Aflac Life Insurance Japan Ltd. (Aflac), Hitachi, Ltd. (Hitachi), and GlobalLogic Japan, Ltd. (GlobalLogic) announced a full-scale collaboration to establish a Cancer Ecosystem (Workplace Cancer Ecosystem) to provide comprehensive support for employees and their families facing societal challenges related to cancer.
The three companies have been working together since December 2022 on a project run by Hitachi as a preliminary study. Responding to Aflac's concept of ‘Workplace Cancer Ecosystem’, the three parties used GlobalLogic's expertise in design-led digital engineering to conduct interviews and workshops with employees diagnosed with cancer, to identify gaps in the existing support system. Based on their findings, the team continued to develop initiatives to put their plans into action.
Existing support system
Aflac, Hitachi, and GlobalLogic will accelerate this co-creation responsible for verifying the feasibility of each idea toward the establishment of the ‘Workplace Cancer Ecosystem’ that accompanies employees who have been diagnosed with cancer, providing support throughout their journey.
One out of two Japanese individuals will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime
One out of two Japanese individuals will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. Providing support and resources to employees battling cancer is a vital responsibility as workplaces form a significant part of one's adult life. This assistance not only helps employees maintain their preferred lifestyle during their fight against cancer but also reduces turnover and temporary leave due to the disease, ensuring a stable workforce.
Mid-term management strategy
According to a survey conducted by the Cabinet Office, Government of Japan, approximately 57.4% of the respondents stated that ‘it is difficult to balance work and cancer treatment.’ Due to insufficient healthcare support provided by their company, low awareness and utilization of the current resources in place, support for patients in the workplace is a significant challenge.
Aflac has formulated a mid-term management strategy (2022-2024) under the slogan ‘Aflac VISION2024’ toward their 50th anniversary of operations in Japan, with the aim of becoming the leading company that creates a ‘Living in your own way’ ecosystem. To implement one of the strategies (‘Creating a living in your own way ecosystem’), Aflac is building a ‘Cancer Ecosystem’ to comprehensively resolve societal issues related to cancer through collaboration with various stakeholders including workplaces, schools, patient groups, NPOs, corporations, and government organizations.
Longest-standing insurance company
Hitachi partners with customers to use Lumada technology for global social innovation
Hitachi partners with customers to use Lumada technology for global social innovation, fostering collaboration with diverse partners to address various societal issues. As a collaborative project that integrates Aflac's ‘Cancer Ecosystem’ and Hitachi’s Lumada ecosystem, the three companies will establish a ‘Workplace Cancer Ecosystem’, in which companies will provide comprehensive, mid- to long-term support for employees with cancer at Hitachi's workplace.
The three companies conducted a preliminary study, using Hitachi's employee base as a field to understand the current issues in the workplace. Combined with insights from Aflac, a pioneer in cancer insurance and the longest-standing insurance company aiding patients diagnosed with cancer in Japan, the team examined the functions required for the ‘Workplace Cancer Ecosystem’ and the stakeholders that should be engaged.
Advanced case studies
Hitachi’s and GlobalLogic’s experience and expertise in advanced case studies and methods for creating new services based on design thinking provided the team with the resources to develop feasible initiatives to put their findings into a plan.
Hitachi's co-creation base, and held several workshops to discuss 'ideal state' ideas
Hitachi employees, including those who have been diagnosed with cancer, were interviewed to identify gaps between expectation and reality when it came to cancer experience, health awareness, and utilization of internal systems. Based on the results, Aflac, Hitachi, and GlobalLogic gathered at Lumada Innovation Hub Tokyo, Hitachi's co-creation base, and held several workshops to discuss 'ideal state' ideas. Using GlobalLogic's design thinking, the team created a survivor journey of personas derived from various employee surveys, while referencing details of current internal systems provided to employees.
Developing feasible initiatives
In addition, the team identified issues that had not been considered sufficiently from the perspective of the end user (employees), and discussed 20 ideas to resolve the issues. Based on the 20 ideas derived from the preliminary project, the three parties will strive for the implementation and deployment within Hitachi's workplace, while also progressing with the refinement and validation of ideas with an eye towards scaling these initiatives to other companies, areas, and the society.
With a goal to achieve the ‘Workplace Cancer Ecosystem’ by the year 2024, the three parties will design and implement a platform, contributing to the enhancement of employee well-being as part of their corporate efforts.
