SheepMedical, a medical technology company driving the digital transformation of orthodontics and preventative care, today announced a new company initiative which will benefit employees working on behalf of personnel members taking temporary maternity, childcare, nursing care, or otherwise family-related leaves of absence. Starting in April 2022, the company will introduce sustainable bonuses on employees who substitute on behalf of team members taking on extra work for colleagues on short-term sabbaticals between 15 days and three months.

The compensation for the additional hours of alternative work will be added to their regular salaries.

Examples of family-related furloughs include:

• Employees who substitute work on behalf of a team member taking male childcare, or paternity, leave for a temporary period

• Employees who substitute work on behalf of a team member taking nursing care leave for a temporary period  

• Employees who substitute work on behalf of a team member taking maternity leave and short childcare leave

Short-term leave makes it difficult to hire replacement employees, often resulting in additional responsibilities for colleagues standing in for absent employees. An increased burden for colleagues destabilizes a team atmosphere, stunts individual career growth, and, in many cases, decreases overall organizational productivity. Such issues have been observed across Japan, and according to a survey by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare, the lack of support in the workplace is the biggest contributing factor in the discouragement of women’s careers and men’s waiver of paternity leave.

Referenced Study;

https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/11900000/000851662.pdf

In response to this issue, SheepMedical will introduce its Sustainable Bonus program to incentivize and foster a culture that actively supports the life stages of all colleagues.

The new bonuses are intended to reward team members who are willing to step in for their coworkers during crucial life moments and foster a workplace culture where employees are encouraged to positively support changes in each other’s life stages. After a one-year trial, SheepMedical plans to consider expanding the scope of the program to include child nursing leave.

In addition to the salary and company insurance exemption of employees on leave, this allowance minimizes the impact on management funds by allocating subsidies that can then be applied for by those on male childcare leave or nursing care leave.

SheepMedical’s Sustainable Bonus system is designed to give employees personal agency with their choices during pivotal life changes, while remaining confident that their professional role will be available to them upon return.

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About SheepMedical

SheepMedical, a medical technology company, promotes the digital transformation of orthodontics and preventive care. As the leading independent Company in the clear aligner business in Japan, SheepMedical focuses on quality, preventative orthodontic care and is building health solutions for today's challenges, and anything tomorrow brings. The SheepMedical story began with the fastest aging yet healthiest population in the world – Japan. With our preventative care model, SheepMedical provides health services seeking to extend global life expectancy.

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For more information on our sustainability initiatives, please visit;

https://www.sheepmedical.com/sustainability

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Related release;

SheepMedical Named Recipient of SDGs Promotional Loan To Further Its Sustainability Contributions

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