When our Editor-in-Chief first alerted me of this story, my line of thought had been that Sony was trying to catch them young by grooming tech-inclined kids right from the nursery. That isn’t the case! Sony has launched its first workplace nursery school in Okinawa, Japan. The nursery school is established to cater to the children of employees and the community alike. The school was established by Sony Business Operations Inc. (SBO) and is located within the precinct of its headquarters in Okinawa.

Sony Business Operations Inc. (SBO) undertakes administrative work for companies in the Sony Group. The firm has an employee strength of 380 and interestingly, 80% of them are women in their child-bearing age. This explains the need for such a facility which became operational in July this year.

Another reason is that due to the geographical location of the company, most employees commute to the office by car. The company hitherto occupied two business facilities in Tomigusuku City in the south of Okinawa Prefecture from the time it was established but moved into a single office complex in the neighbouring city of Nanjo in February 2019. Since most employees are balancing work with childrearing, Sony recognised a considerable latent need for childcare facilities within the company. The plan for the facility was considered when plans began for the move to a single office complex. The facility is said to have alleviated the extra burden on employees arising from moving the company.

The facility, which can accommodate 70 children aged between 0-5 years, is managed by a professional agency that has got a reputable track record in the management of a nursery and comes equipped with vital facilities to cater to the needs to the children. This will no doubt create a conducive work environment for employees. Way to go Sony!

 

(source)