Mercari, Inc. (head office: Minato, Tokyo; CEO: Shintaro Yamada) will take the following measures starting February 19, 2020 in order to prioritize the safety of employees working at its offices around Japan (Tokyo, Sendai, Osaka, and Fukuoka) and to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Overview of the Response Plan
Recommendation of alternative commuting hours for the entire company and partial introduction of working from home
Tokyo Office
– Employees are asked to work from home whenever possible.
Sendai, Osaka, and Fukuoka Offices
– Employees are encouraged to shift their work hours in order to avoid taking public transportation between the peak hours of 7:00–10:00 and 17:30–20:00 (working from home also allowed at manager discretion).
Important note for employees working in the office
– Employees with a fever or symptoms of a cold, such as a cough, and employees who are worried about their health should not come to the office.
Online hosting of both internal and external meetings
Meetings with external parties, including job interviews, as well as internal meetings will be held online whenever possible.
Suspension of business trips
In principle, employees will not be allowed to take domestic or international business trips.
Online hosting of company events
In principle, events hosted by Mercari will be held online, regardless of the number of participants. If an event cannot successfully be held online, it will be suspended or postponed.
Suspension of participation in events held by other companies
Employees will generally be prohibited from participating in events held by other companies for work purposes, regardless of the number of participants.
In addition to the above, any activities that could lead to spread of the virus inside or outside the company, such as meals with external parties, company-wide internal meetings, and internal events, will generally be suspended, regardless of the number of participants.
*As of this press release, these rules apply through Friday, February 28. Mercari will review the situation as it develops and extend or modify the response plan as necessary.
Mercari takes the safety of its employees and the prevention of outbreak very seriously, and will continue to swiftly determine its company-wide response plan based on the plan of action in accordance with the outbreak classification made by the government.