SBI Shinsei Bank Advances DEIB with 30-Plus Belonging Workshops; Returnees Make Up About 5% of Staff
SBI Shinsei Bank Executive Chairman Yuko Sawa says the bank is advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) practices after remote work diluted workplace bonds. The bank has run more than 30 workshops and dialogues on belonging, with its diversity committee meeting volunteer employees monthly and feeding their feedback into concrete measures. Twice-yearly engagement surveys show improving scores, and roughly 5 percent of the workforce consists of employees who left and later rejoined the bank. Sawa said she hopes to create an environment where employees feel it is worth coming to work.
SBI Shinsei Bank Executive Chairman Yuko Sawa said the bank is advancing DEIB practices that embed "belonging" into its corporate philosophy. DEIB adds a belonging dimension to diversity, equity and inclusion, aiming to ensure employees feel not only accepted but also that their presence and contributions are recognized by the organization. Sawa noted that the spread of remote work after the COVID-19 pandemic has left workplace relationships increasingly distant, with some younger employees having never seen senior colleagues handle telephone conversations. With on-the-job learning opportunities correspondingly reduced, fostering a culture of collaborative problem-solving has become a priority.
The bank has held workshops on the theme of belonging to create opportunities for interaction among employees who rarely cross paths in daily work. In addition, members of the bank's in-house diversity committee hold monthly dialogues with employees who volunteer to participate, listening to their concerns and anxieties about work. More than 30 such sessions have been conducted, and the feedback has been incorporated into concrete initiatives.
On employee engagement, the bank conducts surveys twice a year, with scores showing an improving trend. Employees who left and later rejoined the bank account for approximately 5 percent of the total workforce. Sawa said she hopes to foster a work environment where employees feel "it is worth coming here."