At Mercari, we held a one-month training program from April to May for employees hired as new graduates.

In April of this year, interns who made the leap to new graduate employees and new members who started work at Mercari in April gathered for their first day of work to take part in the company’s 12-session training program. In this edition of Mercan, we will spotlight the eleven training sessions that took place at Mercari’s Tokyo office.

Overview

At Mercari, we provide a training program called “Training Week.” Its purpose is to smoothly transition new graduates from an academic environment to a professional workplace, thereby enabling them to contribute to Mercari’s success quickly and efficiently.

The goal of this program is not simply for employees to assimilate knowledge of their role, but rather for them to gain a deep understanding of Mercari’s mission and philosophy, allowing them to embody our values and maximize their impact on the company. The training is set up to focus on three points that are indispensable to allowing all new graduates to thrive.

• Business skill development: Even as a new graduate arrives armed with theoretical knowledge about business skills, they tend to be underequipped where practical work experience is concerned. In order to help narrow that gap, we provide practical skills through our training program.
• Cultural alignment: The training series is designed to help new employees understand and embody our unique culture and ideas, including our mission and values, in order for them to thrive and work effectively as members of Mercari.
• Relationship building: Through frequent communication and group activities, new graduates strengthen their relationships with each other, fostering a sense of belonging and teamwork. These elements focus on face-to-face communication and support the building of meaningful relationships.

Training Period

The training took place from April 7 to May 8.

The company held the training and set aside ample time for onboarding.

Session list

This year, our program featured a total of 12 sessions for new graduates.
Of these, 11 were held in person at our Tokyo office.

Program outline

• Group Mission Workshop
• Understanding the Company
• I&D Onboarding
• Unconscious Bias Workshop
• Yasashii Communication
• Communication Team Building (CTB)
• Work Facilitation
• Artificial Intelligence and Large Language Models (AI/LLMs)
• Customer Service (CS)—Sapporo
• Business Manners
• One-on-One Meetings
• Feedback

Only the CS training session was moved to Sapporo. The details of the CS session will be published in part two of this article: The Sapporo Edition.

A look at each training session

1. Group Mission Workshop

Facilitator : @mayun

In this workshop, each participant reframed what Mercari’s Group mission of “Circulate all forms of value to unleash the potential in all people” means to them. In the beginning, the facilitator carefully explained the background of our mission and all the thought that went into creating it. Then, each participant was given time to think about the potential that they want to unleash. In creating their vision boards, each participant visualized the future they envision and the values they care about. They then presented their ideas to their group. By sharing ideas not usually put into words, group members became acquainted with each other quickly. As the discussions continued, people voiced diverse ideas like, “I want to leverage my strengths to contribute to my team” and “I want to be mindful of being open to a diverse range of values.” The atmosphere of the venue warmed with the kind of energy perfect for inspiring people on the cusp of a new beginning.

2. Understanding the Company

Facilitator: @Juan; business presenters: HRBP and HR reps (@masami, @minamin, @KB, @yumincho, and @moe); Panelists (for live talk session): Former new graduate employees (@torichan, @phi, @arr0w, @Tei, @santa, and @Shuki)

In this session, participants learned an overview of each of Mercari Group’s businesses and organizations. Through talks delivered by the people representing each division and veteran employees who joined the company as new graduates, session participants had a valuable opportunity to get an overview of the company’s operations, our future direction, and the projects we are currently working on. What left an especially strong impression were the speeches delivered by former new graduate hires. They talked about Mercari’s growth and the values they care about while also incorporating anecdotes about their past experiences and failures. During the question and answer session that followed, participants showed their interest in the company asking questions about why the company wants to take on certain businesses and what the future vision of the company is?” By gaining a firsthand sense of where the company is now and where it is going, the session helped participants develop a sense of belonging as members of Mercari.

3. I&D Onboarding

Facilitator: @Eimi

Organized around the topic of inclusion and diversity (I&D), this session was intended to raise awareness of the importance of creating a workplace where people respect each other’s diversity. The session kicked off with a question: “Why is I&D necessary?” Session participants then talked about their values and backgrounds. In this activity, encountering different opinions and concepts gave people an opportunity to face the unconscious bias they hold. In group discussions, people shared their honest opinions about ideas that emerge from diversity and difficulties associated with accepting differences and thought about concrete actions they could take to apply their ideas in the workplace. The session enabled people to get back in touch with the significance of working in an environment where diversity is a given.

4. Unconscious Bias Workshop

Facilitator: @nina

In this training, people learned about unconscious bias, and by recognizing their own preconceptions and prejudice, were encouraged to behave more inclusively. The session started with a basic question: “What is bias?” Through real-world examples and group activities, participants thought about how to leverage the session information in their daily work. The activities helped participants visualize situations where bias has an effect, while looking back on how they usually speak and act. By sharing their personal insights, they once again learned about the importance of being aware of their biases in daily life based on the premise that “everyone carries bias, including me.” Following the training, a lot of people voiced positive opinions, saying that starting tomorrow they wanted to act with awareness and create opportunities for team discussions.

5. Yasashii Communication

Facilitators: @harunak, @nina, and @Maz (Language Education Team)

In this workshop, new graduates learned skills for smooth communication in Japanese and English between Mercari’s diverse members, many of whom are not native speakers of either Japanese or English. From a definition to lessons on practical application, participants learned in detail about “Yasashii Communication,” one of the mindsets at the core of Mercari. In Japanese, the word yasashii means both easy and kind. In the context of communication, this means keeping messages simple and easy for the other party to understand and gives a first-hand sense of the importance of meeting people halfway when it comes to mutual language issues. In one task, participants applied Yasashii Communication concepts in Japanese and English to learn how to communicate without language becoming a barrier.

In this training session, people practiced the simple task of explaining how to make tea in yasashii Japanese and yasashii English. People contemplated such things as their word choices based on the level of understanding of the party they were talking to. They also focused on what was the most essential information they wanted to convey, allowing them to practice both speaking and listening in a way that gave consideration to the stance and background of the person they were speaking with. At the same time, they examined the words they casually use when communicating. Many participants shared their feedback about the training, saying: “The training heightened my awareness of communication that integrates diversity.”
“I gained a sense of the importance of meeting the other party halfway.” In this sense, the workshop helped to build the foundation of a global work environment.

6. Communication Team Building（CTB）

Facilitators: @Eimi and @Juan

Despite the title of this session containing the words “team building,” this was a training session in which people learned about their own communication style and how to adjust it to the situation at hand. Participants were taught in depth about a variety of communication traits and learned skills in order for them to work effectively with various members having diverse communication styles. In this training session, participants objectively examined their own communication habits and tendencies through the creation of their interpersonal communication profile (ICP). They analyzed themselves from six different angles: 1) where responsibility rests in a conversation; 2) speaking style in meetings; 3) relationship building in the workplace; 4) scope of responsibility and teamwork; 5) manner of receiving feedback; and 6) manner of handling conflicting opinions. Sharing their profiles with other participants led to insights about each other’s diversity and allowed them to make new discoveries. 

“Even if I am conveying the same information, it’s a good idea to use different approaches depending on who I’m communicating with,” said one participant; “I’ve come to appreciate the good points of people who have different communication styles from mine,” said another. Participants learned an important lesson for the future about being able to adapt to the situation when it comes to team activities.

7. Working at Mecari

Facilitators: @Juan and @mayun

In this session, participants learned tips for making basic progress on work, managing time, and managing tasks. The session began with a question: “Why is task management important?” followed by a demonstration of how to use actual workflows and tools. During group work that used a fictional project, participants practiced listing up and prioritizing tasks to gain experience with progress management. Senior members of the company were also on hand to offer advice, reconfirming the importance of ideas like having the will to take on a challenge without fearing failure and asking for help early on when troubles present themselves. The session was packed with practical and ready-to-use hints for daily work, giving the participants peace of mind and helping them to tackle their work with confidence.

8. Artificial Intelligence and Large Language Models (AI/LLMs)

Facilitators: @gomichan

In this session, participants learned about the latest topics regarding artificial intelligence and large language models (AI/LLMs). The session began with a basic explanation of AI and its social impact, followed by a demonstration of practical examples of using AI at work. In a group discussion, participants actively exchanged opinions on the kinds of issues that could be tackled using AI and the potential of the technology. Working with cutting-edge technology got people excited about the future, with many of the participants expressing their desire to actively learn new technologies.

9. Customer Service (CS)—Sapporo

The CS session was the only training held in Sapporo. The details of the CS session will be published in part two of this article: The Sapporo Edition.

10. Business Etiquette

Facilitators: @Kanae

In this training session, participants learned the business etiquette and other basic behavior expected of all working professionals. Through hands-on practice and role plays, participants learned such things as how to greet people, exchange business cards, write business emails, and answer the phone. They also received valuable feedback from senior employees, which fortified their awareness of the importance of first impressions and of considering the feelings of the other party. The session helped bolster the confidence of the participants as professionals taking some of their first steps in the workplace, and delivered practical experience that they can use in their work going forward.

11. One-on-One Meetings

Facilitators: @Kanae

This session covered the purpose and flow of one-on-one meetings with managers and senior employees. The session began with a basic question: What is a one-on-one? Participants then learned that effective communication in one-on-one meetings is conducive to building relationships and accelerating personal growth. In discussing feedback time, they also got a real sense of the importance of listening carefully to the person advising them and of conveying their feelings with honesty. The participants were able to learn important skills that will support their future growth.

12. Feedback

Facilitators: @Kanae

This session focused on how to receive feedback for growth and how to encourage other people’s growth. To begin, participants were asked what feedback is and why it’s necessary and then learned about the differences between good and bad feedback, as well as how to give effective feedback. The session content allowed people to get a sense of the importance of our culture of mutual growth, and it seemed that the people in the room wanted to be proactive about giving feedback and also wanted to support the growth of others.

Closing

Since April, our training sessions have given new employees time to learn the basics of Mercari’s culture and work at the company as well as a foundation for growing with their teammates. For our new graduates, their training might have felt overwhelming, but we look forward to seeing them maximally apply the lessons and knowledge they acquired in their training and feel encouraged in their work.

We have already made plans for a future edition of Mercan that will look at the Sapporo-based CS training that could not be presented in this article and the story behind how we selected the sessions for our training programs.