Honesty and kindness...
Yuka Kitamura
(Yuka Kitamura)
My name is Yuka Kitamura, and I'm in my seventh year at the company. The reason I joined Sakaeya is that when I took my first family trip to Ishikawa Prefecture, I saw the staff working at the inn there working with such enthusiasm, and I thought that I wanted to not only experience the excitement of staying at an inn, but also be on the providing side of it.
This is about my younger sister. When I was in first grade of elementary school, my youngest sister was born. My sister needed surgery immediately after she was born, so neither my mother nor my sister came home for about six months after she was born.
And when she first came to our house, my sister's legs were wrapped in bandages and she was brought in on a mobile bed. I still remember how shocked I was at that time.
She was so small that she used a wheelchair until she entered kindergarten. After her cast was removed and she was able to walk, she tried her best to keep up with her friends, even though she limped. However, she still couldn't walk as fast or as well as the other children, and she came in last at both the kindergarten and elementary school sports days. I knew it would happen, but it still made me very sad, and I wished I could have taken her place, but I couldn't, so all I could say was, "Rino, you did so well."
Even though Rino came in last in the race, she ran her heart out trying to catch up with everyone. She didn't complain at all and enjoyed the sports day. Seeing her like that dispelled all my unnecessary worries.
In my class, there were all sorts of kids, including children with disabilities and children from single-parent families, but the time we spent studying together, playing tag together, and playing dodgeball together are my most treasured memories.
I thought that inns were places where you could come to create those precious moments.
I received a job offer from Sakaeya, and at my high school's closing ceremony, my teacher read a letter from the president to everyone! From that moment on, I thought Sakaeya was a kind company, and my friends were happy for me too, saying, "That's a great place, you're the only one who got a letter like that!"
And when I joined Sakaeya, the first thing I was trained on was "toilet cleaning." Even though I hadn't really done much toilet cleaning during my student days, at Sakaeya we were made to do it with our bare hands!
At first, I was completely resistant, but as I continued cleaning, I realized that using my bare hands made it easier to see the dirt, and I was able to feel which areas tended to accumulate dirt. To my own surprise, my mindset shifted from "I don't want to do this" to "How can I get this off?"
This toilet cleaning training made me realize how often I've run away from things I disliked or were bad at. I didn't study until the last minute before exams, and I stayed out late with friends because I didn't want to go home. I now understand how much trouble I've caused my parents by running away from these things.
When I first joined the company, I would often be late and cause trouble for my seniors because I acted on my emotions. I treated my superiors poorly, and Mr. Sugii, a management consultant, scolded me and told me to "be a kind person. Be a warm person." I think that was the starting point for who I am today.
As the years went by, I was entrusted with a leadership role. The biggest realization I had after becoming a leader was that "I really can't do anything without the staff in my department." Up until then, I think I had been arrogant, giving orders and making schedules, thinking "I'm doing a good job." But if my subordinates weren't there, if someone had to do the work, the work wouldn't get done. Once I realized that, I wanted to create a more comfortable working environment for everyone. And it makes me really happy when my subordinates are smiling or when customers specifically request them. I feel like I finally understand a little bit of what it's like to be a mother. (laughs)
Before joining Sakaeya, I think I mistakenly believed that the environment revolved around me.
Meeting the company president, meeting Professor Sugii, meeting my classmates and colleagues, and having various experiences has made me realize the support of others and the forgiveness I have received.
From now on, I want to take actions that will show my juniors and those who will be joining us in the future that "you are not alone" and that will make them realize the support they have around them.
You're not alone
Yuka Kitamura
- 【profile 】
- Born in Kawai-Shinden, Nagano City
- Joined the company in 2012
- Motto: Fall seven times, stand up eight.
- Special skills: Sports
