Miharu Kishimoto thrives in a highly diverse team to address indirect operations

Hi. I’m Miharu Kishimoto, Finance and Order Handling at Hitachi Energy in Japan.

I worked in an administrative position at a specialized trading company before joining Hitachi Energy in Japan in February 2021 as a member of the order handling team.

I had wanted to work for a foreign company at least once, but I had concerns about switching jobs from a Japanese company. Back then Hitachi Energy was a joint venture between a foreign company headquartered in Switzerland and Hitachi.

My main tasks include order registration, domestic and international transportation arrangements, invoicing, and payment processing. It seems like a job that requires little socialization. But I was wrong. It involves a great deal of interaction with people—sales representatives from various departments, customers, and overseas group companies.

Team culture

One of the things I love about working at Hitachi Energy is the opportunity to work with people from diverse backgrounds, many with roots outside of Japan. I am often required to communicate with people from overseas group companies, and it’s exciting to be in an environment where I am exposed to values, cultures, and ways of thinking that are different from mine.

I am currently involved in an internal core system migration project as part of an integration project into the Hitachi Group. I have no experience with the system itself, and there are many things I don't understand. Still, with the support of my supervisor, colleagues, and the global team, I am managing to move forward with the project. My supervisor and the global team always encourage me to ask when I don't understand, which gives me a newfound confidence in asking questions.

Embracing equity

Many women work at Hitachi Energy, regardless of job title or position, such as engineers, project managers, and corporate positions. I was surprised at first that my line of work is male-dominated.

In addition to paid leaves, employees, regardless of gender, take childcare leave. The company provides an environment where employees can develop their careers while maintaining their private lives. Even though I sometimes feel busy with various overlapping tasks, it is easy for me to take time off. The company encourages employees to take vacations, and my supervisor is always concerned about it.

Hitachi Energy is currently in a transitional stage where the two corporate cultures merge. I hope that the good aspects of each will remain. I look forward to seeing what we will become in a few years.