Magazine​

"Values" are essential for a company to achieve sustainable growth and adapt to change. At Archem Inc., every employee keeps these values in mind as they continue to take on various challenges in their daily work.

In this series, we will spotlight employees who are active on the front lines, and explore the culture of Archem through their struggles at work and the processes they went through to overcome them.

The first installment will focus on the value of "bringing together individual strengths," and will cover the rebuilding and relocation project of the Yokohama R&D Center, a research and development base located in Kanagawa Prefecture. (Post-relocation name (tentative): Archem Inc. Yokohama R&D Center, Inc.)

We spoke with Ms. Kimiyoshi Fujisawa of the General Affairs and Public Relations Department, who was in charge of everything from planning and designing the office space to its operation.

General Affairs and Human Resources Department, General Affairs and Public Relations Section
Fujisawa Kimi

This isn't just a simple "move." It's about creating a new way of working from scratch.

The Yokohama R&D Center supports Archem 's technological development. In the rebuilding and relocation project, Mr. Fujisawa was in charge of building the entire office environment, including designing the office layout, formulating security policies, and creating operational rules after the move.

Fujisawa:"This project wasn't simply about 'moving to a new, beautiful building.' We wanted to be involved from the very foundation of how our employees work and what kind of culture they create in this new environment."

While Ms. Fujisawa had experience with office layout changes in her previous job, this was her first time being involved in a project from the "zero" stage of building construction. Leveraging her existing knowledge, she embarked on the project with a mix of excitement and responsibility for venturing into uncharted territory.

| The challenge of finding "the right answer for everyone" that I faced while listening to the voices of over 100 people

The biggest challenge in moving the project forward was "how to consolidate the opinions of diverse stakeholders."

Ms. Fujisawa conducted face-to-face interviews with executives and department heads, held workshops, and even carried out a web survey targeting over 100 employees working on-site. She gathered a wide range of feedback, from the management's vision to the real needs of those on the ground.

(Above image) In the workshop, we exchanged opinions from various perspectives.

However, the more voices we gather, the more we hit a major wall.

Fujisawa:The opinions that came from the field were all "correct" answers rooted in daily work. However, given the constraints of budget and space, it was difficult to implement everything as is. While listening to everyone's requests, I really struggled to find a balance between prioritizing and satisfying everyone.

Up until now, decisions regarding the office environment were often made primarily by specific departments. While expectations rose that "our opinions would be heard," we continued to face the frustration of not being able to fulfill all of our requests.

| Find the underlying "common purpose" and bring it into a single form.

How did Ms. Fujisawa overcome this difficult challenge? Her approach involved thorough dialogue and a determination to uncover the "essential purpose."

Fujisawa: At first glance, the opinions seemed disparate, but upon closer examination, we realized that they all shared the same fundamental goal: "We want to make our work run more smoothly" and "We want to achieve better results as a team." We organized the perspectives of each individual, aligned our goals, prioritized them, and then negotiated and implemented solutions with the design company and construction contractors.

Furthermore, when selecting a contractor, Ms. Fujisawa emphasized whether they "not only create the space, but also have a process that carefully incorporates the voices of the employees." She achieved a significant result by thoroughly reviewing the specifications while maintaining functionality and design, and completing the order.

| Towards a vibrant space where you can choose the working style that suits you best.

This new office, born from the collective aspirations of each and every employee, offers a diverse range of options not found in previous workplaces.

• "Web private rooms/focus desks" where you can concentrate and immerse yourself in your work.

• A meeting area with a whiteboard where teams can easily share ideas.

- "Free address" system fosters spontaneous conversations across departments.

Furthermore, to accommodate diverse lifestyles and work styles, we have paved the way for implementing telework, which had previously been difficult to introduce.

Fujisawa:We're changing from a style where employees work silently at assigned desks to an environment where they can choose their workspace according to the day's tasks and their mood. I hope that the new office will help employees work more energetically and become a place where new interactions across departments can take place.

Interior design image. This allows you to choose a work style that suits your daily tasks and mood.

| Our Guiding Principles: What does "bringing together individual strengths" mean to Mr. Fujisawa?

At Archem, one of the company's shared values is "combining individual strengths." Finally, we asked Mr. Fujisawa what this phrase means to him.

Fujisawa-san:

It's about leveraging differences in perspectives and opinions, and working together to create the optimal solution that no one could achieve alone.

Through this project, I was reminded once again that different positions and departments offer different perspectives. Issues that I could never have noticed from my own viewpoint alone were resolved thanks to the opinions of many people, allowing us to find the best solution. Since this office was created by gathering everyone's wisdom and thoughts, it would be wonderful if you would use it with affection from now on.

| Next episode preview

Ms. Fujisawa carefully listened to the voices of over 100 people with different positions and values, and through persistent dialogue, transformed them into a new office space. It was a story that truly embodied the idea of "bringing together the strengths of individuals."

Next episode (Vol. 2) preview:

"Making challenges a habit" - Kyoko Hata, Sales Department

Mr. Hata has expanded his activities beyond domestic sales to include overseas sales. We will explore the "driving force behind his courageous pursuit of new challenges." Please look forward to it!