Human Resources: Work-Life Balance
Our Approach
Approach to Human Capital Management: Our Approach
The SUBARU Group complies with Japan’s Act on the Arrangement of Related Acts to Promote Work Style Reform*1, labor-management agreements such as the Article 36 Agreement*2, and the laws and regulations of each country and region. Based on the principles of reducing overtime working and curbing excessive labor, we work to help our diverse workforce maintain their work-life balance.
- *1
- A Japanese law to foster the promotion of work style reform
- *2
- An agreement concluded between employers and employees regarding overtime and holiday work, pursuant to Article 36 of Japan’s Labor Standards Act
Management System
Approach to Human Capital Management: Management System
At SUBARU, led by our human resources function, we are promoting the expansion of systems—such as improving the workplace environment and supporting work-life balance—to foster diverse workstyles, while engaging in ongoing discussions between labor and management.
Initiatives
In line with the spirit of the Act on the Arrangement of Related Acts to Promote Work Style Reform enacted in 2018, SUBARU is committed to ensuring appropriate management of working hours and fostering flexible, autonomous work styles.
Measures in Response to Japan's Work Style Reform Legislation
| Outline | |
|---|---|
| Accurate Recording of Employees’ Working Hours | Introduced an attendance management system allowing for data entry in one-minute increments. Established a system that records employees’ own clock-in and clock-out times, the times they enter and leave the workplace, and their PC login and logout times, allowing both the employees themselves and their supervisors to verify this information. |
| Encouraging Employees to Take at Least Five Days of Paid Leave per Year as Stipulated by Law |
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| Preventing Long Working Hours and Overwork |
|
| Equal Pay for Equal Work | Implemented a compensation system without discrimination based on gender or age. |
| Work-from-Home System | Established work from home as an official policy and introduced a hybrid work model that combines in-office work and work from home. |
| Flex-Time System | Introduced a flex-time system without mandatory core hours. |
Promotion of Paid Leave Use
SUBARU grants employees annual paid leave in the number of days commensurate with their length of service. In addition, at each of our sites, labor and management cooperate to encourage employees to take the leave.
[Initiative Examples]
- Promoting ultra-long holidays (three consecutive days of paid leave)
- Setting days for encouraging leave on national holidays
- Encouraging leave once a month
Annual Paid Leave Utilization Rate*1 (SUBARU)
(FYE March)
| Unit | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proportion of Paid Days Off Taken by Employees | % | 96.8 | 93.4 | 92.1 |
- *1
- Percentage of the number of days off taken by employees of the total number of annual paid days off granted to them
Supporting Balance between Childcare and Work
At SUBARU, we believe it is important to create an environment where employees, regardless of gender, can balance childcare and work. Furthermore, in accordance with the Act on Advancement of Measures to Support Raising Next-Generation Children*1, we have formulated and implemented a voluntary action plan. In recognition of these efforts, as of March 2026, we have received three stars in the “Kurumin” certification from the Japanese Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare. FYE March 2026 falls within the period covered by the 8th Action Plan, and starting in FYE March 2027, a new action plan based on the Act on Promotion of Female Participation and Career Advancement in the Workplace and the Act on Advancement of Measures to Support Raising Next-Generation Children will begin.
Furthermore, SUBARU is not only establishing systems to support employees taking leave for childcare and their subsequent return to work, but is also stepping up its measures to support employees in achieving career advancement while raising their children.
- 8th Action Plan
- General Employer Action Plan based on the Act on Promotion of Female Participation and Career Advancement in the Workplace and the Act on Advancement of Measures to Support Raising Next-Generation Children
- *1
- This law was enacted for the provision of an environment where people can have and raise children, who are the next generation of leaders, in a sound manner.
Support for Childcare
| Systems and Initiatives | Outline |
|---|---|
| Childcare Leave System | Under Japan’s Childcare and Family Care Leave Act, employees, regardless of gender, are generally eligible to take this leave until their child reaches the age of one. Furthermore, this leave may be extended until the end of the first April after the child becomes two years old (available to employees with less than one year of service, regardless of whether they are fixed-term or non-fixed-term employees). |
| Short Working Hours System | Starting in FYE March 2026, the eligibility period for the short working hours system for childcare was extended from until the child began the fourth grade of elementary school to until the child reaches the age of 18. |
| Early-Morning, Nighttime, and Late-Night Childcare Support | At the Gunma Plant, a center for automobile development and manufacturing, a childcare facility has been established for employees working rotating shifts, providing childcare services early in the morning, at night, and late at night. Also established a babysitter dispatch program that offers financial assistance from the Company to help employees balance shift work with childcare. |
| Parental Leave and Childcare Support Handbook | Posted a handbook summarizing relevant policies on the intranet to help alleviate anxiety from before the leave of absence through to and after the return to work and to support a smooth transition back to work. |
Number of Employees Who Took Childcare Leave (SUBARU)
Childcare Support for Male Employees
SUBARU has also introduced special leave for male employees to take when their child is born, supporting them so they can be involved in childcare from the moment the child is born. We are also encouraging male employees to take childcare leave.
Status of Childcare Leave/Special Childcare Leave Taken by Male Employees (SUBARU)
(FYE March)
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Special Childcare Leave*2 | Male employees taking leave (Persons) | 545 | 430 | 556 |
| Average days of leave taken (Days) | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | |
| Utilization rate (%) | 99 | 100 | 100 | |
| Parental Leave | Male employees taking leave (Persons) | 318 | 345 | 459 |
| Average days of leave taken (Days) | 68.0 | 66.8 | 76.1 | |
| Largest number of days of leave taken (Days) | 365 | 389 | 366 | |
| Utilization rate (%) | 58 | 65 | 82 |
- *2
- Up to five days.
Supporting Balance between Long-Term Care and Work
SUBARU has established a program to support employees and their families in order to mitigate their concerns and burdens related to long-term care.
Support for Long-Term Care
| Systems and Initiatives | Outline |
|---|---|
| Long-Term Care Leave |
System for employees to take leave to take care of the family member in need of long-term care May take leave for up to three installments for a total of one year per eligible family member |
| Special Leave |
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| Short Working Hours for Long-Term Care | May shorten working hours up to three hours per day up to a period of three years while providing long-term care |
| Exemption from Overtime and Holiday Work | May be exempted from overtime work or work on holidays on application by the employee |
| Limitations on Overtime Work | Overtime work may be limited to 24 hours per month and 150 hours per year on application by the employee; no overtime work in excess of these limits shall be performed |
| Reemployment Registration System | Employees requesting retirement due to long-term care can indicate their desire for reemployment to the company |
| Long-Term Care Support Handbook | Created a handbook summarizing various internal and external policies and consultation services, posted it on the intranet, and disseminated it throughout the Company |
Number of Employees Who Took Long-Term Care Leave (SUBARU)
(FYE March)
| Unit | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long-Term Care Leave | Persons | 8 | 10 | 15 |
Reemployment Support System
SUBARU has established a reemployment support system for employees who resigned for reasons beyond their control, such as the relocation of their spouse or the need to provide long-term care, and wish to return to work at SUBARU.
Leave of Absence System for Accompanying Overseas Assignments
SUBARU has introduced a system that allows employees to take a leave of absence for a specified period in the event that they are temporarily unable to work due to accompanying their spouses on overseas assignments.