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ASNOVA's source of growth: the liberal arts system
Due to the slump in business performance caused by the Corona disaster and the increase in rival firms, the world has become a place where old-fashioned firms cannot survive. ASNOVA believes that the growth of a company is the sum of the growth of its individuals, and it must continue to grow. In other words, in order for the company to grow, it is necessary to increase the power of each individual. As a measure of the "ASNOVA WAY" personnel system, starting in April 2022, ASNOVA instituted a liberal arts system in which all employees select from several recommended book courses, and the corresponding book is distributed monthly. We asked Daisuke Kato and Takeyuki Suzuki about their thoughts and efforts regarding the “ASNOVA WAY” liberal arts system that makes ASNOVA grow.
Text/Photo: Motoharu Anami
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- Daisuke Kato
- Director, General Manager of Administration Department Joined the company in October 2020. Summarize the "Accounting Department" and "General Affairs and Human Resources Department". He is in charge of the "ASNOVA WAY", including the liberal arts system introduced in this article.
- Takeyuki Suzuki
- Equipment Management Department. Joined ASNOVA in May 2018. He worked at the center at Shizuoka Fuji Center and has been in his current position since September 2021. Bring together Shizuoka Fuji Center members.
Background to and reactions to the launch of the system
Why did you choose the liberal arts?
Kato: We started the Liberal Arts Program because we wanted our employees to have the opportunity to acquire general education that they don't usually have the chance to have. We believe that the sum of each individual's growth leads to the growth of the company, and that growth is when employees are able to do things they couldn't do before, and we thought that the sum of these will lead to significant growth for the company. We hope that employees will have the opportunity to realize, "Oh, that's what that book said" while working.
It's difficult to read it today and use it tomorrow, but I think you can make use of it in some way, so I hope you will think of the liberal arts system as a good opportunity. If you are not used to reading, try just reading the afterword, or get into the habit of picking up books.
It's difficult to read it today and use it tomorrow, but I think you can make use of it in some way, so I hope you will think of the liberal arts system as a good opportunity. If you are not used to reading, try just reading the afterword, or get into the habit of picking up books.
How is this system being received at the Center?
Suzuki: Sometimes I'm too busy with my daily work to find time to read, but I'm very grateful that the company provides me with the opportunity. I want to inspire those around me by reading, and connect it to something. I also think that by gaining a variety of knowledge, I'll be able to explain things to others in an easy-to-understand way.
An environment where liberal arts are integrated
Are there any ideas you have for making the most of the system?
Suzuki: We have started taking turns reading books among our members. Since each of us is choosing a different course of books, we exchange books that we have finished reading, telling each other what kind of book they are. I think that by doing this, we can acquire knowledge much faster.
We wanted to make the most of this opportunity, so we decided that if everyone could exchange opinions and listen to each other's, it would be beneficial for both human relationships and knowledge.
Other than that, I'll share a sentence from a book I read in the morning assembly that I liked, or say "This was good" during the break. Also, when I'm teaching someone how to do their job, I can use it to teach them how to think by reading this. I try to make use of the knowledge I've gained by deliberately sharing it at some point.
How do you use your time to find time to read?
Suzuki: I read during breaks and before going to bed. Other members do the same. However, some of us have just joined the company, so we are too busy with work to read at the moment.
Mr. Kato, you read books regularly. What's your secret to continuing to read?
Kato: Make it a habit. I think it's good if you can incorporate it into your daily routine.
For people who don't usually read, it can be hard to open a book, so in that case, I don't think you need to read the whole thing. For example, look at the table of contents and start reading from the chapter that looks interesting.
Even if you don't read the whole thing, I think the first thing to do is to read only the parts that interest you and lower the barrier to entry.
The benefits of reading that can be useful in your private life too!
Do you have any stories where reading helped you in your work?
Kato: When training subordinates, it can be difficult to put into words what you have experienced, but if you incorporate what you have learned into words through reading, it becomes easier to communicate.
In particular, at my previous job, I would send weekly messages to my department members, in the first half of the day talking about the company's initiatives, and in the second half I would give conceptual talks.
I felt pressured to write an article every week, but it was helpful because it made it easier to write manuscripts if I had a lot of knowledge to draw on.
How has reading changed you?
Suzuki: I've just started so I'm not sure exactly, but I think I'm starting to be able to think from multiple angles. I want to interact with people from other departments without having fixed ideas.
If you do that, you will be able to have frank opinions, and your individual abilities will be further enhanced, which will lead to the growth of ASNOVA.
Kato: Reading is a simulated experience of the author's life. I think that people tend to justify their own knowledge and experiences, but as center manager Suzuki said, when you learn about other people's experiences and ways of thinking, you can think from multiple perspectives and gain a deep understanding of things, which leads to growth, and I hope that this will become the culture of ASNOVA in the future.
Kato: Reading is a simulated experience of the author's life. I think that people tend to justify their own knowledge and experiences, but as center manager Suzuki said, when you learn about other people's experiences and ways of thinking, you can think from multiple perspectives and gain a deep understanding of things, which leads to growth, and I hope that this will become the culture of ASNOVA in the future.
Suzuki: It's good to supplement my knowledge, but I've also started talking about books with my wife.
By talking to each other about the contents of the book we're currently reading, I get the feeling, "Oh, so that's how you interpret it!" I'm really happy to know what my wife thinks.
I think this is a big thing because it allows us to align our ideas with each other.
Kato: Sometimes I share the contents of books that I enjoyed reading with the president, executives, and department heads.
Outside the company, we shared the books we used to design the system for AMP! with a consulting company, and for the ASNOVA Challenge System, we used several books as references when designing the system.
Personnel system × Expectations
How would you like your coworkers to make use of this system?
Suzuki: I want them to think about things from different perspectives, based on various ideas. If things stay the way they are, I think the members will agree with me. In the future, I think that various ways of thinking will enter their heads through the system, so I would be happy if they gradually gain knowledge and start saying things like, "It would be better to do it this way!"
Are there any other systems you would like to study outside of the liberal arts system?
Suzuki: There are various departments in the company, so I want to know about everyone. For example, a project to pick up recommended books. I want to read books recommended by people close to me. I think it would be good to have a wider range of information, because you can learn about human relationships and how to make friends by reading books you have read or manga. For some people, that can be a motivating factor.
The liberal arts program, which aims to "improve the abilities of each individual and lead to the growth of the company," is still in its infancy, but employees are making steady progress.
The content envisioned a future in which all employees would take advantage of the liberal arts system to move forward and become a pillar of ASNOVA's future.
ASNOVA will continue to grow together with its employees as a company that can not only provide knowledge but also achieve results.
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