Meet Rie Chikaishi and Learn How Flexibility at LIXIL Supports Employee Growth

Please tell us about yourself. 

My name is Rie Chikaishi, and I work in the LWT Marketing Strategy Department, Brand & Marketing Strategy Division. Regardless of my role, or what I’m working on, I keep in mind LIXIL’s Purpose of making better homes a reality for everyone, everywhere. That makes me proud of what we do and of my work as well. 

Can you tell me more about your career journey in LIXIL?

After I joined, I was initially assigned to the Executive Assistant team of INAX Tostem Holdings, where I became the Executive Assistant to the president of Tostem. After my first two children were born, I transferred to the IT Department, and now, I am in the Marketing Department. In my current role, I am involved in international branding for INAX, participating in various cross-functional projects, and promoting new ways of working such as the Scrum and Agile frameworks.

My work experience is diverse, going from the Executive Assistant team to the IT Department and now to the Marketing Department. I have learned many things from each department, which have significantly contributed to my career development.

For example, in the IT department, I studied "Scrum" team management and learned how to be "agile," which is important at LIXIL. Scrum is a framework for implementing an agile way of working - a small team responsible for product development, a project, or a service, manages tasks in weekly "sprints" to complete the job. The team consists of about five people, including the product owner, who is responsible for the product, and the scrum master, who oversees the scrum process. This way of working allows us to focus more on the customer's needs and provide more value. I apply this concept while working in the Marketing Department as well.

Please share about a motivating or rewarding experience you’ve had while working at LIXIL.

I always prioritize facilitating communication with my team members. Effective communication makes me feel more secure and directly affects my job performance. When communication flows well, it can lead to confidence while working, as well as job satisfaction.

During daily scrum meetings and other interactions,  I like to bring up minor changes as topics of discussion, and to include a bit of humor, as it makes people smile. For example, I think it is essential to create a friendly environment by sharing things that may have gone wrong in a project before. This approach helps create a relaxed atmosphere where even trivial matters can be shared without hesitation. I believe that when daily communication improves, it can lead to more insightful conversations that provide hints for work and have a positive effect on productivity and employee happiness.

In addition to this, I also value our LIXIL Behaviors: Do The Right Thing, Work With Respect, and Experiment and Learn. My personal favorite is “Work with Respect,” but I believe the most crucial one is “Do The Right Thing,” as it guides me to solutions when faced with challenges.

The "right thing" can be perceived in different ways, but I believe that through careful communication and dialogue, with a “Work With Respect” attitude, both parties can agree on what is the right and most fair way to proceed. Furthermore, communicating with respect allows us to help each other and expand our internal network. For instance, when creating documents, I can put my thoughts into words, but I am not the best at expressing them through pictures or on slides. In such cases knowing someone who is skilled in that area  allows us to collaborate effectively and leverage each other’s strengths to do a great job.

What do you find attractive about working at LIXIL?

LIXIL has a great learning environment, and a diverse group of people within the company, and in the Marketing Department. There are colleagues who are taking care of their families, raising children, have changed jobs, or have transferred from other departments. Everyone is in a different situation and has a unique way of thinking, and I have learned a lot by interacting with these people and learning their perspective.

LIXIL is also very understanding and supportive of flexible work hours and modes of working, which I truly appreciate, as I am working while raising children. I am currently raising three boys, one is not yet a year old and the two others are 7 and 10, and am able to work flexibly thanks to LIXIL’s super-flex system. When I am unable to attend meetings or other appointments, my team members fill in for me, and I am very grateful for that. On the other hand, I also try to keep up with my work by checking tasks and preparing documents during my lunch break as well as after dinner - I can distribute my work hours as I like.

I gave birth to my third son last June and went back to work two months later in August. While it’s not usual in Japan, I was able to return full time right after giving birth because I took full advantage of the remote work system that the company encourages. I feel that, at LIXIL, employees have enough support from the company, and it encourages us to give our best to our jobs and helps us perform better.

What would you say to someone considering a career at LIXIL?

There are countless events happening around the world constantly, and many people are suffering greatly during these times; my motivation comes from a desire to help as many people as possible. Clothing, food, and shelter are the most necessary and basic elements of our lives, and I believe LIXIL is a wonderful company with a mission to improve the "shelter" aspect of these fundamental needs.

(As of March 2024)