[Customer Feedback] Improved productivity through the use of specific skilled workers! Long-term human resource development supported by a trust-based support system (Torizen Foods Co., Ltd.)

[Customer Profile]

Torizen Foods Co., Ltd.

A food-related company that mainly focuses on Kyushu's brand chicken "Hanamidori," which engages in poultry farming, meat wholesale, processed food sales, and nationwide restaurant operations. Hanamidori is a brand chicken raised on carefully selected feed, boasting high quality and flavor. The company operates "Hakata Hanamidori," a mizutaki specialty restaurant, nationwide, including in Tokyo and Osaka, and serves chicken dishes originating from Kyushu.

This time, we spoke with Mr. Shimoide, the factory manager of Torizen Foods Co., Ltd.'s Itoshima Factory !

Torizen Foods Co., Ltd. Itoshima Factory

──What prompted you to start hiring specific skilled workers?

The food manufacturing industry is particularly suffering from a serious labor shortage, and although our company has posted job openings many times, we have not been able to attract as many people as we would like. When we thought about the future of our factory, we felt that we needed to secure in-house personnel who could develop their careers through long-term employment , rather than temporary employment such as dispatched workers . In order to continue stable production while firmly maintaining quality and safety, reliable staff are essential. In this context, the introduction of the Specified Skilled Worker System was a great opportunity for us.

It has already been two years since we started hiring specific skilled workers, and now, of our total workforce of approximately 120, the number of foreign nationals employed has increased to about the same as the number of full-time Japanese employees .

──Please tell us why you chose the Food and Beverage Association as your registration support organization.

We chose the Restaurant Association because our Managing Director serves as a director and we felt they were highly trustworthy. In fact, after implementing the system, we started hiring people one by one, and the Restaurant Association carefully selected and introduced us to the right people after thoroughly understanding our requirements . Even after they were hired, their performance was impressive, and we realized how reliable their selection of talent was .

We want our Specified Skilled Workers to continue to play an active role for a long time to come, so we also place importance on communication within the company. The people supported by the Food and Beverage Association are honest, cooperative, and proactive in communication, so they quickly fit in at the workplace.

──Please tell us what you think is good about starting the specific skills employment program.

They have made a significant contribution to our production system . Our selection criteria for specific skilled workers have consistently been to position them as "quasi-employees," allowing us to adjust personnel to suit the factory's production situation and operation. With part-time workers, it was sometimes difficult to be flexible due to family circumstances or time constraints, but specific skilled workers can be assigned to flexible shifts, which allows the factory as a whole to operate more smoothly.

──What points did you pay particular attention to as a company when hiring foreign talent?

Maintaining safety and quality is absolutely essential in factory operations. Therefore, when hiring foreign personnel, we place great importance on their Japanese language ability . Being able to communicate appropriately and correctly understand instructions and explanations is the most important factor in complying with rules for quality control and safety measures, and above all, in acquiring new skills.

We also value employees' motivation to work . We are always thinking about how to make them feel that they are glad to work for this company and that they want to work here for a long time. For example, we continue to make efforts to provide a comfortable working environment by holding banquets and BBQ events within the company to create opportunities to increase motivation.

──What is your impression of the actual work they do?

The two specific skilled workers here today (Abit and Hamid) are currently building their careers as part of the Soup team. The Soup factory operates 24 hours a day, and there are only two full-time employees. However, thanks to the specific skilled workers on this team who are able to perform the same level of work as full-time employees and can also be entrusted with management, the factory is able to operate smoothly even when the Japanese full-time employees are absent. Without them, 24-hour operation would not be possible .

Because they are such trustworthy people, we are thinking of promoting leaders from among our specified skilled workers in the future, and if they are motivated, we would like to allow them to take on positions as a step up. To that end, we would like to first create a leadership role to unite the specified skilled workers, clarify the standards, and prepare a stage for hard-working employees to step up . By realizing and embodying this, we hope to increase their motivation and pave the way for the next generation of employees to follow.

Left) Mr. Ebid, center) Factory manager Mr. Shimoide, right) Mr. Hamid

──What is the evaluation system for foreign talent?

We have created a new evaluation sheet for specific skilled workers and started using it at the end of September. As with Japanese full-time employees, evaluations are conducted twice a year, once in the first half and once in the second half of the year. This evaluation sheet will also lead to the appointment of leaders, as I mentioned earlier.

By working hard to achieve the items on the evaluation sheet, employees can contribute more to the company and advance their careers. This system helps specific skilled workers clarify their aspirations and goals, and encourages them to work proactively.

──Please tell us your thoughts on the support services provided by the Food and Beverage Association.

Our company has a clear image of the type of person we are looking for when hiring, and we have strict standards, but the Restaurant Association responds to our requests sincerely. Compared to other support organizations, we feel that the Restaurant Association is the best at proposing people who fit our needs .

Another major source of comfort is the solid relationship of trust that has been built between the company, the specified skilled worker, and the support organization . Regular interviews are also held more frequently than the national regulations, so both the company and the specified skilled worker feel free to share information and seek advice, creating an open relationship.

──Please tell us about your future prospects for utilizing specific skilled workers.

Going forward, we would like to steadily increase the number of specific skilled workers , and we are currently discussing plans to increase staffing with Mr. Tanaka, who is in charge of this. Production is the most important factor in running a factory, and in order to ensure volume, we need to extend operating hours and increase the number of operating days. As it becomes increasingly difficult to directly employ Japanese people, we would like to increase the number of specific skilled workers while aiming to improve both quality and safety .

In fact, two years have passed since we introduced the Specified Skilled Workers program, and we can now see a visible improvement in quality and safety through their employment. We are also actively supporting motivated employees in transitioning to Specified Skilled Worker No. 2 status. We will use an evaluation sheet to evaluate their abilities, and by having them clear the company's challenges, we will create a system that allows the company to recommend them.

Thank you, Shimoide-san, for your valuable story!

On this day, Ebid and Hamid, who work under the specific skills program, were also in attendance, so we spoke to them as well ^^! ▶︎Click here for the interview article

I look forward to seeing you again at our next regular meeting!

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The Japan Food and Beverage Association for Foreign Employment

We support companies that want to start employing foreigners .

Through our own network,

Securing the talent companies are looking for - interviews - starting work and providing support afterwards

We provide comprehensive support.

"We want to resolve the labor shortage."

"We want to promote globalization"

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us !