A girl from China who was studying at Keio University and was fluent in languages came to the interview. Apparently he originally graduated from a university in Beijing and worked as a financial planner at a bank. KOMA was intrigued by his unusual background. The interviews always start in the morning, with a brief introduction and then the candidate is asked to experience working in the workshop. We all share a lunch of "food from the same pot" that Mai Takeuchi quickly prepares, and then we have them work again in the afternoon, and we pay them a low daily wage. The next step is to have them come in once a week as part-time as they can, or to do a three-month trial. It's not that I want to see it, I want others to see it. I want you to see and experience it for yourself to decide whether it suits you and whether you can continue with it. I want you to carefully choose the job and workplace where you will be spending a lot of your time. So many people have come and gone so far. I am grateful to each and every person who was there for me during those really difficult times, and although I may be selfish, there are several people who I feel were missed out on. In any case, in most cases the company and I were at fault, and each time I regretted it, and little by little the working environment has improved. We know that company growth is equal to the growth of its people, but what is the environment that allows employees to grow with motivation and enthusiasm? If it were easy to achieve, it wouldn't be a problem. I thought I had always done my best up until then, but looking back, I realize that there were many things that were not good. And this winter, thanks to the efforts of the current members, a new challenge has begun that will fundamentally change the way young people work. The basic working schedule is 8 hours a day, 20 days a month, with overtime limited to 2 hours. It's around 160 hours to a maximum of less than 200 hours per month. I have 10 days off every month, which gives me a lot of free time. How you use that time is up to you, We also created a system where if an artist creates a work, the company will purchase it and exhibit and sell it in the shop along with an introduction profile of the artist, and a system where we can work together outside of working hours to teach or complete tasks that are difficult to attempt due to time constraints during daily work. The reason can be anything, such as "I want to get better" or "I want to earn more," but anyone who wants to try can give it a go as many times as they want. Our young people are full of enthusiasm, so I think they will grow better if they are given the freedom to do what they want rather than being restricted by the company. At the very least, I think it's a good environment with plenty of opportunities for those who love making things and want to move forward with enthusiasm. I'm sure the future of the craftsman profession is just as bleak as that of other professions. In the near future, most people's manual techniques will be unable to compete with machines. Artificial intelligence will likely surpass human experience when it comes to efficient and excellent design. My brain can no longer predict the progress of global technology. However, he is optimistic, saying, "As long as there's originality, there won't be any problems." I believe that for a craftsman, this is something that appears after making and making and creating. Of course, you have to work several times harder than other people, but that's all there is to it. The waves of the times move forward, changing shape on their own, without any regard for personal feelings. The moment you resist this enormous wave and refuse to change, you are instantly swallowed up and crushed to pieces, and when you come to your senses, you feel left behind, having lost sight of what is above, below, in front, behind, or anything else. In this day and age, the speed and size are unpredictable and it seems difficult, but on the other hand, I'm optimistic that it will be a great feeling if I can ride it, and I hope I can enjoy it in the same way as surfing. It is precisely because we do not want to change that we must change. In our case, we must continue to challenge ourselves and change along with the changes in the world in order to maintain our original desire to "make good furniture." I think that universal things can only be expressed after going through the spring and autumn seasons. At KOMA, we want to be a group of artisans who are not afraid to take on new challenges, enjoy change, and each of us has our own originality. One of the selfish aspirations I had as a beginner during my training was to aim to create a "company like a rock band" where each craftsman's individuality shines through and the number of people who become fans of their work gradually increases, allowing each person to shine as the main character. It is impossible to create something that is accepted by everyone, nor is it possible to create a company that is comfortable for everyone. Because our efforts are limited, we feel grateful to our customers and colleagues who are resonating with us. Currently, the people who come in once a week to work part-time are a girl who has studied product design extensively and a handsome vocational school student from Korea. Both are attractive and work hard. The girl who came from China this time had to return to her country due to sudden family circumstances. He must be pretty smart, since he can learn a language just by watching movies. She was a cheerful, lively and very cute girl. On the way home, I gave him a KOMA hoodie and he jumped for joy. "When I go back to China, I'll wear this and promote KOMA!" "When you come to China, let me know and I'll help you!" "If I come back to Japan, let me work for you!" We only spent a few hours together, but it was a good encounter that gave me the feeling that we might work together in some way someday. I'm not smart, good-looking, or good-natured, but I'm confident in my basic intuition. I had an interview of a female proficient in language studying in Keio University. She graduated from a university in Beijing and worked in a bank taking financial planner. I was interested in her given her experiences unique to KOMA. Usually, an interview starts before noon, we ask the candidate to experience our manufacturing processes in our factory after brief greeting. We eat lunch Takeuchi Mai-chan prepares for us in short period of time together, and in the afternoon return to manufacturing processes, we pay daily allowance which may not be large amount. Next step would be part-time job either once a week or three months trail. It is not meant for us to observe the candidate but the candidate to observe us. We would like for candidates to judge whether they are able to continue the job or not through the working experience. We would like to ask for candidates to select their working places providentially. We have been many people who joined and left KOMA. I appreciate those who stayed with me in tough time and I have selfish opinion some of them would be regrettable. In most cases, their leaves are attribute to me and/or the company. With the reflection of each experience, working environment of KOMA has been improved. I understand that the growth of the company is identical to growths of its employees, I am struggling to understand what is the environment where employees are able to energetically grow with keeping motivations. It would not be easy to achieve. I have tried my best at the time, however when reviewed, many of past improvements might not be good. From this winter, thanks to efforts of existing members, KOMA started new challenges which may fundamentally change working environment of KOMA. The working hour is defined as 8 hours per day, 20 days per month, and the overtime work is limited to 2 hours per day. Total working hours per month would be ranging from 160 hours to 200 hours per month. There would be 10 holidays per month, which would be spent on things other than jobs. Employees have autonomy how to spend the time, we have invented the system for the company to sell products employees make in their free time with their introduction in the sales promotion at the company store after the company's purchase of them. We have invented a system where employees are able to challenge or learn processes which cannot be conducted in their standard working hors due to limitation. Whatever reasons including "I would like to improve my skills" or "I would like to make more money", challenges are open to those who would like to do. Given highly motivated, our employees would grow faster when they have more free than have constraint made by the company. At least, those who like manufacturing something and are motivated to proceed. The future of occupation of craftsmen would not necessarily be good as other occupations. In the near future, most hand techniques would become inferior to machine technology, and the Artificial Intelligence would become better than experiences of human-beings in terms of efficient plan and design. I cannot imagine progresses of global technology in the future. However, I have optimistic personal view "There would not be any issues as long as one has originality." Craftsmen would acquire their own originality after continuous manufacturing of significant number of their works. The required amount of products would be several times larger than the ordinary craftsman, however, that is it. The wave of age moves in variable shape irrespective of our personal desires. Immediately after resisting the wave and refusing changes, we would be left in the wave with losing anything up and down, left and right after being mobbed. It would be difficult to deal with the wave, which would be unexpectedly quicker and bigger, at the same time, I would be optimistic "it would be really fun to ride the wave" as feeling in surfing. We need to change because we would not like to change. In case of KOMA, we need to change along with changes of the world in order to keep our original purpose, "We would like to make good furniture." Universal products can be expressed only after years of challenges. KOMA would like to the group of craftsmen, each member has plenty of his/her own originality, enjoying changes. One of my own selfish original goal at my training period is establishing "the company like a rock band" where each member plays as the shining lead member with increasing funs of products his/her originality. We cannot make products accepted by everybody and no company is comfortable working place for everybody. Given being limited, I appreciate clients and employees who are resonated with KOMA. A female adequately learned about product design and nice-looking male coming from Korea take once a week part-time job in KOMA. Both are attractive and have made efforts. The Chinese female interviewed this time had to go back to China due to her family matters. She is supposed to be extremely smart because she is able to master languages just looking at movies. She is cheerful and cute. She was delighted as jumping to have a KOMA parker as gift from us. "I will promote KOMA wearing this parker!" "I would like to be informed when visiting China because I would like to help you!" "If I am able to come back to Japan, I would like to have an opportunity to work in KOMA!" It was just several hours interactions, however, I felt we are supposed to have interactions in the future. I would not be good in blain, face, and personality, however, I have strong confidence in my insight.
