Interview with managers "Arai Green Co., Ltd."

Aiming to create a new style of landscaping where women play an active role (Senior Managing Director: Takasuke Arai)

Last updated on July 29, 2024.

Corporate introduction

Since its establishment in 1963, Arai Green Co., Ltd. has been involved in the construction of private gardens, public landscaping, greening, civil engineering, and park construction management. Currently, we are mainly engaged in park construction, planting management work, and park designated management work in Yokohama City. There are a total of 16 employees, of which 7 are female employees. This time, we spoke with Senior Managing Director Takasuke Arai about his efforts to create a place where women can play an active role in the landscaping industry.

Interview with directors of Arai Green Co., Ltd. and female employees

Question 1. How did you focus on hiring women?

Previously, we hired female employees as administrative staff based on the idea that "men work outside and women protect their homes." However, no matter how many times we recruited for new hires in the past few years, people have not gathered first. What I noticed was that there are many ambitious women with high educational background and versatile abilities who are willing to work at landscaping sites. That's why I went into active employment. In recent years, the world of landscaping has become necessary not only for the completion of construction, but also for the safety at the site, consideration for the area around the site, consideration for the area, cleaning up and cleaning the site, etc. I feel that the number of scenes that make use of the care and compassion unique to women has increased. We are now engaged in park designated management and other activities, and are actively expanding opportunities for women to demonstrate their abilities. In particular, with regard to the planning, operation, and public relations of events to be held in parks, we leave young female employees to deepen exchanges with local people, and now become the face of park management.

Question 2. What did you do in hiring women?

We, in the landscaping industry, had a low awareness of overtime and breaks, so we first worked to thoroughly leave the company on a regular basis and to understand and utilize the improved work rules for all employees. This is because no good rules can be achieved without the understanding and consent of the company and employees. To that end, we are focusing on creating an easy-to-talk atmosphere within the company. If you have to take a break immediately due to sudden illness or injury of your child or parents, as well as the employees themselves, if you don't have an atmosphere that can tell the company, it's meaningless to establish a system. The rules are designed to create a work environment in which the company, all employees, and their families can help each other to live rich and happy lives, so we value daily internal communication and information sharing. In addition, we talked with female employees, set up women-only changing rooms and renovated women's toilets. Changes in the design of uniforms and company vehicles. We also actively worked to create women-friendly workplaces such as the introduction of nokura trucks.

Question 3. What do you think are the benefits of small and medium-sized enterprises increasing the number of female employees?

With nearly half of our employees becoming women, the whole company has certainly become brighter. Communication between employees has increased not only in the office but also in the workplace, and each employee's behavior and behavior has changed to clearly conscious of the attention and manners of the people around them. These changes ultimately lead to a positive impression on our customers. We can say that this alone has a great effect, but I am glad that the participation of female employees has encouraged changes in awareness among existing employees. In the first place, strengthening the recruitment of women is one of the steps to expand our business, but the high expectations of female employees in our management team and the power of women to respond have stimulated our existing staff. Such revitalization within the company may be the biggest benefit brought by female employees.

Question 4. Do you have any expectations from the government for supporting the active participation of women?

In the landscaping industry, I would be glad if you could publicize more that more places of work where women can play an active role than before. Of course, self support's efforts are necessary, but with the message of the landscaping and civil engineering industry alone, I think it is difficult to dispel the image of the world of craftsmen and men's society. While you are misunderstood, you will not be counted as a place of employment, and you will not be seen by women. In fact, we have been conducting internships for several years. Until now, students from prefectural agricultural high schools and universities have been invited to conduct on-the-job training and in-house training at Hinochuuo Park. If you come to the internship, you can tell them that it is a rewarding job. Of course, the eligibility for internships is not limited to students. I would like you to use it for industry research and corporate research when you change jobs. It would be great if we could create such opportunities together with Yokohama City. For example, I would like you to introduce a number of female employees working at zoos such as ZOORASIA, and if possible, accept them as internships.

Voice of Female Employees

Eimi Kanai (Joined in 2016)

Photos of female employees

Previously, I was in charge of raising animals at the alpaca Farm in Yokohama. It was President Arai who came to the ranch with his grandson from time to time. It was decided that the ranch was closed, and the president asked me to call out. Originally, I liked interacting with flora and fauna, so I thought, "I had a connection," so I decided to take care of it. After joining the company, I learned a wide range of tasks, from on-site work to office work. Currently, I am in charge of designated management of parks in the city. We are focusing on creating parks that are friendly to users, such as holding cultivation guidance seminars at parks with rental farms and holding workshops on making Kadomatsu at the end of the year. It's been a year and a half since I changed jobs to this company, but I've never felt it's hard because I'm a woman. The employees are all friendly, and it is a comfortable workplace where you can consult anything. Senior Managing Director seems to aim for a new style of landscaping civil engineering company that increases the number of female employees and allows women to play an active role. If you are interested, please come and visit us.