Lenovo to start considering new ways of working, such as halving offices and abolishing commuter passes

As mentioned as the first company in our short-term intensive series "This is how our company telework", Lenovo Japan is a leading company in telework initiatives. .

Lenovo Japan started working on telework in December 2015. With the spread of the new coronavirus, the shift to telecommuting is accelerating. The telework ratio, which was 20% during normal business hours, increased to 60% as of February 27, and 86% of employees were teleworking as of March 11.

In particular, 98% of employees teleworked on May 12 after Golden Week, and even now, 85% of employees are teleworking. Depending on the work, up to 30% of employees are allowed to come to work, but in reality, it is said that it will not reach that level.

Lenovo Japan's approach to telework

Behind the fact that the company was able to spread telework so far in a short period of time, we cannot overlook the system of "unlimited company-wide telework" that has been in place since 2015.

As expressed as "unlimited", when implementing telework, there is no department to be covered by the system, all employees can use it, and telework can be done as many times as one month or one week The rule of "unlimited company-wide telework" is not to set an upper limit on the number of times.

That's not all. Through the regular implementation of company-wide telework days, the use of telework is permeated within the company. At the time of the Tokyo Olympics, which was scheduled to be held from July 23, 2020, we had planned to implement simultaneous telework for about two weeks, and we were steadily preparing for it.

For that reason, even when many companies were forced to work from home due to the spread of the new coronavirus, Lenovo Japan was able to smoothly transition to company-wide telework.

"The fact that we have been experimentally implemented so far, the guidance from the company was accurate, and the fact that the site was able to make decisions on its own is a big factor. Partner. Partner Even if it is necessary to come to the office to process paper documents such as contracts and invoices with the The fact that we had a system in place to respond flexibly on site led to a smooth implementation,” says Mitsuyoshi Otani, Telework Evangelist, Lenovo Japan Commercial Division.

Mr. Mitsuyoshi Otani, Telework Evangelist, Lenovo Japan Commercial Division , the call center department also transitioned to a telework system by utilizing a telework solution that can securely manage information. Currently, 73% of operators at Lenovo Japan's call center are responding by telework from home.

In addition, it is said that temporary employees who are entrusted with work at the head office are also working on teleworking based on the Lenovo Group policy.