Combining data analysis and interviews to uncover challenges and deliver holistic solutions.

At Nikken, we embrace the 'spirit of paid volunteerism', leading initiatives that others may hesitate to take on. To foster this, it is essential for our employees to stay energized and motivated. Thus, we have introduced initiatives such as using business names and the 'San-San Movement', where employees are addressed by names instead of titles. A key focus has been our Employee Awareness Survey.

Although we have been conducting these surveys for a long time, we faced two challenges. First, the company-wide survey didn’t capture detailed insights due to our 200+ locations. Second, without detailed data, it was difficult to address challenges and fully utilize the results. Recognizing the need for follow-up, we turned to Human Link to help address these challenges and ensure the survey leads to meaningful improvements.

In 2024, we asked Human Link to analyze survey data and conduct interviews at several of our branches to explore factors that could improve employee engagement, a key metric related to organizational culture. Combining data-driven insights with on-the-ground perspectives helped us identify our organization’s strengths, weaknesses, and challenges. Human Link visited the branches to understand the working environment, and with the materials we provided, they were able to engage deeply and identify key issues.

As a result, coordination between headquarters and branches has improved. Previously, branches were unclear about the intent behind the survey and the division of responsibilities. With clearer goals, both headquarters and branches can now collaborate with each other more effectively. Additionally, providing tailored feedback to each branch helped them connect more with the results and take concrete actions.

We identified three key areas for improvement in future surveys and analyses through this new initiative.

First, we aim to conduct more detailed analyses across more branches, as the seven we focused on this time represent only a portion of the diverse challenges we face.

Second, we need to engage every employee in addressing company and organizational challenges to foster a sense of ownership in them. While feedback was given to branch managers, future efforts must involve key players at all levels, from leaders to individual employees.

Lastly, we seek to better capture the varied opinions from different roles across our small offices. With employees in diverse roles, their perspectives on challenges differ even within a single branch, so we aim to gather more specific, granular feedback to address those differences effectively.