Work-life Balance Support

MUFG has introduced systems and programs to support employees who balance work, childcare and housework, regardless of gender. In addition, we strive to create a corporate culture that encourages all employees to work efficiently and productively in a flexible manner, by encouraging male employees to participate in childcare.

Pre- and post-parental leave training and programs that allow employees to have flexible work styles have been established to extend full support for continuous career development. Since FY2021, the Bank, the Trust Bank and the Securities have jointly held post-parental leave training programs to provide their employees with opportunities to think about workstyle after returning.

NICOS provides opportunities for employees, regardless of gender, with children in elementary school or younger to focus on themselves and exchange information on themes such as balancing work and childcare, their future career plan, and self-improvement.

As a component in creating an environment that facilitates taking parental leave and returning to work, they hold regular "communication circle" activities in which employees on childcare leave can exchange information with senior employees who have returned from leave. Upon employees' return to the job, they continue to provide support for balancing childcare with work, by means such as opportunities for individuals to consult with their managers on where and how they wish to work.

Since FY2016, the company has set a target of 100% participation in taking childcare leave. Starting in FY2019, the Bank is encouraging employees to take days off for 20 working days for childcare by combining 10-working-day paid childcare leave with 10-working-day annual paid leave, and it was named “Ten Plus Ten.” The company also internally showcased the best practices of employees utilising “Ten Plus Ten” leaves. Also, the HR team have proactively encouraged the eligible employees and their managers to recommend them to take the leave. To date, over 380 employees have taken the leave. In FY2021, we launched an employee community called "IkuKyari Lounge" on Microsoft Teams for working fathers and soon-to-be-fathers. In FY2022, we developed a mandatory e-learning program for people managers. The company encourages viewing childcare leave as an opportunity. It suggests utilizing it not only to understand the policies but also to implement a balanced work approach focused on productivity and efficiency. This initiative aims to achieve a well-balanced work-life integration and enhance team management skills. 

Since FY2019, the company has encouraged male employees to take childcare leave by setting a utilization rate of 100%. In October 2022, they established a Family Care Leave program urging employees to take one month off by the child's first birthday to emphasizes number of leave days. In addition, the company sends recommendation emails to the managers regarding male employees who have recently became fathers. The company also promotes leave-taking by offering examples of patterns for leave-taking and clarifying necessary procedures. We are fostering a culture in which active, planned leave-taking and participation in childcare by men is the norm so that male employees can play more active roles while balancing work and childcare.

Since FY2016, the company has been encouraging male employees to take childcare leave by setting a goal of 100%. The company is reaching out to eligible employees and their managers to provide information on the process of taking the childcare leave. Additionally. The company is featuring the childcare and household responsibilities of those who take leave in our internal communications, creating more opportunities for all employees to be aware of the balance between work, parenting, and household duties. Through these initiatives, the corporate culture is gradually emerging where male employees’ participation in childcare is becoming the norm. Recommendation of the “Ten Plus Ten” program has also started concurrently with the Bank.

The company is encouraging timely childcare leave uptake and recommending it to male employees who have not yet taken it through their respective department heads.

The company has published support booklets such as “HUGKumu,” aimed at helping male employees balance work and parenting, as well as ‘Casebook on  Overcoming the Challenges of First Grader’s School^(note),’ targeting employees struggling with  work-life balance after their child’s elementary school enrollment. These publications provide information and support to those balancing both responsibilities. It is a compilation of voices from parents sharing their childcare experiences, containing tips on how men can manage parenting and household responsibilities as well as insights into achieving a balanced work-life approach. This resource is not only intended to help those employees who are juggling work and childcare, but also serve as a valuable tool for managers and colleagues to understand the reality of balancing these responsibilities.

At MUFG, we have opened company-led nurseries at two locations in Tokyo to support the early return to work of approximately 4,200 employees^(note) who have taken childcare leave within the group, assisting in balancing both work and parenting responsibilities.

By 2025, all baby boomers in Japan (born between 1947 and 1949) will be 75 or older. An increase in the number of elderly people needing nursing care and the resulting increase in the number of people leaving jobs to take care of their family members are expected, which has become a primary social concern.

Under such circumstances, MUFG established a variety of support programs, in addition to the provision of a various information, to help employees balance work and caregiving so that they could continue to work while taking care of their family members in need of nursing care.

We provide information to employees of group companies to assist in balancing work and caregiving responsibilities. We used to hold seminars with approximately 800 employees from 40 group companies attending each session. However, due to the spread of the new coronavirus, since 2020, we have enhanced the distribution of on-demand seminar videos based on specific themes.

To help employees relate closely to the challenges of balancing work with caregiving responsibilities, in the fiscal 2022, we held a session, where employees served as speakers, sharing their experiences of work-life balance.

For our employees and their families, we have implemented a concierge service staffed by experts and a caregiving information website that allows employees to search for caregiving facilities and services.

We have established an environment where employees who are currently providing care as well as those who may be involved in caregiving in the future can consult with caregiving experts via phone or email. Additionally, they can gather information as needed.

We have issued a ‘Work and Caregiving Balance Support Handbook’ that contains fundamental information related to balancing work and caregiving responsibilities. This handbook provides essential tools to smoothly navigate the sudden onset of caregiving responsibilities.

We have issued a ‘Casebook‘ specifically for employees providing care, featuring practical challenges faced by experienced caregivers and preparations that should be made in advance. This casebook aims to support the establishment of a balanced caregiving and work arrangement. In addition, we have established “MUFG Carers”, an employee-led community on Microsoft Teams. This platform provides a space for employees who are balancing work and caregiving responsibilities to connect with each other and exchange information regarding their caregiving duties.

Considering the growing tendency of late marriage and other societal factors in Japan, MUFG is supporting employees undergoing infertility treatment while continuing to work.

Each of our major companies offers support systems, such as special paid leaves, a flexible work hour system, and other support programs that can be used regardless of gender.

MUFG published a guidebook to Support the Balancing of Work and Infertility Treatment for employees undergoing treatment, their managers and colleagues, and those who are considering treatment in the future. This guidebook aims to create a workplace environment, where employees find it easier to balance work and infertility treatment.

At MUFG, we actively leverage hybrid communication methods, combining in-person and virtual interactions. We are advancing a work system and a workplace environment that enables employees to work more autonomously and efficiently, tailored to their tasks and life stages without being bound by location or time. We aim to create a company where all employees can enhance their productivity, unleash creativity, and thrive with enthusiasm.