Finding a balance between living and working the way you want to. Headquarters Unit, Chisato Mochizuki

Chisato Mochizuki, also known as "Mochii," from the headquarters unit, joined Monosus in November 2023. She has provided solid support for the administrative aspects of MONOSUS Shokuken, which continues to expand its business, and was awarded the MVP award in May of the following year. She also won the Newcomer Award at the year-end party at the end of 2024. She is already a key member of the headquarters unit, supporting Monosus' back office and leading the junior generation.

Always smiling and highly professional, she is trusted by her team members. We spoke to her about how she met Monosus and what her work life is like now.

I made an inquiry even though I have no plans to change jobs.

Sugimoto: I understand that you worked in human resources and labor-related matters in your previous job. Were you originally interested in human resources?

MochizukiWhen I was job hunting, I thought that I couldn't be particular about the content of the work because I'm a new graduate and I'm nothing. I thought, "What are the indicators that I can measure at around 20 years old?" and I thought that it would be best for me to work at a company where I could have a good conversation with the people I met at the interview and the atmosphere was good. So, I chose based on the axis of "whether I get along with the people I'll be working with" and it happened to be a temporary staffing company. When I was offered a job, I wrote that my first choice was human resources, but it wasn't that I really wanted to do it. Since I was a new graduate, I just did what I could where I was told. After working there for 3-4 years, I happened to see a job posting for Monosas Headquarters while looking at "Nihon Shigoto Hyakka". I thought it was an interesting company, so I inquired, and that's how we met. At that time, I still had no intention of quitting the company.

Sugimoto :What made you think it was an interesting company?

Mochizuki : In the article, Kumiko Sakuyama said, "I'm not the type of person who has something I want to do," and "It's easier to work when I'm the one supporting people who have something they want to do." When I was a student, I was too concerned about "finding what I want to do," and there was a time when I thought that "not having anything I want to do" was inferior to "people who have something they want to do." But I read the article when I was starting to think that it's just a difference in type, not superiority or inferiority. I felt an affinity with the people who thought the same way, and if it was close to the role of the headquarters department, it might be a good fit for me, and I could make use of what I had done in my previous job.

Sugimoto: At that time, you made an inquiry without any intention of applying. What kind of message did you send?

Mochizuki : Eh, what kind of inquiries did I make? I wrote something like "I'm curious about what kind of company it is," and they asked me to submit my resume and work history, so I was like, "Oh, so I'll submit them." They also interviewed me, but I was bold enough to say, "I'm not thinking of quitting my current company" (laughs). But I ended up starting to think about quitting my previous job. After I quit, I contacted them again and said, "I'd like to talk to you again if you'd like." So, I joined the company about six months after reading the job posting.

They waited until I wanted to join the company.

Sugimoto : Were you in contact with Monosus in the six months leading up to joining the company?

Mochizuki : That was also a good balance. They really focused on things like "how do I want to be now?" The first time was online, the second time we came to the Yoyogi office to talk. The third time, Sakuyama-san and Okubo-san invited me to dinner. Actually, at that time, I was thinking about quitting my previous job, and my previous company suggested that I take some time to think about it, so I was going to take three months off. They listened to me very sympathetically and said, "I see, this is a time you're in now. It's an important time, so you should take your time to think about it," and left me alone without trying to recruit me. Even during my leave of absence, Okubo-san would contact me about once a month, like, "Mochi, how are you?"

Sugimoto is already like, "Mochi!" (laughs).

Mochizuki : Yes, it was already named (laughs). He would give me updates like, "Today I went to Izakaya Monosas. If you'd like, please come next time." I genuinely thought it was nice that he told me about the company through the atmosphere, not the work content. However, even after my leave of absence ended and I left the company, I didn't want to think of it as a binary choice of "Monosas or something else." I was planning to take a simple, bird's-eye view of various options and take action if I decided that "Monosas is good."

Sugimoto : I think it's thanks to Mr. Mochizuki's personality and the generosity of everyone at headquarters that people at the company who are unsure whether they want to change jobs are able to listen to their concerns about their previous jobs.

Mochizuki : Thinking about it now, I'm sure they wanted someone right away, and it would have been better if they'd made a quick decision, but I was grateful that they waited patiently. I don't think there are many companies that take such an approach when it comes to hiring, so I felt that they really looked after the people.

Monosus is a company with many "people worth exploring"

What was your impression of Monosus, where you joined after your interactions with Sugimoto -san and Okubo-san?

Mochizuki : The atmosphere in the headquarters was the same as the friendly atmosphere between the two of you. Looking at Monosus as a whole, I thought that the headquarters atmosphere was not the same as Monosus. Monosus is a company that does interesting things, and we are also doing more new businesses, so I thought there would be more lively people, but surprisingly, everyone was modest and calm. There was a gap between the image of the business from the outside and the people inside, and the people in the back office that support the whole company.

Sugimoto: Did you imagine it to be more flashy?

MochizukiEveryone is doing interesting things and has a wide range of interests. Some people are doing something thoroughly, and some have a lot of experience, but no one is putting out there what they're doing, so I think there are a lot of people who are worth exploring. Also, I was surprised that the office was like a home, because my previous job was in an office building.

Sugimoto : Did you use to wear a suit when coming to work?

Mochizuki : I was in the back office and dress code was free, so that hasn't changed. However, I think I used to leave home every morning with the feeling of "I'm going to become an office worker now" and work on my way to work, but now I don't feel so tense. Since I have full flextime and no fixed hours, I can just be at work by 10:30 to make it to the morning meeting at headquarters, so I have peace of mind. Since coming to Monosus, I've realized that "I was too concerned about being an exemplary office worker" and "I should have relied on others more."

Sugimoto Monosus has an environment where it is easy to rely on others.

Mochizuki Sakuyama-san and Okubo-san notice small changes without me having to say anything and lend a hand in advance. They see my good and bad points as "that's Mochi-chan," so I don't feel any pressure to be perfect. Before, I had the feeling that "office workers A and B are talking," but in Monosus, I feel like "people are talking to each other."

It's stimulating to have so many different jobs every day.

Sugimoto : When I asked you about your work at headquarters, you said, "Every time, a new ball comes flying at you, and there's no second time." I imagine you're always expected to respond flexibly.

Mochizuki: Of the three and a half years I spent at my previous job, I worked in the labor-related field for a little over two years. Even though I was dealing with very important information like payroll, I realized that I was just doing my work as part of my routine, as if I was just moving my hands. I thought, "If I continue to work like this, I'm likely to make a huge mistake." I even told my boss that I would like to try a different job, even considering a transfer to another department. Now, I have monthly routine work, but I think it's good to have a variety of things coming at me every day, which is just the right amount of stimulation.

Sugimoto : Is there anything you would like to do through your involvement with Monosus?

Mochizuki : I can think of two things right now. One is personal, but I want to move to a rural area someday. The headquarters receives calls and mail, so there is a rule that you have to come to the office three days a week, but now that the Kyoto office has opened, I would like to take advantage of the system to work at a different location from usual and do satellite work once a year.

Another thing is that when you're in the back office, you interact with everyone, but you don't have the opportunity to know what kind of work they're doing. Monosus is a unit system, so the members of each unit are involved in projects, so if you're not there, you don't know who's involved in the work. I think it would be easier to work if I could make various requests while taking into account the situation. I'd like to have the opportunity to get into various places and find out what role each person plays.

As Monosas ' business becomes more diverse, it would be interesting to have an apprenticeship system where someone who works in web-related jobs could try working in the food industry for a certain period of time.

Mochizuki : In my work experience, I have never worked in a department that makes money at the front line, so I want to break out of my shell and see what it's like from where I am. I think that at Monosus, I would be able to do it with just an interest of "I just want to take a look."

Don't misjudge the position of "work" in your life

Sugimoto: What is the most important thing to you when working?

Mochizuki : Hmm. Work is not life, but it is one of many elements of life, so I try not to place too much importance on it. Maybe I've been able to work in the back office because I don't have anything I want to do and I'm good at meeting other people's requests, but on the other hand, I think there are times when I've been quite self-sacrificing. If I don't keep a balance between having a fulfilling life and having work, I think I'll end up overdoing it somewhere without even realizing it. I chose Monosus because I thought I could work in a balanced and relaxed way without mistaking the position of work in my life, and I want to pursue that now.

Sugimoto: I guess I'm at a point now where I want to find a balance between living my own life and working and discover how I can be happy.

Mochizuki : I am still searching for a new direction. I chose Monosus because I think it is a place that does not deny the facts. I was able to take paid vacations at my previous job and went on trips. I felt a strong sense of discomfort with the invisible assumption that increasing your market value is the key to being a good member of society. I wondered what it would be like to be tied to a social status such as a "job title" and always have to aim for something.

Monosus is a company that recognizes that going up is not everything. I thought that I could just pursue a comfortable state, so I might get serious about my work and reach a point where I want to work really hard, and I'll be able to work according to those changes. I think I'm in a period now where I'm trying to find that balance.

I am working, but I don't feel like I'm "working" that much, which is why I'm able to work. It may sound a bit contradictory, but not being conscious of the fact that I'm "working" has become the way I work now.

Thank you Sugimoto !

As I listened to his story, I wondered what kind of outlook on work he would have when he finally achieves the balance of working without thinking about "working." I also have a feeling that his outlook on work will change as the junior generation grows. I'd like to talk to him again in a few years.