#Japan #Tokyo #Human Capital Management #Knowledge Guild #Elul LLC

Introduction to Knowledge Guild

Elul LLC, based in Minato, Tokyo, has launched a new service aimed at fostering self-directed learning among employees entitled 'Knowledge Guild'. This innovative platform is designed to tackle the common challenges companies face regarding the lack of lasting impact from training sessions and the challenge of creating a continuous learning culture. By converting individual knowledge and skills into organizational assets, Knowledge Guild promotes mutual learning and cultivates an environment that encourages ongoing education within the workplace.

Background of Development

The necessity for converting training into a sustainable culture is more pressing than ever in Japanese companies. Several studies, including one from JSHRM and HR Research Institute, illustrate that despite employees amassing knowledge, skills, and willingness (personal human capital), they struggle to apply it effectively in the workplace. For instance, the survey revealed an average score of only 2.67 on a four-point scale for personal human capital. Specific areas like language proficiency and networking have notably lower scores, highlighting the urgent need for organizations to enhance their capability of utilizing individual knowledge collectively.

Thus, the transition from merely conducting training sessions to embedding learning into the organizational culture has become imperative. Viewing human resources as 'capital' rather than 'cost', the aim is to facilitate shared understanding and sustained organizational growth through what the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry refers to as Human Capital Management.

The Concept of Knowledge Guild

The core operations of Knowledge Guild revolve around three key mechanisms designed to transform employees' knowledge into assets:
1. Creating Knowledge Facilitators: By selecting 'learning facilitators' within the organization, we provide support for them to set themes and manage discussions on various topics. We design processes that help translate individual experiences into organizational knowledge through documentation, systemization, and practical application.
2. Training Activity Support Coordinators: Establishing effective methods for supporting guild activities and nurturing personnel in supportive roles is critical.
3. Visualizing Activities with Data: We set KPIs to monitor and measure the outcomes regularly, ensuring transparency in results and improvement areas.

Real-world Applications

One practical example illustrates an employee with a passion for magic held sessions on 'presentation skills that captivate an audience'. By applying the principles of storytelling and audience psychology from magic to their sales approach, this individual was able to generate new insights that permeated through the entire workplace. Furthermore, we encourage various themes across departments such as 'Excel for Enhancing Work Efficiency', 'Cross-Cultural Communication Training' led by employees with overseas experience, and 'Maximizing Performance for Working Mothers', reflecting a diverse pool of knowledge shared among employees.

Benefits of Implementation

By incorporating Knowledge Guild into an organization, numerous benefits can be expected:

• - Reduction in Training Costs: The internalization of training costs can lead to a 30% annual reduction, allowing for budget reallocation towards more valuable initiatives.
• - Enhanced Employee Engagement: Through guild activities, organizations can experience increased engagement scores and a decrease in turnover rates, as witnessed by Autonomous Talent Development practices raising satisfaction in more than 50% of enterprises surveyed.
• - Fostering Interdepartmental Collaboration and Innovation: Knowledge sharing can lead to a dramatic increase in the number of improvement proposals.

Knowledge Guild Pricing

Knowledge Guild provides a custom-designed plan tailored to the size and operational preferences of the adopting organization. The first ten companies to register will enjoy a 50% discount as a part of the trial phase, allowing for a no-risk initial glance into fostering a culture of learning.

• - Starter Plan: 150,000 JPY / month for up to 8 hours.
• - Standard Plan: 300,000 JPY / month for up to 16 hours.
• - Premium Plan: 550,000 JPY / month for up to 30 hours.

Conclusion

As a result of this initiative by Elul, we support the idea that training should not be a isolated event, but rather an ongoing process embedded in everyday work. We aspire to facilitate a culture wherein knowledge flows freely and naturally, ultimately resulting in sustained growth for organizations and their employees alike. It is our ambition at Elul to help unveil and develop the latent expertise and wisdom that exists within Japanese companies, leading to a successful implementation of human capital management.

About Elul LLC

Founded in January 2025, Elul LLC is committed to building systems that nurture human growth. Our mission 'Transforming Knowledge into Organizational Power' encapsulates our goal to assist in both training and organizational development. Led by Mayuka Ito, who has extensive experience in human resource development and organizational design at major corporations, we focus on creating mechanisms for self-driven learning.

For inquiries about implementing Knowledge Guild, please visit Elul's Corporate Site or learn more about the Knowledge Guild Service.