Health and Productivity Management

Health and productivity management is the strategic practice of considering employee health management from a managerial perspective, with the aim of improving corporate productivity, business performance, and corporate value.


Vision of Promoting Mental and Physical Health

MOL aims to become the world leader in safe quality, establish a sound, energetic, innovative organization, and develop the MOL Group into "an excellent and resilient organization", by supporting the mental and physical health of every employee. To achieve these objectives, the group believes it essential that the company, in cooperation with all executives and employees strive to maintain and build up their mental and physical health and create a comfortable, enjoyable workplace environment. We are not only developing based on laws and regulations of countries and regions where we do business and international treaties related to seafarers, but also organizational system that enables us to respond to emergency situations such as accidents and disasters, and ensures that all group members work together to move forward with various initiatives to maintain and enhance our health.

In FY2021, we established our "Declaration on Health and Productivity Management" as a guideline to promote group-wide health management, and an opportunity to position the promotion of every employee's health as an important management issue, instill and promote health management among our group employees, and the awareness of every employee.

The Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Group positions the promotion of every employee's health as an important management issue for realizing the Group Vision under the Group Corporate Mission. Toward this end, we will implement the following initiatives.

  • Empower employees in promoting their physical and mental health.
  • Forge ahead to create a workplace environment where employees work with peace of mind and a sense of unity, as they contribute to our corporate culture.
  • Also, provide thorough support, specifically to seafarers, who work under a unique environment at sea, in promoting their physical and mental health, and develop an environment where all seafarers enjoy robust health and put their families' minds at ease.

Organizational System to Promote Health and Productivity Management

The Career and Wellness Team in the Human Resources Division plays a key role in promoting MOL Group health management, in cooperation with industrial health staff comprising of industrial doctors, public health nurses, a psychiatrist, certified psychologists and masseur, working in collaboration with various concerned parties including the health insurance association. The team also plans and implements effective programs to promote the health of employees working at sea in cooperation with the Operational Safety Committee. Information on health management promotion is shared throughout the company, both office workers and seafarers , through the Council for Health Management Promotion, and is also quarterly reported at the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors, who are responsible for the oversight of health management initiatives.

Expanding to/Collaboration with Group Companies

As we promote consolidated management, we respond not only to non-consolidated MOL employees, but also to the group companies when it comes to occupational safety and health management. We will develop the corporate infrastructure to increase health and productivity, which can be shared among MOL Group companies; review, implement, and verify the effects; and continually improve measures according to the needs of group companies. Specifically, we provide stress check tests and tie-ups with medical service companies, hold regular workshops to gain HR management expertise, and conduct HR assessments to strengthen our group-wide HR management.
In addition, we maintain and improve the health of seafarers of foreign nationalities who serve aboard our operated vessels through informational activities for manning companies around the world and foster a strong awareness of safe operation and safety culture, strengthening MOL's organizational structure for safety.


External Evaluation

For the third consecutive year, MOL has been selected as a "Health & Productivity Stock Selection" which is a joint certification by Japan's Ministry of Economy and the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
In addition, MOL has been selected as 2023 Certified Health & Productivity Management Outstanding Organization (Large Enterprise Category) for the fifth year in a row, and this year it has been recognized as 'White 500', one of the top 500 enterprises in the program by Nippon Kenko Kaigi.

Based on 1 company in 1 industry, only 49 companies are selected as "Health & Productivity Stock Selection" from the top 500 companies listed on the TSE among all 3169 companies applying for health and management excellence (large corporations category) .

In addition to continuous positive disclosure of information and improvements in various indicators of health management initiatives, which our company has been implementing to date, this year's award recognizes the collaboration between the Human Resources Department, Industrial Health Staff and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Health Insurance Association to provide generous support for employees' mental and physical health.


Targets

(a) Health-related targets

All employees aim to proactively work to promote their own physical and mental health, with a strong consciousness of their personal responsibility for their health. This approach is intended to increase the number of employees undergoing periodic health checkups and stress tests, which provide opportunities for them to evaluate and monitor their level of physical and mental health.
In addition, we aim to reduce smoking and in turn reduce the risks of various smoking-related diseases and prevent passive exposure to smoke.

  • Rate of periodic health checkups: 100%
  • Stress test examination rate: More than 90%
  • Smoking rate: Less than 10% (Target achievement year: 2025)

(b) Industrial accident-related targets

Zero industrial accidents, zero fatal accidents
[Sea] Lost Time Injury Frequency (LTIF)*: Less than 0.5

(*) Number of lost time injuries occurring in a workplace per 1 million hours worked


Health-related Quantitative Data

Rates of periodic health checkups
2020 2021 2022
97.3% 99.4% 99.9%

(*) Subject persons are based on Industrial Safety and Health Act

Rates of patients receiving a full medical examination (*)
2020 2021 2022
74.1% 81.6% 85.8%

(*) Percentage of employees diagnosed as requiring close examination in group medical checkups.

Rates of stress tests
2020 2021 2022
76.7% 87.5% 97.9%

(*) Subject persons are based on Industrial Safety and Health Act

Smoking rate
2020 2021 2022
13.7% 14.2% 12.8%
Presenteeism (*)
2020 2021 2022
9.9% 2.6% 5.2%

(*) Calculation method is based on MOL's independent employee questionnaire.

(*) FY2022 : 1953 eomployees were surveyed(Including full-time employees, contract/contract employees, and temporary employees), and the response rate was 32%.

Abstentionism (*)
2020 2021 2022
10 persons 17 persons 17 persons

(*) Number of employees who took a leave of absence of at least one month for an injury or illness.

(*) Subject persons are based on Industrial Safety and Health Act


Initiatives to promote employee health

Initiatives in collaboration with the medical office

In addition to a industrial physician and public health nurse, the medical office in the Head Office building is staffed by three internal medicine physicians, two mental health physicians, four licensed psychologists, and an acupuncture and moxibustion massage therapist, providing a complete system to support employee health from both physical and mental aspects. In addition to outpatient internal medicine care and counseling, we also provide health and nutritional counseling and health guidance.
They also provide health-related counseling by email and phone for employees at sea or on overseas assignments. A unique MOL characteristic is the collaborative approach between the medical and mental health staff to maintain and improve employee health.

Follow-up of health check results
Aiming for a Medical Checkup Rate of 100%

Industrial doctors review the medical checkup results of employees working in the Head Office as well as overseas expatriates, those on loan to group companies in Japan, and seagoing employees, and provide thorough follow-up for employees who need re-examination and treatment.(e.g., 56.0% of employees aged 40 and over maintained proper weight in FY2021) In addition, managers are obliged to get a full medical checkup, and as with other employees, industrial doctors check their results and provide thorough follow-up as necessary.
In addition, industrial physicians and public health nurses conduct detailed analysis of the results of annual health checkups (e.g., 58.0% of employees aged 40 and over maintained their proper weight in fiscal 2022). The results of the analysis have also been reported by industrial physicians to the Health Management Committee (Health Committee) and health insurance societies, and are used to share health issues in our company and develop future health measures.

Interview/Guidance for Those Putting in Long Hours

MOL checks the overall health conditions of employees who work over a certain number of hours and self-reported fatigue or uneasiness about their health, through interviews with industrial doctor, and also relies on interviews with clinical psychologists to gauge their stress levels.
Expatriates receive monthly questionnaires about their working conditions, and public health nurses use the results to provide necessary advice and follow-up.
We also monitor working hours by division in addition to providing expert follow-up on health issues facing target employees. The general managers of divisions where target employees work also cooperate closely with the Human Resources Division as necessary on measures to improve the working environment.

Health Guidance

Nurses support not only employees in the Head Office who have health concerns, but also those on loan to group companies in Japan and overseas, providing health and nutrition advice by email. In collaboration with industrial physicians, internists, and public health nurses, the guidance helps raise the health awareness of each employee.

Number of employees who received health guidance at the medical office after the group medical checkup:

2020 2021 2022
157 184 182

Smoking Cessation Initiatives

Employee who quit smoking shows his certificate.

In May 2017, the medical office began providing smoking cessation services for employees.
One full-time industrial physician and two other physicians are in charge of outpatient smoking cessation care, with regular visits, prescriptions, and advice to implement and continue smoking cessation.
Smoking cessation success rates were 2 of 2 (100%) in FY 2020, 0 of 1 (0%) in FY 2021, and 0 of 0 (0%) in FY 2022.

Elimination of smoking areas
Smoking areas in the Head Office have been eliminated and smoking has been banned entirely from the end of FY2021.
In addition, the 22nd of each month has been designated as a "No Smoking Day" to promote employee health and to raise employee awareness of the issue by internally posting notices about the company’s no-smoking policy.

Massage Room

The medical office features a massage room, where employees can receive massage, acupressure, acupuncture, and moxibustion treatment from licensed therapists.
Some employees complain of disorders such as shoulder stiffness and backaches caused by long hours at their desks, poor posture, and a lack of exercise. The therapies available in the massage room not only address problems such as stiff shoulders and aching backs, of course, but also help employees recover from physical exhaustion and improve blood circulation, which in turn keeps them refreshed and more productive. In addition, massage room therapy of one hour a month is considered a working hour, so employees don't have to sacrifice an hour of pay to maintain their health and well-being.

No. of employees receiving therapy in the massage room:

2020 2021 2022
153 240 352

Initiatives in collaboration with the employee cafeteria

Health Management through Diet

In the employee cafeteria, we work with nutritionists to help employees stay healthy and work energetically, providing nutritious food that contains a good balance of vitamins, protein and fiber. The company's cafeteria offers a wide range of salads and side dishes, including Japanese, Western, noodle, and international menus, and serves to promote the health of employees by filling their minds and stomachs.

Initiatives in collaboration with external medical institutions

Free Dental Checkups

We provide free dental checkups for employees at the time of their annual medical checkups in cooperation with dental clinics close to the Head Office. These periodic checkups help prevent gum disease and ensure that cavities and other problems are addressed before they become major issues, and help keep employees' teeth healthy.

No. of employees receiving dental treatment:

2020 2021 2022
43 26 34

In-house Flu Vaccinations

In 2018, we began providing flu vaccinations for MOL Group executives and employees in the Head Office. We will provide opportunities for even more to receive them, thus maintaining a healthy workplace during flu season.

Vaccination Coverage (Approximate)

2020 2021 2022
800 924 878

Holding Health Seminar based on Health Care Questionnaire

MOL has conducted a questionnaire-based health care survey since 2018 to determine the needs of employees when it comes to creating a healthy work environment where everyone can work with vigor and enthusiasm.
We regularly conduct questionnaire surveys to circulate the research, verification, and PDCA cycle, depending on the objectives, such as recognition of information, improvement of health literacy, productivity, and improvement of medical checkup data.

Short-term evaluation
Behavior changing stage
Subjective symptoms
Health literacy, etc.
Mid-term evaluation
Lifestyle habits
Lifestyles
Productivity, etc.
Long-term evaluation
Medical checkup data
Medical expenses, etc.

[ Short-term Evaluation ]

(1) Subjective symptoms

* Top 5 health concerns

  2020 Number of
Respondents
2021 Number of
Respondents
2022 Number of
Respondents
1 Insufficient exercise 236 Response to
COVID-19
392 Exercise 368
2 Stiff shoulders,
lumbago
227 Exercise 376 Sleep 320
3 Response to
COVID-19
225 Sleep 288 Stress 308
4 Eye fatigue 216 Meals 268 Meals 292
5 Decline in
physical strength
202 Stress 261 Stiff shoulders, lumbago 227

(2) Health Literacy of Employees (Alteration of Attitudes)

* Consciousness Smokers' motivation to quit

As part of our health measures, we analyze employees' health issues based on the questionnaire, and provide lectures that promote improved health.

[ Past seminars ]

Seminars Conducted (FY2020-2022) No. of Participants (Persons) Participant satisfaction level
FY2020
STOP! Gaining weight because of remote work-Seminar on improving eating habits 65 90%
Seminar on improvement of lower back pain and shoulder stiffness 115 86%
FY2021
It's for life! High-performance Sleeping Techniques 214 94.5%
FY2022
We want men to know! Working Women's Health Seminar 106 87.5%
  • Satisfaction level is listed only for seminars followed by questionnaire.
  • Target expanded to group company executives and employees, because seminars have been conducted online since FY2020

Other Initiatives

Measures to Prevent Harassment

MOL also focuses on measures to prevent harassment. We established the Declaration of Harassment Prevention in November 2020 with the aim of eradicating harassment of all types and accelerating the push to create a workplace that is completely free of harassment. Therefore, a work environment where everyone can enjoy mutual respect and value one another is indispensable.

We provide harassment-prevention training programs tailored to different employee career paths and bring in outside experts to train MOL Group management personnel. The MOL Group also cooperates with supervisory personnel to take appropriate measures in response to harassment, and provides an external advisory desk, which is available for group executives as well as employees and their families.

MOL Group Declaration of Harassment Prevention

Health and Productivity Management Training Program

MOL provides training programs such as "self-care" and "line care" of staff related to health and mental health, which vary according to career path. We aim to ensure a more effective level of training by providing knowledge related to adult-onset diseases and illnesses specific to women, and with programs including preventative measures presented by industrial doctors, nurses, and clinical psychologists.

Reduction of overtime working hours

MOL implements the following measures to reduce overtime working hours.

  • Checking overtime working hours by prior notice of when work ends and checking office entry and exit times with attendance records/PC logs. Using a questionnaire about working conditions to determine the number of hours worked by executives/managers.
  • Reflecting evaluation of executives/managers who oversee their members' overtime hours.
  • Working to improve management skills, mainly centering on labor- management issues, through training programs for management positions, etc.
  • No-overtime days each month.
  • Implementing the Workplace Reform Project (Improving work efficiency by free addressing of headquarters, cross-divisional communication space, use of ICT tools such as web conference software)
  • Reducing and streamlining routine tasks.

Initiatives on Mental Health

Our mental health initiatives can be divided into three main categories: individual response, organizational analysis, and education and training.
Two psychiatrists and four licensed psychologists (clinical psychologists) work as a team to handle situations that arise, while maintaining confidentiality and collaborating appropriately with the workplace and the Human Resources Division.
We strive for a cyclical approach in which information gained from individual responses and organizational analysis is utilized in education and training, and information gathered through education and training opportunities is utilized in individual responses and organizational analysis.

Individual response

In addition to mental health counseling for employees who voluntarily request counseling, we have established our own framework for various interviews. We are able to provide early consultation and early response to problems before they become more serious, by increasing the number of daily contacts between employees and professionals.

  • Mental health counseling
    These interview times are available to employees who voluntarily request a consultation. Interviews with a licensed psychologist (50 minutes/session) are available on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and can be reserved freely via the company intranet. In-person and online options are also available. We respond not only to health-related concerns, but also to a wide range of workplace and personal issues. We often consult with subordinates and colleagues regarding support, and play a logistical role in mental health care among employees. In addition, when a medical judgment is necessary, such as a decision on whether or not the patient can work or the progress of treatment, a psychiatrist will meet with the patient (30 minutes/session) to discuss the situation.
  • Interviews with employees who work long hours
    For the objective of mental health care for employees working long hours, an interview with a licensed psychologist is mandatory in addition to an interview with an industrial physician. (For details, see the section "Initiatives to Promote Employee Health: Interviews and Guidance for Employees Who Work Long Hours" at the top of this page.)
  • Health Management Interview
    Interviews (20 minutes/session) are held for all new hires and career employees. Interviews are conducted by a licensed psychologist with the objective of checking the degree of adaptation to the new environment and the stress level of the situation. For office workers , the program is conducted approximately three months after assignment, and for seafarers , it is conducted before and after disembarking from the vessel for the first time.
  • Internal return-to-work programs
    We provide return-to-work support (rework program) for employees on leave due to mental health issues in the Head Office building. Custom-made programs tailored to each individual's condition and situation are created and implemented by a licensed psychologist under the direction of a psychiatrist. The rework period also provides an opportunity to develop a system of cooperation among the individual, the Human Resources Division, the workplace, and the specialist, and follow-up is conducted in close cooperation after the employee's return to work.
  • Crisis intervention
    In the event of an emergency or accident, psychiatrists and licensed psychologists provide advice and suggestions on measures deemed necessary from the perspective of mental health care, and work with related departments to respond to the situation.

Organizational analysis

With the aim of utilizing the real voices of employees and internal circumstances for mental health measures, information related to individual and workplace stress is analyzed by licensed psychologists after processing it into a form that does not identify individuals, in an effort to understand the current situation and formulate measures that are in line with current needs. To prevent information bias, we proactively gather information through interviews and training opportunities, as well as through hearings focused on specific themes and specific workplaces. Stress checks are also independently analyzed in-house by a certified psychologist, who interprets the figures based on internal circumstances and develops countermeasures.

Education and training

A licensed psychologist is in charge of education and training based on the position and role of the target audience and the subject matter. In addition to disseminating general knowledge related to mental health, such as self-care and mental health training (line care), we also hold discussions with the Human Resources Division based on our daily awareness of problems and the results of organizational analysis, and try to create training materials based on our unique issues and internal circumstances at the time.

Establishing More Consultation Desks

  • External consultation
    Since 2017, MOL has established external consultation desks to address issues related to "harassment," "mental health," and "lifestyles" in cooperation with external institutes, with the goal of making sure that employees know they are not facing their problems alone. Depending on the situation, employees who contact these consultation desks will receive a response from professionals such as counselors, doctors, lawyers, certified tax accountants, and financial planners. Adding to their peace of mind is the fact that their privacy is strictly protected. These services are available not only to executives, employees (including contract, part-time, and temporary employees) but also to their families. They can receive advice online, by phone, or in person.
  • Career Counseling
    In cooperation with external institutes, MOL in 2017 established a consultation desk specialized in career-related issues. It helps employees identify their career targets and communicate more effectively with colleagues and managers. This helps motivate employees and foster healthy communication by promoting employees' self-awareness of their own strengths and weaknesses and helping them identify issues to address and clarify their goals.

Initiatives on Seafarer Health

MOL is committed to achieving the world's highest standards of safety and quality, with both land-based and sea-based operations working to achieve the "Four Zeros"(Note) and other targets. Becoming "the world leader in safe operation" can only be achieved with the health of each and every employee. Below, we will focus primarily on crewmembers' health initiatives.

(Note) "Four Zeroes" means zero serious marine accidents, zero oil pollution, zero fatal accidents, and zero serious cargo damage, and are numerical targets set by MOL for safe operation.

Increasing KPI awareness, Deepening analysis

MOL cooperates with the IT division to analyze data on incidents and injuries, with to objective of increasing internal awareness of KPI including Lost Time Injury Frequency (LTIF) and promoting deeper analysis.

Safety Education

  • Safety Campaign
    The "Safety Campaign" is an annual event to foster a culture of safety, in which crewmembers onboard MOL Group-operated vessels and shore-based employees exchange opinions on safety-related initiatives.
    In recent years, the event has been held online and we continue to work together to raise safety awareness on land and at sea.
  • Safety Conference
    Attended by crewmembers on leave, MOL officers and employees, and executives and employees of Group companies such as ship management companies and manning companies. The conference has been held in our group's major seafarer suppliers, including Japan, since 2007.
    In recent years, the conference has been held online as well as in person. It is designed to raise the safety awareness of each and every employee by discussing actual accidents and occupational injuries, and sharing information on the causes of accidents and measures to prevent recurrence.
  • Safety Experience Training
    As a part of our initiatives on "eradication of industrial accidents," we have designed safety training designed to improve capabilities to foresee risks. Introduced in FY2012, the training has been taken not only by crewmembers but also by land-based officers, employees, and new employees.

Comprehensive Management of Physical Condition - A Healthy Crew is a Safe Crew -

An industrial physician reviews the results of crewmembers' medical checkups and advises them on how to maintain their physical and mental health, before they embark on a vessel.
We also strive to manage the health of crewmembers by carrying out alcohol testing just before their watch duty onboard and periodically conducting drug tests, as the health of the crew must form the unwavering foundation of safe operation.
We distribute Safety Alerts related to incidents and injuries among our operated vessels. In addition, we occasionally distribute information related to illness and mental health (Health Care Info) in cooperation with occupational physicians and counselors in the medical office.

'MOL Body FIT Exercise'

As a part of our measures for safe operation, MOL developed the unique "MOL Body FIT Exercise" with the objective of preventing workplace accidents aboard MOL Group vessels, while also reflecting our investment in ensuring safety. We have promoted the spread of the exercise program as an onboard daily routine since 2014.
In addition to stretching-based pre-work flexibility exercises, these exercises are designed to strengthen muscles, strengthen the trunk and lower limb muscles, and improve balance, thereby reducing the risk of falls and other problems.
The exercise program was named the "The Best Practice Award of Seafarers Onboard Safety, 2016 MLIT" by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), which recognizes outstanding efforts by shipowners and other concerned parties to prevent occupational accidents among seafarers serving on Japanese merchant ships.


Transition of Industrial Accidents

MOL implements activities on land and at sea to prevent industrial accidents by taking measures according to the workplace environment.

Labor accidents

Click here for "No. of Industrial Accidents"

[At sea] Lost Time Injury Frequency (LTIF)
(*): 0.5 or less (since FY2020)

(*) The number of industrial accidents occurred per 1 million man-hours(our company uses boarding time as the denominator). In the past, it targeted the total of work-related injuries and illnesses that forced a crewmember to go ashore, but as of FY2015, the LTIF standard was made stricter, and the total includes injuries and illnesses that prevented crewmembers from returning to work, on the day they occur, even if they did not have to go ashore.

MOL believes that the health of every employee is the first step to realize our vision of "becoming the world leader in safe operation," which is an essential part of our business, and prevention of onboard work accidents is an important issue. We strive to prevent such incidents through our initiatives on seafarer health.
We raised our LTIF targets from 0.7 → 0.5 to promote a higher level of safety.