Supporting employees to thrive in an era of rapid change: Considering "growth support"

Handa: The lineup included manga and business books, striking a balance between serious and light topics, old and new. I found the exhibition fascinating myself. Many employees actually stopped to look or picked up books, so I think it served as a first step toward learning for them.

Sasaki: For our original MOOC, we also featured ProPickers under the theme "Viewing Dentsu Inc. from the Outside and Proposing Its Future Vision." This too might have been possible precisely because they could view Dentsu Inc. objectively.

Handa: We featured prominent figures like Sasaki-san and Sadoshima-san from Cork, and this was a hugely stimulating initiative for employees. Including other content prepared for INPUT!365, we deliberately avoided covering the fundamentals of the advertising business. However, the MOOC, being newly filmed and tailored specifically for Dentsu Inc., generated significant employee feedback.

Even busy employees overwhelmed by work said it was "a great way to learn condensed knowledge in a short time," so it was a good fit.

Sasaki: The MOOC breaks each lecture into bite-sized segments, like 3 minutes × 6 episodes. This aims for easy viewing during spare moments, but the time constraints also force the instructors to focus strictly on the core content, which actually makes the material more dense (laughs).

However, I feel the rule favoring bite-sized content might change with the spread of COVID-19. Previously, the focus was on utilizing spare moments, but as remote work becomes the norm, commuting time disappears, creating more "free time." Additionally, over the past few months, we've seen actual growth in needs like "listening while doing other things," such as increased radio listeners.

In terms of learning, constantly facing books at home can be tough, right? Unlike commuter trains, you might have more freedom to use space. Considering this, "multitasking" and "interaction through video or audio" might become key concepts.

Handa: Indeed, employee access to eLearning and sign-ups for online seminars have increased compared to before the pandemic. There's a growing need for input that's easy to incorporate into remote work.

Sasaki: Online formats struggle to foster deep interaction, so we're still experimenting with how to create content for these "new lifestyles." I think Disneyland offers a hint for blending online and offline approaches. Many fans primarily engage online—buying merchandise, gathering information—and visit the park maybe once or twice a year, if that.

In terms of "creating value with limited offline touchpoints," there might be a secret to reducing the frequency of in-person seminars while enhancing their value. I suppose this is just a hypothesis at this point (laughs).

Handa: Regarding offline value, our "INPUT!Hour" program, running since May 2019, hosts company-wide lectures under the concept of "creating one day a month dedicated to learning."

It's designed to get employees who weren't previously proactive about self-improvement to start learning and to help establish a habit of learning. Even employees who never attended traditional training sessions are starting to come as awareness of "INPUT!Hour" grows. Ultimately, we'd love to see them shift towards self-directed learning.

While we transitioned online due to the pandemic, we firmly believe there is unique experiential value that can only be gained offline. We are considering how to consciously create opportunities for such experiences.

A great opportunity to build a "learning form" for your future self

Handa: As INPUT!365 enters its second year, I feel how we provide learning opportunities remains a theme we should continue to refine. For companies with a certain number of employees, the perspective of "Why does that person shine?" could be one catalyst.

Sasaki: Analyzing colleagues you admire from an input perspective and turning them into role models is also a great approach.

Handa: For employees who have set such goals, we want to aim for a state where learning content is always accessible.

Sasaki: A key factor boosting learning is when career plans align with work. This naturally makes work goals overlap with life goals, ultimately increasing both the quality and quantity of input.

While companies can facilitate this setup, it's also perfectly fine to rely on external matching professionals or learning platforms. Regarding learning itself, one approach is for employees to find courses or books themselves, with the company simply providing the budget. By setting up the framework and leaving the content to the employees, it avoids feeling like something they're being forced to do.

Handa: Actually, Dentsu Inc. has also created a system where employees can freely consult external career counselors, and it's very popular. Sometimes, being outside the company allows for more candid conversations. Reflecting on one's career with a professional counselor is incredibly valuable time.

Changing the subject slightly, what are your thoughts on the typical Japanese corporate practice of generalist job rotation?

Sasaki: I think it's difficult to find your true calling in your 20s. In that sense, job rotation is beneficial. As terms like serendipity (planned serendipity) or Steve Jobs' "connecting the dots" suggest, many people can relate to experiences where past coincidences significantly impact their present or future selves.

Lately, there's a trend emphasizing the importance of pursuing what you love. However, this approach has its challenges. That's because what you love isn't necessarily what you're good at.

Therefore, I think it's important for companies not to overemphasize passion. Over-respecting individual preferences naturally undermines the organization's overall optimization. Furthermore, even employees who land their "passion" role can become distressed if they fail to deliver the expected results.

Handa: I believe it's possible to achieve high results and find fulfillment in something you're "good at" even if you don't "love" it. To do that, you need to objectively understand your own strengths.

From the perspective of "new lifestyle habits" that Mr. Sasaki mentioned earlier, this might be an opportunity not just to further streamline existing work, but to sort out what's essential and what's unnecessary in current tasks. By pinpointing what work truly adds value, you'll likely find tasks that can be delegated or eliminated. This could then lead to reforms in operations and services. Also, as mentioned earlier, under remote work conditions, there's the point of how to use the newly created "free time" for oneself.

Sasaki: As this way of working becomes established, individuals will be increasingly judged on their expertise. How effectively one utilizes that "extra time" will create differences in personal experience, skills, and career paths.

That's why it's crucial to develop a "learning form" now. We live in an era overflowing with content, so more important than what you learn is how you learn—mastering a sustainable learning form.

Professor Linda Gratton of London Business School, author of "LIFE SHIFT," advocates for the "ability to transform." With learning, paths to expertise and paths to a different version of yourself will surely open up.