Japanese banks are now allowing systems like telecommuting and shorter work hours to help employees with young children. Mizuho Financial Group is about to introduce a system that allows some 23,000 employees at the holding company and its two banking units to work from home as early as September. The company has distributed secure tablet devices to all employees so that they can communicate by email or video. Earlier, Resona Holdings introduced a new job type, the ‘smart employee’, which includes shorter hours for those with very young children. Smart employees’ bonuses are some 30% lower than those of regular employees, but they will not be ordered to make transfers requiring a change of residence. For regular employees, reduced working hours are allowed until their children are three years old or for up to one year for nursing care. As of July 1, there were 177 smart employees at the three Resona group banks, including part-time workers who were promoted. Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp started allowing employees to work from home in 2014. By the end of July, 18,000 were eligible to do this, using dedicated personal computers handed out to those who need to care for family members. The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ too started allowing workers involved in child care or nursing care to telecommute.
