Selected as a "Great Place to Work" for 7 consecutive years. Why Ignition Point Inc. maintains employee engagement (Part 2)

Ignition Point Inc. specializes in new business creation and DX support, operating in consulting, innovation, and investment. Founded in 2014, the company has been selected as a Best Company in the "Great Place to Work®" ranking by Great Place to Work® Institute Japan (GPTW Japan) for seven consecutive years (*).

We interviewed Takafumi Suemune, Co-Founder and President & CEO, who has championed the corporate philosophy "Creating Opportunities for Fulfilling Lives" and tackled the challenge of improving employee engagement since the company's inception. He reveals the secrets behind this success. In Part 2, he discussed talent challenges based on organizational growth phases and methods for developing highly motivated personnel.

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Q. Ignition Point Inc. has been selected as a "Great Place to Work" by Great Place to Work Japan for seven consecutive years. During these seven years, were there specific phases or turning points where employee engagement notably increased? Also, what do you believe will be necessary to achieve Ignition Point Inc.'s current goal of "growing to a 1,000-person scale"?

Sueo: It's often said that organizational growth faces barriers at 30, 50, and 100 employees. While Ignition Point Inc. now has over 350 employees, we also felt the "300-employee barrier."

With up to 30 employees, I could personally oversee everything. But once you exceed 50, you must delegate authority to managers for the business to function. At 100 employees, you need to establish various systems and frameworks. Reaching the 300-employee phase requires solving these challenges in a complex, integrated way. Problems vary depending on the size of each department, so it's crucial to identify issues early and implement tailored countermeasures.

For example, suppose an engagement index in a certain department drops significantly, or the turnover rate becomes noticeably high. The underlying cause might be excessive pressure from the leader. In such a situation, even if that department's performance is strong, can we replace the leader? This requires resolve, but it sends a powerful message to employees. I believe it's crucial for the company to take concrete action, thereby building trust with its employees.

Even as we grow to a scale of 1,000 employees, developing and hiring leaders at the department head level remains crucial. While nurturing talent internally is essential, I also believe it's important to carefully interview and recruit leaders who share our philosophy.

Q. Ignition Point Inc. continues to grow year after year, and your employee count keeps increasing. As the team expands, you gain diversity—which is positive—but conversely, you might also see more individuals who don't align with your culture. What's the secret to keeping turnover low and ensuring all employees share your core values?

Sueo: I believe the hiring stage is crucial. The fundamental premise is to bring on board individuals who understand and resonate with our corporate philosophy, vision, and business model. If that fit isn't there, I think it leads to an unfortunate situation for both parties.

That said, eliminating turnover entirely isn't realistic, and a company's characteristics change depending on its growth phase. For instance, when you're under 100 employees and poised for significant growth, it's true that members with a strong "aggressive" mindset, a certain fiery energy, tend to gather (laughs). But as you reach around 300 employees, the company atmosphere gradually shifts, and maintaining organizational discipline becomes even more essential. When the company transitions through these phases, I believe a positive kind of turnover can be beneficial. Both individual employees and the company itself have different needs and expectations depending on the phase. Therefore, it's necessary for both sides to choose environments and people suited to that specific time. The changes and turnover that come with this are not only acceptable but, I would even say, essential for a fulfilling life. On the other hand, if there is a clearly high number of departures, this likely indicates problems within the organization, and we must first review our own systems.

Improving employee engagement requires genuine commitment from management

Q. This is a fundamental question: How do you cultivate highly motivated talent?

Sueo: To some extent, it depends on the individual's innate qualities. However, equally important is whether they are able to realize what they truly want to do. Therefore, at our company, we ask each employee to clearly articulate their medium-to-long-term goals and their short-term goals. Based on this, we assign them to projects that align as closely as possible with their goals, aiming to boost their motivation.

I know this from personal experience: when it's work you genuinely want to do, you tackle it with high motivation and achieve results. While it's true that "professionals should give their all to any task," the reality is that some work just doesn't spark enthusiasm. Projects that boost motivation lead to better performance and results, which benefits the company too. We can't fulfill every request, but we strive to involve people in projects they want to work on as much as possible.

Q. Do you have an ideal image of a top leader?

Sueo: First, I believe a leader must be able to clearly communicate the company's philosophy and vision. Beyond that, it's about whether they have the passion and resolve to sustain the business. Running a company inevitably means facing problems daily. Passion and resolve are what help you overcome them, so I think that's crucial.

Q. Finally, could you offer advice for companies struggling with employee engagement?

Suezo: Nothing will change unless management truly understands the importance of employee engagement. If they recognize that people management directly impacts revenue, they'll invest more effort. And above all, a company where people find meaning in their work is simply more enjoyable. Grasping this importance reveals the challenge: "What should we do to improve?" Start by tracking quantitative monitoring metrics, identifying the root causes of low engagement, and implementing countermeasures. That's the first step.

If 5% or 10% business growth is sufficient, you can likely achieve your goals without deliberately changing the organization. However, if you aim for high growth, you have no choice but to continuously and boldly transform the organizational structure and systems to address the problems that arise each time. The first step is to have a goal that cannot be achieved as things stand now, but is also not just a pipe dream. I believe that becomes the motivation to drive change within the company.

Employee engagement is a key driver propelling corporate growth. I've come to understand that when management grasps this fact and reforms workplace environments and systems with a clear vision, it enhances employees' sense of purpose. Companies facing HR challenges might consider re-examining their stated principles and current structures.

※ Based on the 2023 "Best Companies to Work For" survey, in the medium-sized company category (100-999 employees).