2025/03/25
Our company is working to create an environment where all employees can continue to play an active role as part of a team, and as a concrete example, we are implementing Active Team Building Activity (hereinafter referred to as ATBA). Unlike general QC activities, this activity aims to create a comfortable working environment for everyone through honest discussions, increasing psychological safety so that employees can get to know each other better and communicate with peace of mind. As a result, it is a workplace activity that aims not only to improve workplace productivity but also to expand the total work-life of each individual. This year, 13 teams and 112 people participated in the activity for half a year.
What is a psychologically safe workplace?
A workplace with high psychological safety is one where everyone can speak and act with confidence, regardless of age, experience, etc. To achieve this, ATBA values the following:
① Be proactive, positive, equal and free to speak
② Trying to understand the other person
3. Accept things as they are without judging them.
④ Listen to the background
⑤ Prioritize a sense of satisfaction
How well do you know the person next to you?
The first step of ATBA was self-introductions. We talked freely about our hobbies, careers, dreams and aspirations, etc. Not only did we discover unexpected hobbies and common skills, which increased the amount of conversation we could have, but some teams also invited department members and their families to participate in various outside activities. We learned new sides of our members that we would not have known through everyday conversations, and our mutual understanding deepened.
How to achieve the vision you want?
Each team held an ATBA meeting about once a week to discuss various topics such as the team's mission, the gap between the desired state and reality, and what should be done to realize the desired state. In addition to activities within the team, the team also took on a wide range of initiatives, such as holding study sessions involving other groups and introducing technical documents.
Leaders Talk
A dialogue was held between the ATBA leaders and the company president, Mr. Akiyama. The talk started with a discussion about hobbies, and the leaders discussed their worries and difficulties as leaders with Mr. Akiyama. It was impressive to see the members nodding deeply in agreement when Mr. Akiyama said, "I always try to smile. There is data that shows that if a leader smiles, meeting time is reduced by 10%."
What lies ahead for ATBA
The ATBA report session, which was the culmination of the program, was held over two days. 105 people participated in the session, including President Akiyama, Vice President Kamiya, and the executives and managers of the participating teams.
There were many positive comments from the presenters, such as "If I'm in trouble, I want to consult with them, and I want them to listen to me," "I realized that the other members were also thinking about the same issues that I felt, and we were able to work together as a team to solve them," and "I gained more knowledge outside of the products I was in charge of, and we were able to communicate more about technical matters." There was also an active Q&A session, making it a great opportunity for mutual learning.
Conclusion
ATBA, which began in 2021, has had 58 teams and 445 people participate so far. We will continue to promote psychological safety and the creation of a workplace where everyone can thrive.