment of persons with disabilities in an effort to achieve diversity and inclusion. “Regular Meetings to Promote the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities ” are held every two months, with regular employees as attendees, to promote awareness through information sharing and e-learning within the company.
We also make efforts through our projects to promote diversity and inclusion in developing countries.
Diverse Work Styles to Achieve Work-Life Balance
Working at JICA invariably requires overseas transfers and work trips. At the same time, each individual faces a variety of life events and responsibilities such as childbirth, childcare, nursing care, and the treatment of illness. JICA is thus working to realize diverse work styles that provide support for a healthy work-life balance.
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