There is a growing concern about labor shortages in all fields. As countermeasures, the phenomenon of empowering women, the elderly, and even people with disabilities have become noticeable. One of those companies is `` House of the Sun.'' House of the Sun is a special subsidiary company of OMRON that manufactures sockets and switches for control equipment. This company will be a front runner in the employment of people with disabilities even before the mandatory employment rate. House of the Sun is a company with 73 employees, of whom 34 have disabilities, making up about half of the employees. Just like Omron Group factories, they are fighting against costs and delivery times. This company is also an excellent company that continues to operate in the black. Since its establishment, the company has been devised so that both able-bodied and disabled people can work on the same level. Even if a person has a handicap, they can compensate for it by making improvements that suit the individual's characteristics.
In recent years, there has been a growing recognition that incorporating the perspective of people with disabilities into products and product development will lead to better products. It is recognized that product development that focuses on the similarities of people with disabilities increases added value. Of course, it is recognized that product development that focuses on the similarities between people with dementia, the elderly, and adolescents will also increase added value. The idea is that in the process of creating an environment that is comfortable for everyone to work in, added value will be created that would not be available in a workplace that only able-bodied people work. Companies that can effectively utilize the employment of people with disabilities will be able to expand into unexplored fields. For people with disabilities themselves, continuing to work in a new field gives them a sense of accomplishment and increases their motivation for work. Furthermore, they will gain a sense of accomplishment, which will lead to thinking about their next career path.
Some companies in the private sector are trying to take advantage of the benefits of hiring people with disabilities. For example, the characteristics of people with language disorders overlap with those of foreigners who cannot read Japanese. In this case, this type of product development becomes a business opportunity for companies targeting foreign tourists. Additionally, the physical and mental characteristics of people with disabilities overlap with those of the elderly, who have declining physical and cognitive functions. Promoting product development based on this overlap will create new fields in the aging Japanese market. Various measures are required to create an environment that people with disabilities can work with enthusiasm. Companies that take this approach are nurturing business opportunities in new market areas.