[Event Report] Early Cross employee volunteer team completes Mizuho PayPay Dome Relay Marathon 2026

Early Cross (Headquarters: Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture; Representative Director: Masaya Hanashiro), which provides design and implementation consulting for corporate-type Defined Contribution (DC) pension schemes and asset formation education for employees, participated in the Mizuho PayPay Dome Relay Marathon 2026 held on Saturday, May 16, 2026. A volunteer team of employees ran the full 42.195 km.

Thirteen runners participated from the company's 34 total employees. On the day of the event, full-remote members based in the Kansai region also rushed to the venue to support the operation. Together with family members who joined in the cheering, a total of 16 people took on the challenge as a single team. This initiative, which began as part of the company's welfare program, functioned as an effective team-building event that involved the entire organization.

The initiative was led by volunteer members, who planned and directed everything from the pre-race process to the operation on the day (costs were covered by the company). A survey conducted after the event showed that about 90% of participants felt an increased sense of trust and familiarity with their colleagues and the company, showing that self-initiated activities lead to activation of internal communication.

Amidst growing interest in corporate and employee well-being, this marathon participation was not a mandatory company-led event. Instead, volunteers who wanted to 'take on a new challenge with colleagues' spontaneously stepped up and led the planning and operation. The company respected this autonomy and supported the initiative by covering all participation fees, providing an opportunity to understand each other's personalities beyond daily work.

Real feedback and changes in members: In a post-event survey (14 responses, 100% collection rate), the real connections and teamwork experienced through voluntary collaboration were visualized through data.

1. What members felt through 'running as a team': The most common sentiment was 'Rejoiced together at the finish line (92.9%),' followed by 'It was something I couldn't experience alone (50.0%)' and 'Felt the same teamwork as at work (50.0%).' 2. Satisfaction: 100% of participants responded that they were glad they participated. 3. Changes in feelings toward working at the company: 85.7% of all members reported a positive change in their feelings toward working at Early Cross, with 64.3% stating they 'love the company more or feel prouder of it,' showing it was a major catalyst for deepening organizational attachment.

Representative comment: 'The corporate-type DC system we support is a mechanism that supports 'economic well-being' to resolve future financial anxiety. However, for employees to truly exert agency at work, multifaceted fulfillment including physical/mental health and good relationships is essential. This relay marathon challenge was originally a welfare program, but became a very effective team-building opportunity.'