Papa

Q1: Regarding men taking parental leave

Take Advantage of Your Vacation for Your Family

• 

  Karasawa

  Many people at Macnica value spending time with their families.

• 

  Toda

  That's right. I believe that taking time off is important for a happy family. I took a month of parental leave when our first son was born, and it was truly meaningful. It allowed my wife, who was in weak health after giving birth, to rest, and more than anything, it was an exceptional time to spend with our newborn son!

• 

  Izaki

  If possible, it's a good idea to take parental leave for the sake of your family! In my case, my wife gave birth at her parents' home and her parents helped with childcare, so we managed without taking parental leave, but it's really hard for just mom and dad to raise a newborn baby on their own.

• 

  Toda

  It's great that Macnica has an atmosphere that encourages fathers to take parental leave! When I asked my boss about taking parental leave, he immediately said, "Of course!" I'm really grateful.

• 

  Karasawa

  Of course, the most important thing is to make sure that your work is handed over properly so that you don't cause any inconvenience to the company or your team members when you take time off, but family is irreplaceable, so I hope that dads in the workforce will feel free to take advantage of their parental leave!

• 

  Toda

  Since I started working from home, I've been able to take my child to nursery school in the morning. In my case, it takes me two hours just to commute to work, but now that I don't have to travel, I can spend more time with my child.

• 

  Izaki

  Effective use of telecommuting has made childcare so much easier, but the reason telecommuting is possible in the first place is because Macnica is working as a company to improve operational efficiency. I think the company's efforts to change the way they work have been made possible by adopting digitalization of stamping and signing documents, and by building a system that allows them to maintain and improve productivity without everyone having to come to the office.

• 

  Karasawa

  That's so true! One of the concepts Macnica values is "innovation." Based on the idea that "there's no innovation in doing things the same way for years," they are constantly updating their work methods to adapt to changes in the external environment, which is why I think they've been able to create an environment that's easy for dad employees like us to work in.

• 

  Toda

  I strongly believe that we too must reassess everything from the way we do our work to making it easier to balance work and childcare!

Q3: My child's growth and future goals

I want to be a cool person that children look up to.

• 

  Izaki

  I always think that children grow up so quickly! When I see my child quickly becoming able to do things he couldn't do before, I think, "I can't let him beat me," and "I can grow even more." I also feel that having a child has increased my motivation for work.

• 

  Karasawa

  I totally agree! Children have an incredible ability to absorb information. I often think, "My young child is growing so much, I have to try harder too!"

• 

  Izaki

  Children pay close attention to their parents' words and actions! They often imitate things like, "That's what Dad said the other day!" I've come to realize that I need to be careful about my everyday words and actions, and this also applies to work. A few years after joining the company, I'm in a position where I have many junior colleagues, and they grow up watching me, so I pay close attention to how I behave on a daily basis.

• 

  Toda

  There are many things that children can help you realize at work, and having children can motivate you to work. While we're here, may I ask you two about your future goals as fathers?

• 

  Izaki

  Just like my father was to me, I want to be an example of someone my son looks up to! My father is a hard-working, energetic man, and even as a child I thought, "I want to be just like my dad!" Childcare is of course important, but I want to embody the ideal father by balancing childcare and work!

• 

  Karasawa

  I think that's great! I'm a bit like Izaki-san, but I want to be a dad that my daughter thinks is "cool." To achieve that, I think it's important to show my child that I'm proactively and positively working in both areas, rather than placing emphasis on either childcare or work. What about Toda-san?

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  Toda

  I would like to create an environment in which my children can grow independently. I believe that providing an environment in which they can grow freely without being dependent on their parents will lead to their happiness. I believe that creating an environment in which growth can occur is also an essential element for managers in a company, so achieving this goal may have a positive effect on my career in the future (laughs).

• 

  Karasawa

  Being considerate in raising your children will help you acquire skills that will be useful in your work, and working proactively will help you realize your ideals as a father. I think both are really important in life, so let's approach both parenting and work in a positive way, without neglecting them!