HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach - 19 July 2023 - hana-musubi, a Japanese rice Omusubi specialty store under Hyakunousha International Limited, announced today a comprehensive enhancement of its employee benefits policy. The major initiative includes the introduction of the "Employees' Child Health Care Plan " for the first time, which extends medical coverage to the children aged 18 or below of all full-time employees, prioritising the health and well-being of employees and their families.

Mr. Muneo Nishida, Managing Director of Hyakunousha International Limited, stated, "At hana-musubi, our core philosophy of 'triple-win' emphasises the importance of what's good for employees, good for the company, and good for society. We believe that health is of utmost importance, so the critical step of practising what's 'good for employees' is to address their medical benefits and reduce their financial burden of healthcare. It is rare in the food and beverage industry to provide employees' children with insurance coverage. We hope to become the pioneer for the industry, leading industry players to improve their welfare measures, especially in the areas related to employees' healthcare and family-friendly measures. We hope this initiative will become the new norm, motivating the development and progress of the entire industry."

Securing the next generation: introducing the first-ever "Employees' Child Health Care Plan"

hana-musubi, known for bringing traditional Japanese meals to Hong Kong, embodies the Japanese spirit of warm and sincere hospitality - "omotenashi" - not only in caring for its customers but also employees. The launch of the "Employees' Child Health Care Plan" stems from the same intention - to care for our employees with heart, providing them with what they need, and caring for whom they love. Compared to last year, the company's annual medical budget has increased significantly by 60%, with a broader range of coverage to benefit employees and their children. Starting this month, hana musubi has launched the "Employees' Child Health Care Plan" which extends medical coverage to all full-time employees' children aged 18 or under, including both inpatient and outpatient insurance plans.

Mr. Nishida also stated that: "hana-musubi upholds the brand mission of 'creating the agriculture of the next hundred years' and continuously nurtures the next generation through action. Through our delicious Omusubi, we hope to enable our customers to feel warmth and the love of a family. To achieve this goal, we must first connect with our employees, listen to their needs, and genuinely care about them. And when you do, you will naturally care about the next generation and ensure the health and well-being of both the employees and their children.

Introducing a half-day paid medical check-up leave to enhance employee healthcare benefits

hana-musubi is always striving to improve its employee healthcare benefits. It has established a mechanism to review welfare details periodically to ensure that its team enjoys protection that meets or even exceeds industry standards. While hana-musubi offers preventive health check benefits to its employees, it has noticed that some employees are hesitant to sacrifice a half day's pay for the check-up, resulting in underutilization of this benefit. In light of this, it has introduced a half-day paid medical check-up leave to encourage employees to undergo annual physicals and prevent illnesses before they occur, thereby enabling them to live longer and healthier lives.

Flexible working arrangements to accommodate the needs of working mothers in caring for their children

In addition to the upgrade in healthcare benefits, the flexible working arrangements and other generous benefits offered by hana-musubi are key factors in attracting many working mothers. With hana-musubi stores located throughout Hong Kong, employees can choose to work at the store near to their residential area and enjoy full reimbursement of transportation expenses and free meals. Acknowledging the challenging lifestyle of working mothers, the option to choose their work hours allows them to balance their family and childcare responsibilities while also dedicating themselves to their careers, achieving a better work-life balance.

The company's Head of Human Resources, Ms. Rachel Kwong, emphasised the importance of flexibility: "Most of our frontline employees in stores are health-conscious individuals with families. With that said, besides the medical benefits, flexibility is also a key factor, for example, we have mothers who work a designated number of hours each day in order to accommodate their children's school schedules."

In addition, hana-musubi provides paid comprehensive training for employees, including field training, classroom training, and demo store training, ensuring they have sufficient product knowledge and preparing them for real-life situations. A variety of leisure activities are organised outside of work hours by the company, including barbecues, hikes, annual dinners, etc., to promote the physical and mental health of employees and to build cohesion among colleagues, and employees are encouraged to bring their children. Ms. Kwong added: "We have regular communication with frontline and back-office staff to review current welfare schemes and staff rostering. At the same time, Mr. Nishida is very approachable and caring towards employees, leading the creation of a friendly and inclusive working atmosphere where all colleagues can feel comfortable and respected, increasing their sense of belonging and boosting morale in the company."

Application Methods and Practical Information for hana-musubi job positions

hana-musubi is expanding rapidly in Hong Kong and plans to have over 150 stores by the end of 2023. In order to support this business expansion, the company aims to hire 500 employees this year, with 75% being frontline store staff. Applicants from a variety of backgrounds including students, housewives, and individuals without working experience, are welcome to apply. Interested applicants may refer to the following information to submit their resume or make relevant enquiries.

Frontline Store Position:
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: 9160 7599

Factory Position:
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: 9683 5308

Office Position:
Email: [email protected]

Hashtag: #hanamusubi

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About hana-musubi

Established in 2011, hana-musubi is a 100% Japanese rice Omusubi specialty store under Hyakunousha International Limited. "Omusubi" represents a mother's love and family warmth: taking delicious Japanese rice cooked to perfection and adding favourite ingredients, then carefully moulding it with both hands coming together to represent the connection between people's hearts.

hana-musubi carefully selects top-quality Japanese rice and combines it with seasonal ingredients to create fresh and delicious Omusubi. The company strictly monitors the process from raw materials and production to delivery and store operations to uphold its commitment to food safety and quality assurance. The goal is to provide customers with safe and secure 100% Japanese rice Omusubi at all times. hana-musubi produces multiple flavours of Omusubi daily, along with a variety of authentic Japanese cuisine, fresh and nutritious salads, and unique Japanese desserts, providing customers with a daily boost for a healthy lifestyle.

With its high-quality, healthy, and delicious Omusubi, hana-musubi has successfully won the hearts of the public and has opened over 125 stores in Hong Kong, Kowloon, and the New Territories in the past decade, allowing more customers to enjoy the highest quality Japanese Omusubi.

In addition to providing high-quality and delicious Omusubi, hana-musubi also adheres to the values of traditional Japanese hospitality "omotenashi" (おもてなし) to serve its customers. The company hopes to inspire every customer with warm and sincere service and connect with customers through the highest quality Japanese cuisine.

Website: https://www.h-musubi.com/en/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HanaMusubiHK/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hanamusubiofficial/