In recent years, Primo Japan has helped employees in pursuing their desired career path. Currently, the number of employees who are also working mothers stands at 99 employees, and at the same time, more and more employees returning to work after parental leave and they continue to play an active role in the company. While it is never easy to combine working and raising children, many working mothers continue to be passionate about staying active at work.
Ms. Tsuchiya works at our I-PRIMO BAY QUARTER YOKOHAMA Store and is now the mother of three children. Her chosen work schedule allows her to work on Saturdays and Sundays, which are the busiest days of the week with the highest number of customers coming to the store. “Originally, I thought that I wanted to work on the weekends when I could serve a large number of customers because my children spend quite a bit of time out of the house on weekends anyway, and I searched for a nursery based on that assumption.” With support from her family, Ms. Tsuchiya is raising her three children, the oldest of which is a daughter in elementary school. “Although I work a shorter work schedule, the limited time I spend at work allows me to focus more on customer service, which brings me a lot of enjoyment. I think pleasant conversations with customers are one of the most rewarding things about my job. Since the director at my children’s nursery wants to set an example for the children as a working mother herself, I feel that she supports me with encouraging words to become ‘not only a mother but also an active member of society in my own right.’ I take great pride in offering once-in-a-lifetime bridal jewelry and I hope to continue doing my best at work in the future.”
On the other hand, Ms. Sugawara, who works at our LAZARE DIAMOND Boutique Sendai Store, says “I kept in touch with my co-workers during my maternity leave, and I intended to go back to work from the beginning.” However, “On returning to work, my health suffered because I tried to adjust myself to my child’s pace beyond my capacity. From that experience, I realized the importance of taking care of myself. My child is always my priority, but if I do everything for the child while sacrificing my own needs and cutting back on work, I wonder whether that attitude is really good for my family and myself.” Ms. Sugawara is able to continue working by leaving her children in the care of a nursery or family, taking paid leave and also working on the weekends. “Seeing my daughter, who will be three this year, pretending to work in ‘Mama’s Store’, asking me, ‘Does it fit?’ while looking at the ring I’m wearing, and seeing that she understands that there is ‘a place for Mama to be outside the home’ gives me a really special feeling. I think this experience is also special for me as a working mom.” At the end of the interview, Ms. Sugawara tells us, smiling happily, “After I returned to work, I felt even more strongly that I wanted to work for the company for a long time.”
Primo Japan prioritizes the happiness of couples facing one of life’s most important moments, and also the happiness of everyone involved in helping to turn couples’ dreams into reality. To that end, it is essential to “help and appreciate one another”, to promote mutual understanding among co-workers, and to reach out and give one another a hand in order to continue facilitating a positive working environment.