“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.
By the way, it’s been a year since we started this WFA series! Click here to view the past issues.
Kosuke-san from Gifu Prefecture joined us this time.
Here are some of the highlights and challenges he encountered since joining the company using the WFA system, along with some photos of the locale!
Kosuke Kiriyama
Sales Group
I support the referral process for new potential merchants considering adopting PayPay. I act as a liaison between the mediator that made the referral and our nationwide sales team to follow up on the case and manage its progress. I am also working on creating new business models.
How long have you lived in Gifu?
I was born and raised in Gifu. At my previous job, I also worked for a company in the Chubu area.
How is remote work, honestly?
I like that I can schedule meetings with clients across Japan from the comfort of my own room. Also, internal meetings can be held immediately without the hassle of securing a meeting room. I think it contributes to operational efficiency. I come to the office as needed, and it’s refreshing to see my team members in person when I’m used to working remotely. We get to have a more fulfilling meeting and exchange of ideas.
Strangely, I look forward to coming to the office every time (!) I suppose there lies the beauty of working remotely.
What do you do to increase productivity with a fully remote work style?
I try to communicate as much as possible with others through Slack, Zoom, email, and phone calls in an effort to work proactively.
When working in the office, you can chat with your colleagues or team members in your spare time or easily ask them about something you don’t understand. But when you’re on your own and working remotely, you’ve got to be willing to reach out and strike up a conversation. So I try to be aware of taking that initiative during work hours. It helps keep me motivated, and depending on my creativity, it can significantly impact our results.
What are you careful about remote work?
In terms of work, the initial business meeting can present some challenges. For instance, it can be tricky to grasp each other’s reactions or read the level of expectation through the screen when talking to someone for the first time. So, I try to create a comfortable space for everyone by offering topics for conversation. Specifically, I tend to break the ice by mentioning that PayPay actively promotes remote work so that we can carry on the conversation smoothly.
In my daily life, I ensure to set boundaries between my private and work life. It’s been more difficult since we don’t have the commute time to switch modes. So I make sure I set goals and create a to-do list for the day so that both realms aren’t blurred into one. Since I tend to get out of the house less often now, I also run every day to stay in shape.
Is there anything you would like to share with people who live out of the city and are considering a career change to PayPay?
PayPay is growing rapidly. So you get to feel the excitement of the business expansion firsthand even if you’re not living in the city. The company is also set up to allow all its employees to take on the challenges of new initiatives.
I’d like to continue tackling new challenges daily and grow alongside my colleagues in this work environment.
As someone born and bred in Gifu, what attractions do you recommend?
1.Statue of Oda Nobunaga, the landmark of JR Gifu Station, and our streetcar.
2.The local well in my hometown, Ogaki, also known as the city of water.
3.Oku no Hosomichi Musubi no Chi: This is where the poet Matsuo Basho completed his journey through the Tohoku and Hokuriku regions as it appears in his anthology Oku no Hosomichi (“The Narrow Road to the Deep North”).
[Editor’s note]
How was “WFA X Life in Gifu”?
It was impressive to see how Kosuke-san is striving to contribute to PayPay’s growth while living in the familiarity of his hometown. I hope this article gives you some idea of what it would be like to work at PayPay.
Thanks to: Kosuke Kiriyama / Editor: Kona (PayPay Inside-Out Editorial Team) / Translator: Philline / Translation Editor: Justin
*Employees’ affiliations are as of the time of the interview.
