#Japan #Kobe #Persol Innovation #Comic Learning #Hyogo Toyota

Comic Learning Service for Employee Training

In a remarkable initiative, Hyogo Toyota Motor Corporation has adopted the innovative training service "Comic Learning" developed by Persol Innovation. This training service harnesses the engaging medium of comic materials to address two critical themes: harassment prevention and career development. With an aim to foster a workplace culture centered on the vision of "Working and Smiling", Persol Innovation, based in Minato-ku, Tokyo, has tailored original training materials that were distributed among all 1,151 employees at Hyogo Toyota.

Why Comic Learning?

The choice of Comic Learning was influenced by an acute recognition of challenges faced in the hands-on working environment at Hyogo Toyota, where sales and maintenance services dominate. Effective communication and training are pivotal to maintain quality operations and retain skilled personnel. However, a common challenge arose concerning the blurry lines between guidance and harassment. These varying perceptions often led to misunderstandings among employees across different experience levels.

As a diverse workforce, Hyogo Toyota sought easy-to-understand educational content that would help all employees, from newcomers to seasoned professionals, visualize their career paths. Comic Learning responds to this need by portraying realistic workplace scenarios through stories that highlight emotional contexts and different perspectives.

By making the content visually engaging and straightforward, Comic Learning allows for quick comprehension. It also facilitates discussions and training activities, earning positive feedback for its ease of use in training sessions targeting all employees.

Commentary by Hiroki Yamamoto, Business Planning Room, Hyogo Toyota

In implementing this training, we included educational materials focusing on harassment and career planning. The harassment curriculum focuses on preventing explicit incidents while also addressing the miscommunications arising from differences in perceptions on both ends of authority. Regarding the career planning materials, we requested narratives that would help employees adopt a long-term perspective toward their careers, presenting growth narratives related to real-life scenarios.

Both sets of materials have been well aligned with our corporate objectives, and employee feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Notably, the use of these materials in workshops has sparked constructive discussions and shown a marked shift in awareness among staff.

Implementation Overview

• - Introduction Plan: Original Comic Plan
• - Themes: Power Harassment / Career Planning
• - Participants: All employees, totaling 1,151 as of July 1, 2025.

Content Details

Detailed content from the Comic Learning program includes visually compelling stories that address real challenges faced in the workplace, tailored to different scenarios in the automotive industry.

For more on Hyogo Toyota's implementation of Comic Learning, visit the official breakdown here.

What is Comic Learning?

Comic Learning was launched in August 2021 as a training service designed to be engaging and impactful. By using comic materials, the service provides training initiatives that resonate emotionally with employees, making it appealing for all levels of staff. Companies that have chosen Comic Learning cite its creative quality, unique storylines that cannot be replicated in-house, and high participation expectations among employees. Many anticipate that improved compliance awareness will enhance customer satisfaction as well.

Check out the introduction video to Comic Learning here.

Special Discussion Available

A special discussion video featuring Professor Atsushi Yoshikawa and Atsuko Senba, the head of the Comic Learning project, is now available on Bizplay. They discuss the intersection of cognitive science and comics in dramatically enhancing employee training effectiveness. Watch the discussion here.

About Persol Innovation Inc.

Established in April 2019, Persol Innovation Inc. is poised to become a cornerstone of the Persol Group, focusing on business creation for the next generation. The company provides inclusive services, such as talent introduction for youthful and inexperienced workforces, recruitment tools, and comprehensive employee training initiatives. The organization is committed to advancing innovation and transformation across the Persol Group, enabling meaningful change in workplace engagement and development.