JAL announced to the press its initiatives for women’s activities promoted within the JAL Group in advance of International Women’s Day on March 8.
Mr. Daiki Shima, Assistant Manager of the D&I Promotion Group, Human Resources Strategy Department, Human Resources Division, JAL, and representative of the FemTech Demonstration Program secretariat, gave the presentation.
FemTech is a concept (product or service) that solves various issues in women’s life stages, such as menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause, and the company has introduced a demonstration program to encourage female employees to be more active.
Starting in FY2022, the JAL Group has a new “Purpose” to become an airline chosen and loved by many people, and Mr. Shima explained that “D&I promotion” is a key element to realize this goal. JAL Group is working to create an environment that provides employees with opportunities for growth, relieves their anxiety, and motivates them to continue working.
A survey of all group employees revealed a prominent problem: “Female employees are relatively more susceptible to life events (e.g., pregnancy and childbirth) than male employees, and daily health issues such as menstruation and menopausal symptoms are hurdles for them when considering their careers.
Especially in the airline industry, where many female employees, including flight attendants, work long hours on their feet, are forced to endure pain and distress due to menstrual cramps and mental health problems that they are unable to resolve.
To address this issue, Marubeni and Karada Media, which operates LunaLuna, collaborated to recruit participants for the demonstration program, regardless of gender, in order to “eliminate any health issues for working women employees and help them face their careers with a more positive outlook. In addition to holding seminars by medical specialists, the program utilized online consultations at gynecology departments to offer “online pill outpatient clinic,” “online fertility consultation,” and “online menopausal outpatient clinic” services over a period of about six months.
As a result of these efforts, the participating female employees commented, “Unlike the past when I had to endure and endure, I have changed my way of thinking about menopause as a part of physical condition management,” and “I had been thinking that I was going through menopause but was too lazy to go to a hospital to see a doctor or take medication. However, online medical care has lowered the hurdle.
Male employees, on the other hand, said that they had avoided discussing women’s health in the past because of the perception that it was a taboo topic, but that was not the case at all, and that the program provided them with the opportunity to acquire correct knowledge and understand how they should treat their spouses and partners who have the same concerns. Mr. Shima explained that the seminar provided an opportunity to create a corporate culture in which both male and female employees can “openly discuss the topic of health.
In addition, the company pays for medical examinations and prescriptions for pills and herbal medicines deemed necessary by the doctor, thereby reducing the monthly financial burden on the individual. In addition, the program has also confirmed the merit of making it possible to make appointments with obstetricians and gynecologists, which is considered quite difficult to do while working, in one’s spare time by making full use of the online system.
One of the participants, Sachiko Hattori, Group Manager of the Finance Group, Finance Department, JAL Sales, said that while she was experiencing menopausal symptoms such as headaches, numbness in her hands, and low mood, “I was in pain because I was in a management position, and it was interfering with my work to train and motivate my staff. She was struggling with these symptoms, unable to resolve them due to time constraints and anxiety.
However, with the palliative program, “I was able to easily continue to visit the hospital on a regular basis and felt secure in the knowledge that my doctor was with me. I was able to eliminate my mental distress while taking the herbal medicine that suited me best. For a working woman, this is very gratifying,” she said, explaining the steady change in her mental and physical health.
I have been working as if it was a big challenge for me. I want to eliminate the health problems that have been a burden on me and improve my performance. I want to pave the way for women who will follow in my footsteps,” said Hattori. She expressed her desire to deepen mutual understanding of health, just as she did with her back pain and presbyopia, and to build a culture of “let’s all help each other” in an open and welcoming manner.
In closing, Mr. Shima said, “This program provides an opportunity for people to realize that addressing health issues leads to job satisfaction. It is worth facing FemTech as a company to encourage women’s activities,” he said, adding that the company will continue to study the program based on the results of its effectiveness verification.
On March 8, International Women’s Day, Joseph Perrier champagne will be served at JAL First Class Lounges at Haneda and Narita airports for international flights in commemoration of the custom of sending mimosa flowers to a special woman.
© Source travel watch
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