This project was launched with the aim of reforming the workflow and workstyle of all employees to ensure the sustainable development of the Company. Productivity improvement requires three things: improved results, a reduced volume of work, and better work engagement. Improved results and a reduced work volume are equivalent to existing operational improvement. The productivity improvement envisioned by this project is aimed at “operational improvement × improvement of each employee’s work engagement.”
In FY2019, we focused on creating new ways of working in all departments, including via digitization, while working to unify similar operations. In a company-wide achievement, we used digital technology to systematize contract management and create a workflow for approval applications. In addition, as department- specific projects, we worked to improve internal operational flows, cut unnecessary meetings, and reduce the frequency of meetings. In addition, regarding the progress of these efforts, we strove to disseminate information through our in-house information portal site and enhance understanding through PR videos.
In FY2020, we expanded the scope of activities included in this reform from the head office to branches, refineries, and complexes across the country. As a result, at the end of FY2020, we achieved our target of curbing total operational hours by more than 10% from the FY2018 level.
Accessible via our intranet, the “DTK Portal Site” disseminates informational content aimed at enhancing the awareness of the DTK Project (DTK-PJ) among employees with the aims of winning their understanding of and empathies for the project and encouraging them to develop a sense of ownership and transform their behavior accordingly. As of February 2021, this website recorded about 244,000 views, with the number of unique visitors totaling about 9,200. To facilitate bidirectional communications between members of this project, we have also established the “DTK-PJ Community” via the use of Microsoft Teams. Having thus facilitated networking among employees, we have seen a total of 746 individuals who signed up for this community as of February 2021.
We have opened the “Yorozu Consultation Desk,” an in-house consultation desk designed to help employees resolve issues related to productivity and job satisfaction. When an employee seeks consultation, we assign experts with the ability to properly address their issues from among corporate department staff or external consultants. In this way, we extend ongoing support to the consulters until their issues are resolved. As of February 2021, the cumulative total number of consultations provided by this consultation desk amounted to more than 200.
We began holding study sessions and workshops for individuals appointed from various departments to promote the DTK Project to help them acquire useful insights and methods for pushing ahead with operational reforms. The study sessions are focused on helping attendees obtain knowledge and expertise, while the workshops are designed to equip them with practical capabilities to utilize input they acquired via study sessions. Currently, these events were held on 48 occasions in total, with the cumulative number of participants amounting to 1,600.
We have issued the DTK Guidebook, which summarizes insights and takeaways we have gleaned via our engagement in the DTK Project, which has so far spanned about two years. In the course of compiling this guidebook, we strove to feature easy-to-understand and useful descriptions of “tips, tricks and traps” regarding operational reform activities, targeting especially individuals who seek to launch such reforms. Looking ahead, we will strive to foster an open, flat and agile corporate culture by, for example, undertaking BPR through which we review conventional modes of operation and establish new processes.
In order to initiate the project, a kick-off meeting was held in which President Kito, Vice Chairman Kameoka, and the leader of each department attended. President Kito expressed his strong expectation for the project and determination to "complete the project as a management team", as well as the need to deepen business integration further. We could feel the enthusiasm from the departments’ leaders who are prepared with the improvement ideas arose from countless trials and errors in daily business operations. Finally, Vice Chairman Kameoka came up with his encouraging words, "Let's think about how much society and customers are expecting from our integration. Improving the quality of the integration starts from here, and all employees have must take the lead”.
In the first half of the workshop, practical training was conducted to understand the need for mutual understanding. In the second half, which is the team discussion, we shared our expectations and concerns regarding the progress of our project activities. On top of that, we also discussed about the project team’s role and technique in promoting DTK. The approach should not only come from the top but also from the middle and bottom to encourage better communication. As the discussion result, the team came up with the mission “Realizing corporate reform by optimizing various perspectives within the company regardless border through DTK Project”
We expanded the participants to all departments and conducted a mindset teambuilding to implement the project. In promoting the project to each department, we held workshops to comprehend better about the content (what to do) and the process (how is the feeling). Much of the training was devoted to discussion, and at the end, we established a team mission and action guidelines to "become a pioneer who revolves the spiral of work satisfaction and value creation as One Team!".