Two months into our assignments! What makes our new teams so appealing? | Division 3

Hello everyone! We are Takada, Komori, and Ninomiya, who joined SUNNY SIDE UP this April!

In this article, we would like to share the appeal of the Public Relations Division Headquarters Division 3 Sports, as discovered and heard by the three of us through one month of training and on-the-job training starting in May!

From left: Komori, Ninomiya, Takada

First, the appeal of Division 3!

1: Within the divisioneveryone is veryclose-knit

Everyone in Division 3 Sports is so close that they even spend time together outside of work, or so we have heard!

We heard many stories when senior colleagues took us to lunch—such as going to the gym together before work, and (before COVID) going camping or to Spo-Cha during Golden Week and on days off.

As COVID is still ongoing, it is difficult to have large drinking parties or travel somewhere together, but we will introduce these stories while also sharing some pre-COVID episodes!

~ 2019 Year-End Party ~ @ Azabu-Juban

The group photo also clearly conveys the harmonious atmosphere…! It seems that here, an engagement between members of the three stations’ sports departments was announced! Furthermore, during the drinking party, with the help of alcohol (?), there were apparently people who teased their superiors by calling them names they don’t usually use. Once COVID settles down, we, the three newcomers, sincerely hope to be allowed to participate in this seemingly awesome drinking party as soon as possible!

We also heard that something called a “Division 3 gathering” existed, and that when one group heard that some members were going to play golf within Division 3 on a day off, the non-golfers decided to compete (maybe?) by saying, “Let’s go rafting!” and proposing a different plan on the same day as the golf outing—apparently, Division 3 gatherings have been held in various places lol.

Hearing these kinds of stories, I secretly think the rumor that Division 3 hasa lot of“attention-seekers”” might actually be true, quietly (in a whisper).

Under the state of emergency declared last April, while remote work continued, some volunteer members even did radio calisthenics over Zoom before work hours! (The blog post from that time is here → [Start the best day with the best morning] We held a radio calisthenics event on Zoom!)

Just by reading the blog, you can feel a sense of unity that does not seem possible over Zoom, and it is clear how close everyone is!

We also heard that there are regular Division 3 women’s gatherings and Division 3 men’s gatherings (apparently held in response to the women’s gatherings…), and that a Zoom drinking party was held just recently as well!

Since it has been difficult to go to drinking parties during COVID, and it has only been one month since our assignment, many of our impressions are based on what we have heard from senior colleagues—such as “So that happened” and “I would like to go someday.” However, if we have the opportunity to write another blog post a few years from now, we hope we will be able to share how close Division 3 is from the perspective of those directly involved(lol).

2: Considerate of juniors

All of our senior colleagues at the company are kind, but we especially feel that the seniors in Division 3 are truly considerate of juniors!! When we were first assigned, we were nervous because we did not know the company or our seniors well, but once life in Division 3 Sports began, they spoke to us far more than we had imagined from day one. We had heard rumors before our assignment, that it was a lively division, and it really seems to be true (lol).

Of course, in terms of work as well, even if we timidly throw a huge number of questions at them, they answer absolutely anything! Immediately! They are like superheroes.

And above all, the feedback is incredibly thorough. It is substantial. Like Zexy-level substantial.

When you ask one question, they give you 100 answers, so it feels like there are lots of superheroes flying around nearby. As a result, even though it has only been one month, a “I never want to leave—I love my seniors” person has already been born right here (lol).

3: Work that feels truly “Sunny”

In Division 3 Sports, about half of the members actually joined SUNNY SIDE UP as new graduates.

It is a division with a very strong SUNNY SIDE UP culture. Many people joined the company from the start with the desire of “Let’s Have Fun!”, and no matter their age, they approach their work while enjoying everything like children. They even sometimes describe Division 3 as “a zoo” themselves… However, it is not just all fun and games.

“When it is time to do it, we do it!” and “We deliver solid results!” are the basic premises. Division 3 Sports has many people who give their all to both work and play, like a sports club, and we get the impression that many are good at clearly separating on and off.

Next, at SUNNY SIDE UP, first-year employeesare assigneda senior colleague as a trainer under the“OJT” system, so we asked about each of our OJT seniors!

Ninomiya
OJT: Joined in 2018 – Makoto Ishiguro

In a word, my OJT senior is extremely busy. How busy? Busy enough to have days with eight hours of meetings. Every day, I feel that their seriousness toward work and high level of awareness are things we should learn from.

There is even a story that they once fell asleep while eating due to being so busy. However, they never show their busyness and work smartly.

Even with such a packed schedule, they kindly listen to my small concerns and provide careful feedback—someone I want to pursue as a role model.

There are still many things I cannot do at all, but I would like to keep learning humbly and absorb as much as I can from my seniors.

Komori
OJT: Joined in 2018 – Machiko Sato

To be honest, when I first joined, I imagined OJT might be done by a scary older man… but that was completely wrong (lol)! My OJT senior is a wonderful woman, and she teaches me work very, very carefully.

She always checks in on me and says, “Are you okay?” For me, with so many things I do not understand, just having a senior next to me is an incredibly reassuring presence.

And at this time, when working from home, she holds a meeting once a day, so I can work with peace of mind.

Takada
OJT: Joined in 2018 – Mikako Tanaka

She teaches me work with genuine kindness and care. She sits next to me every day, and even while she is in the middle of her own work, she answers my questions, reviews my emails, and is truly reassuring.

Even during remote work, she always sets aside time for MTGs and consistently gives accurate advice on my progress and concerns. I strongly feel that she must be someone who is deeply trusted by the division members as well.

Of course, she is involved in many projects, but when I tell seniors I meet for the first time that my OJT senior is Ms. Tanaka, I often hear responses like, “You are lucky it’s Mikako!” “Learn as much as you can from Mikako!” and “She’s a reliable senior!”

It is exactly as they say. Although it has only been one month since OJT started, I feel truly honored to be doing OJT with Ms. Tanaka. For me—who considers myself the most negative and prone to becoming passive among the Class of 2021—she encourages me with a “First of all, just try it!” stance. Thanks to her, I feel I am gradually becoming able to express my opinions during outreach calls and teleconference appointments.

I am still far from being fully capable, but I would like to continue learning many things from Ms. Tanaka, and eventually become someone she can feel it was worth doing OJT for.

Finally! One month since life in Division 3 began.Looking back on this month, how was it?

Ninomiya

After Golden Week, I was provisionally assigned to Division 3 Sports, and over the month I made outreach calls to media contacts and met with members of the media, which made me feel that work had truly begun in earnest. Even though it has only been one month and I have fewer projects than my seniors, I am already feeling how difficult schedule management is. Each task still takes time, and when I focus too much on efficiency, accuracy suffers—so I have been falling into a bit of a vicious cycle… I believe this is a key moment to push through and step up.

I believe the privilege of being a first-year is being able to make many mistakes and ask anything you do not understand. I would like to make full use of this privilege, learn from my seniors’ techniques, make them my own, and continue growing!

Komori

It felt like an instant—I can hardly believe a month has passed. That is how much stimulation I receive every day after jumping into the PR industry I admired, and into SUNNY SIDE UP.

I went from being a student to a working adult, and my environment changed completely, but I can still spend fulfilling days every day thanks to the lively, kind, and reassuring seniors in Division 3.

Also, over this month, I have grown much closer not only with my seniors but also with my fellow new hires. I am still just at the starting line, but I will keep working hard by learning from my sparkling seniors so that I can repay their kindness!

Takada

My impression is that I learned so much every day and worked on my tasks, and before I knew it, a month had already passed.

Since I participated in an after-school internship at the Sports Communication Room during my student days, I had wanted to work in Division 3. Being assigned there and working for a month surrounded by supportive seniors who truly care about juniors was an extremely fulfilling time.

For the three of us new graduates, who were unsure how to approach our busy seniors, I feel very happy to be able to work while being looked after by seniors who proactively invite us to lunch and who are always willing to listen and take care of us, even though they have a lot of their own work.

I am still far from being fully capable—for example, I cannot yet write an email to the media on my own—but I will continue to devote myself so that I can become someone who can repay the seniors in Division 3 as soon as possible! I am a total newbie with just one month in Division 3, but I already love Division 3!

With that, we introduced the appeal of Division 3 this time!

There are still many more great things about SUNNY SIDE UP. Please look forward to future blog posts!