Introducing a new employee-initiated work style system, "Beyond Work," a 3-4 day work week
– supporting self-growth and contributions to society through side jobs and learning.
October 20, 2025
ROHTO Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture; President and Representative Director: Hidetoshi Segi) will introduce a new work style system called "Beyond Work" with the aim of creating an environment where each employee can design their own career and grow while expanding their connections with society.
Applications for this program will open in October 2025, and operations will begin in April 2026.
"Beyond Work" is a work arrangement based on working three or four days a week, with the remaining days being used for side jobs, learning, social activities, obtaining qualifications, etc. Our company has adopted the "ROHTO Well-being LIFE Declaration" *1, which aims to enrich the entire life, including work, family, and learning, based on the physical and mental health of our employees. This system is one of the initiatives to embody this philosophy, encouraging employees to take on learning and challenges of their own volition and give back their growth to society.
*1 Reference: "ROHTO Well-being LIFE Declaration" which promotes employee autonomy and participation in society.
Background to implementation: Initiated as a system based on a suggestion from an employee who was practicing side jobs.
"Beyond Work" was born from a proposal by a team of employees, primarily those with experience working on side projects outside the company. Through discussions within a volunteer project team, the challenge of "having the desire to grow but being unable to take on challenges due to time and environmental constraints" became clear, and the system was formalized after dialogue between employees, HR, and management.
Comments from the employee who proposed the system
Working as a side hustle allowed me to work in organizations of different sizes, business phases, and cultures, and to encounter people and values I wouldn't have met through my work at Rohto Pharmaceutical alone. This has broadened my perspective and decision-making framework in my main job, contributing to my personal growth and well-being. Based on this experience, I wanted to "further support working people's challenges," which led me to propose working at Beyond.
I am deeply grateful for the flexible and positive corporate culture that sincerely listened to employees' voices, believed in their aspirations, and supported their realization throughout the process. I would like to continue to work together to cultivate an environment where employees can expand their potential and create new value for society.
The idea behind "Beyond Work": To support diverse working styles in conjunction with the "Core-Free Flexible System."
This system falls under the category of a work style generally referred to as a "three-day weekend" or "four-day weekend." However, at our company, we don't simply view it as a way to shorten the number of working days; rather, we position it as a system aimed at allowing employees to dedicate the extra one or two days to personal growth and giving back to the company and society. The name of the system, "Beyond," embodies the meaning of "looking to the future and growing beyond one's own boundaries and work style," and we expect employees to bring back the knowledge they gain through experiences and learning outside the company, thereby revitalizing the entire organization and creating new value.
Furthermore, in October 2025, we introduced a revised "Core-less Flex-Time System," which replaces our previous flex-time system. This system enables flexible work arrangements that are not bound by time constraints, expanding the range of work options to suit individual needs. Employees who wish to work in accordance with their life stage, such as childcare or elder care, can utilize the flex-time system, while those who wish to pursue challenges or deepen their learning can choose the Beyond Work option.
Overview of the "Beyond Work" System
Working days: 3 or 4 days per week (fixed schedule, subject to supervisor approval)
Working hours/workload/salary: Workload is set to 3/5 or 4/5 depending on the number of working days, and salary is calculated in the same proportion.
Employee benefits and evaluation system: Equivalent to that of employees working 5 days a week.
Eligibility Requirements: Can be used for activities that contribute to personal growth and self-realization, such as side jobs, reskilling, social activities, and obtaining qualifications.
Future outlook
Our company has supported employees' autonomous career development through initiatives such as "External Challenge Work (Side Job System)," "Reskilling Leave System," and "support for entrepreneurs within the company System 'Asuniwa project'." "Beyond Work" further develops these initiatives, aiming to enable employees to choose their own working style and give back the experience and knowledge they gain to the company and society.
Going forward, we will continue to support the challenges of each and every employee while promoting "Well-being management that fosters the growth of individuals, the company, and society together."
[Reference] Main work style-related systems at Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
- Risk-Skilling Leave System (June 2025 onwards)
- "Asuniwa project" (2020-) support for entrepreneurs within the company program.
- External Challenge Work (2016-present)
- Internal dual-job (holding multiple positions within the same company) (since 2016)