About WFA series
“Work from Anywhere at Anytime“(WFA) was introduced in September 2020. In this “WFA Special” series, we offer insights into solving the challenges of working remotely by sharing some practices our colleagues have adopted.
Today we are pleased to introduce Yohei, who lives in Aichi Prefecture. Here are some of the highlights and challenges he has encountered since he joined the company using the WFA system, along with some photos of the locale!
Yohei Tanimura
Sales Support
I’m responsible for initiatives that improve the performance of sales offices, sales promotion with a focus on municipal campaigns, and serve as the primary point of contact between sales and other teams.
How long have you lived in Aichi?
I originally came from Gifu and moved to Ama, Aichi (next to Nagoya), about 20 years ago. I moved to Chikusa in Nagoya about four years ago because I somehow longed to commute to work by subway, where I could shelter from the wind and rain. Trains on the Higashiyama subway line come every two minutes, so leaving home without worrying about the timetable is a huge plus!
When my transfer to the current department was finalized in September 2020, I went through the WFA program details and reconsidered where to live. As a result, I found that there was no reason to move to the Kanto region and decided to continue living in Nagoya, because I love this city and I can make use of the WFA system.
How is remote work, really?
The lack of commute time is very attractive. If I go to the office in Nagoya, it may take about an hour round trip from door to door. It’s very beneficial to be able to utilize that one hour.
What are you careful about with remote work?
Since we can’t ask the person next to us for his/her opinion, as we can in an office, and there is often a lack of communication, we use the phone and Zoom frequently as if we were next to each other in the office to proactively discuss with each other. I also regularly visit the Nagoya office to gather information and communicate with the sales reps on site.
Also, I make sure to exercise. When I work from home during the busy season, it isn’t unusual for me to not step out of home, and many people, including myself, may not get enough exercises. I’ve been home all the time, and I’ve somewhat lost the balance between my private life and my work life, and perhaps because of this stress, I became ill a little at the end of last year. That’s when I started running, and now I can run 5 km every day. Now I feel myself growing again even in my 40s!
Is there anything you would like to share with people who live out of the city and are considering a career change to PayPay?
People have different values regarding housing. They may prefer the city or the countryside, but I believe that living in the place you want to has great psychological benefits both in one’s work and private life.
I feel that it’s very important to have your own life, not tied to a place of residence, in order to fulfill both your professional and personal life. Without having to leave my hometown, I can work smoothly with members in the Kanto region and take on new challenges in my personal life (in my case, running).
For me, WFA is an indispensable program that allows me to choose where I live and work, and to live my life the way I want to.
Tell us about your favorite spots in Nagoya!
1. Central Towers, the symbol of Nagoya.
2. Tsuruma Park, famous for its cherry blossoms. It’s right in front of Tsurumai Station, but the name of the park is “Tsuruma”!
[Editor’s note]
How was “WFA X Life in Aichi”?
It was intriguing to see why he started running as a result of remote work and that he feels he’s growing in his personal life.
I hope this article will be a help for you to envision what it would be like to work at PayPay.
Thanks to: Yohei Tanimura / Editor: Kona (PayPay Inside-Out Editorial Team) / Translation: Language Communication Team / Translation Editor: Justin
*Employees’ affiliations are as of the time of the interview.
