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Engagement that Fuels Growth

In a rapidly changing market landscape, organizations must recognize the importance of human capital management. The current work environment demands that employees continuously adapt their skills— a process known as reskilling. However, for reskilling initiatives to be effective, it is imperative that each employee possesses an intrinsic motivation to grow and develop.

The August 2025 issue of 'Monthly Advanced Education' delves into how organizations can foster employee engagement, which creates a psychological connection between staff and their workplace. This issue presents discussions on organizational design, setting up systems that enhance motivation, and the importance of dialogue in developing engaging work environments. Here are some key insights from this month’s featured articles:

1. Vital Workplace Resources: Lessons for Leaders

By Shohei Hayashi, Associate Professor, Chuo University Faculty of Commerce
Hayashi highlights the relationship between leveraging personal strengths and enhancing work engagement. "When individuals can make full use of their strengths at work, they experience increased job satisfaction and engagement," he notes. This self-awareness encourages employees to refine their skills, facilitating ongoing reskilling efforts.

2. The Engagement Runner: Practicing and Expanding Engagement

By Masashi Hirai, Engagement Run! Academy Instructor
Hirai emphasizes that engagement is not merely given; it must be cultivated. Both management and employees have roles in this process. He states, "Employees need to actively contemplate what engagement means for them, how they can connect with organizational resources, and discover their personal sense of fulfillment."

3. Why Do Challenging Goals Work? - Exploring the Relationship between Psychological Capital and Engagement

By Yoshitaka Shirimitabana, Associate Professor, Kanagawa University Faculty of Business
Shirimitabana’s article investigates how setting challenging goals can serve as a driving force for improving psychological capital, thereby enhancing employee engagement.

4. AI in Dialogic Organizational Development and Work Engagement

By Masahiro Tago, Kinki University
Tago explores the integration of AI in dialogic processes within organizations, focusing on how this technology influences employee engagement and organizational dynamics.

5. Scientifically Visualizing and Analyzing Corporate Engagement

By Kenta Fujita, CEO of BUSINESS-ALLIANCE Inc.
Fujita presents a data-driven approach to analyzing employee engagement levels, providing organizations with actionable insights based on scientific research.

Focus on Small Enterprises

An essential theme of this issue is the recognition that small to medium enterprises (SMEs) should prioritize the well-being of individual employees.
By Naruhisa Yamamoto, Professor of Nagoya University of Commerce and Business
Yamamoto argues that SMEs must focus on nurturing and supporting each employee to foster an inclusive and productive work environment.

Special Feature 2: Building Next-Generation School Organizations

The Japanese government's recent 'Basic Policies' emphasize the revival of high-quality public education, targeting significant reforms in the coming years. Amidst this backdrop, educators must transform the learning environment to meet the needs of today's students. The special section discusses crucial initiatives that would enable such reform:

1. Challenges in Principal Development

By Kosuke Kasai, Associate Professor, Toyo University Graduate School
Kasai shares findings on the obstacles faced in developing school principals and suggests strategies for overcoming these challenges to enhance educational leadership.

2. Understanding Teacher Workloads through Promotion Teams

By Yumi Nin, CEO of É-couleur Inc.
Nin discusses implementing bottom-up approaches to identify teacher workloads effectively and streamline work reforms.

3. Transforming Work and School Activities through Dialogue

By Motonobu Nagase, Vice Principal, Public School in Aichi Prefecture
Nagase reflects on transformative practices that resulted from dialogues among educators aimed at improving work conditions and school activities.

4. Classroom Changes to Cultivate School Reform

By Takahiro Katsumata, Principal of Gotemba Nishiko High School
Katsumata discusses how strategic changes in teaching can catalyze broader school reforms.

Innovations in Education and Community Development

The issue also showcases projects in Kochi Prefecture aimed at fostering local development through educational innovation. Locations rich in natural beauty and historical significance are now facing challenges of population decline. The region aims to cultivate human resources while promoting education that respects diversity and individuality:

1. Maximizing Children’s Potential

By Junko Imanaka, Director of the Kochi Prefectural Education Board
Imanaka advocates for using ICT in primary, secondary, and high school settings to enhance student-centered learning experiences.

2. A University Supporting Local Communities

By Hiroyuki Okuda, President of Kochi University
Okuda emphasizes the university's commitment to bridging gaps through education.

3. New Working Models in Local Areas

By Ken Moritoki, CEO of Punctual Inc.
Moritoki shares insights on practical implementations of new work models that integrate community engagement.

Engagement, education reform, and community upliftment are crucial themes explored in this issue, providing educators, leaders, and organizations with insights to enhance motivation and foster growth in today’s fast-evolving society.

Grab your copy of the 'Monthly Advanced Education' August 2025 issue for these insights and more! Read online or purchase at bookstores and Amazon.