Early establishment of a specialized human resource development institution to support employee reskilling

Azbil Corporation changed its name from Yamatake Corporation in April 2012 and completely revamped its management structure, setting forth three fundamental policies: 1) Being a long-term partner for the customer and the community by offering solutions based on our technologies and products , 2) Taking global operations to the next level by expansion into new regions and a qualitative change of focus , 3) Being a corporate organization that never stops learning, so that it can continuously grow stronger. In practicing these policies in our business activities, it is important to develop human resources who can keep up with changes in the times and the market and take on business and operational transformation. Accordingly, Azbil established the Azbil Academy in November 2012 as a human resource development institution independent of its existing business and staff divisions. We have established a training and education system that integrates stratified education such as training for new and mid-career employees that had previously been conducted by the Human Resources Department, as well as function-specific education that had been handled individually by the Building Systems Company, Advanced Automation Company, R&D departments, and service departments. We have also worked to develop human resources that can adapt to changes in the business environment while supporting the career development of each employee.

At the time, there were few examples of a company setting up such an independent institution to develop human resources within its organization. However, as the company’s business structure changed, and production was transferred to overseas bases and the roles of its domestic factories changed, many people were transferred between companies and job functions, and employees were required to learn different ways of working and acquire knowledge about products and services. The Azbil Academy has positioned educational support for such employees as a key pillar of its efforts and has been ahead of the times in providing opportunities for reskilling for over 10 years.

Developing a variety of educational programs to respond to changes in the market environment and society

Currently, reskilling often targets the area of digital transformation (DX)^＊2. At the Azbil Academy, we also place emphasis on developing so-called DX talents, which involves acquiring the skills and fostering the mindset to utilize digital technologies and bring about business transformation through their use. Specific educational content includes various training programs to foster IT literacy, including information security, as well as courses such as work-shops designed to conceive of services utilizing digital technologies like cloud computing, ultimately leading to proposals aimed at commercialization.

In addition, new educational measures, in response to changes in society and the business environment, are being launched and implemented. Diversity education is one example, aimed at building an organization that understands the diversity of its workers, allows each person to make the most of their knowledge and abilities, and increases corporate competitiveness. By bringing together personnel from each company across the azbil Group, this training also aims to foster horizontal relationships between employees that transcend company boundaries. We also promote a mentor system in which experienced employees (mentors) provide individual assistance to junior employees to resolve issues and problems they face in the workplace, as well as training for on-site personnel who can act as mentors.

At the same time, we are also focusing on future-oriented training aimed at developing the next generation of leaders. This unique training program asks young employees to freely imagine the future of Azbil, as it should be 10 to 100 years from now, with no right answers.

Azbil Future Compass is a seminar held jointly with the Tokyo Institute of Technology’s Future Society Design Institute. They envision Azbil’s future, planning and considering ways to solve business issues and develop new businesses.

The global training, which resumed after being suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, brought together azbil Group employees from Japan and overseas to discuss the issues they face and compile recommendations. The connections built during this time will be useful in their future work.

New employee training. The students looked at the structure of a boiler that produces hot water for air conditioning and the Azbil products that are installed in it (left), and learned about the basics of automatic control using actual equipment (right).

Detailed support for career autonomy aimed at all generations, from young to veteran

In addition to these educational activities, Azbil Academy supports employees in taking the initiative in building their own careers in a changing environment. One initiative being undertaken towards this career autonomy is the holding of roundtable discussions known as Career Cafes. The event is aimed at employees in their 10s to 20s, and 30s to 40s, and provides a casual, cafe-like atmosphere for participants to discuss their careers. Career Cafes start from the basics of what a career is, recent trends in career thinking, and what kind of career construction Azbil expects from its employees. For employees who wish to have indepth consultations about their careers, individual consultations are offered by Azbil Academy members who are qualified career consultants, thus supporting career autonomy.

Moreover, it is increasingly common in Japan these days to find veteran employees between the ages of 65 and 70 actively working in companies. In light of this trend, even before the establishment of the Academy, Azbil had been holding career and life planning seminars for employees who had turned 55 years old. In response to the current social situation, the seminar also offers a program that encourages veterans to think about how they can envision their future careers and how they can reskill.

Through human resource development activities centered on the above-mentioned education and career support tailored to each employee’s age, the Azbil Academy aims to ensure that all employees of Azbil and the azbil Group are able to thrive and increase their engagement with the company. Specifically, we have set “Strengthening the foundation for solving social issues through health, well-being management^＊3 and continuous learning” as one of our basic goals for the SDGs, and we aim to achieve a satisfaction rate of over 65% among employees working within the Group, and a rate of over 65% of employees feeling growth through their work, by the fiscal year 2030.

Going forward, the azbil Group aims to develop a workforce in which each employee can demonstrate their capabilities with confidence and enthusiasm while making the most of their individuality, thereby contributing to people, companies, society, and the global environment, and ultimately providing greater value to customers and society.