Achieving Growth with Colleagues While Maintaining a Sense of Gratitude

ーTell us about your current role.

I’m currently assigned to the Regional Sales Headquarters of the Regional Sales Promotion Department, which is part of the Regional Sales Promotion Office. I’m responsible for assessing strategies and administering and managing policies in the office equipment area. I’m also involved in key projects that determine our future strategic direction, such as the formulation of medium-term management plans that incorporate our vision for the future.

I’ve taken maternity leave twice since joining the company as a new graduate, and I’m currently raising two children aged one and three*. It’s challenge to balance work with looking after my children, but I’m basically working full-time. I go to the office two or three days a week and work at home on the other days.

※As of the date of the interview

ーAre there moments when you find your work especially satisfying?

It’s a great feeling when I analyze data and suddenly something that I couldn’t understand before comes into focus. Even if it’s just numbers at first, once I plot them on a graph, I start noticing things. I consider why the numbers fall at one point, or why a trend looks different when viewed from another angle. It’s really satisfying when I finally solve a question that’s been bothering me and understand the reasons. I also feel really motivated when my boss or coworkers thank me for my efforts.

ーWhat are your frank views about changing the company’s name?

When I first heard that the company name was going to change, I felt both surprised and uneasy. Ever since I first joined the company, I’ve viewed our name as a source of strength and taken pride in doing business under the RICOH banner. So losing that will obviously have a big impact. To be honest, I also felt the pressure of knowing that we would need to rely solely on our efforts to achieve continuing growth as an independent finance company.

―Have your feelings changed since then?

As I continued reflecting on the reasons behind the name change and the aspirations embedded in our new name, RITRES, and in the new logo, I began to understand it on a deeper level. The Latin word TRES in the new name is especially meaningful for our day‑to‑day work, because it expresses the idea of three elements working together as one. By building strong three‑way partnerships with our customers and our vendor partners, we can deliver greater value to our customers. To do that, we must also continually explore what kind of value we should be providing to our vendor partners. This way of thinking is a core part of my strategic planning work.

Our previous name, RICOH LEASING, was a straightforward combination of “RICOH” and “leasing,” but our new name, RITRES, carries a deeper story. Gaining a solid understanding of that story—and being able to speak about it with confidence—will be a powerful asset for us in the field.

ーHow do you feel about the new brand slogan, “Empower the Future.”?

My first impression was that it was really easy to understand. By including the word “future”, I felt that it clarified where we are heading and what our purpose is. As the company grows, it will support Japan, enabling younger generations and children to live without anxiety about what lies ahead, and to feel secure in their daily lives. Ultimately, we want to create a society where everyone can live happily and with a smile. That intention came through strongly.

At this turning point, rather than treating the change as just another event, we each need to relate it to our own work and think about what it means in our own context. I see that as the most important factor in driving the company toward a new growth phase.

―Have there been any times when you directly experienced the company’s brand values— challenge and co-creation?

From the perspective of co‑creation, I place a high to value on showing appreciation to people I work with and acknowledging their contributions. My current manager is aiming to build an organization where everyone expresses and experiences gratitude. In our regular meetings, he invites people from the various branches to speak, and he also compiles reports that include specific messages of appreciation between specific people.

Work is never something you can complete entirely on your own. That’s why it means a lot when we can say “thank you” to each other, even for small things, or offer a word of praise. I make a point of expressing appreciation to everyone.

ーFinally, what is your vision for empower the future?

Under our medium‑term management strategy, we aim to achieve growth in partnership with our customers and partner vendors, and to contribute to Japan’s prosperity. This company name change represents a very important turning point for us. Rather than seeing it negatively, we need to approach it as a positive opportunity. In line with our new brand slogan, “Empower the Future.”, we will keep taking on new challenges while working to remain an organization that people view with appreciation. We also hope to help create a workplace where everyone can stay positive and work with a smile.