Maximizing human potential 1: Evolving how we work together
At TIER IV, we are committed to our vision of making autonomous driving accessible to all. But achieving that goal means more than advancing autonomous driving – it also means continuously evolving the systems that support the people who create the technology.
Recently, we’ve been reviewing our policies and practices to create a workplace where employees can more easily embody our core values. Officially, they’re expressed as “Create references, empower people," "Make it possible with partners, make it feasible for partners," and "Proactive, productive.” In essence, these values are about empowering people to reach their full potential, creating impact on a global scale, and being proactive to deliver results. Our goal is to create an environment where each individual can maximize their abilities, work in their own way, and collaborate with colleagues from diverse backgrounds while supporting and respecting one another.
This blog series highlights how we are building and evolving the systems that support employees. Through these posts, the HR team aims to share practical insights for anyone interested in how organizations can grow by focusing on both people and culture.
We hope these stories offer a glimpse into how we are reimagining the way people and teams work at TIER IV. The first installment comes from Chief Human Resources Officer Hironori Muraoka.
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I joined the company in January 2025 and since then, have been leading reforms across our HR systems. In this first installment, I will outline the overall picture of our efforts. Our aim with this series is to openly share the thinking and frameworks behind our people and organization strategies. Our reforms are still at an early stage, and in many ways are still being refined. But by sharing our initiatives, we hope to spark a dialogue that will help them develop over time. We also hope this information will be useful for candidates considering a career with us.
Let’s start with a question: What exactly is an HR system?
Until a few years ago, TIER IV founder and CEO Shinpei Kato, together with a few other CxOs, directly managed individuals. At a startup scale, this was the most appropriate and effective approach. However, our company has grown to approximately 500 employees, and we’re planning to hire around 100 more each year. In other words, we have entered a stage where management must shift from the “visible world” to the “unseen world” – what we call the “unseen organization.”
HR challenges and initiatives
To address this shift, a CxO structure has been established over the past year, including my role as CHRO, and the board governance system has been strengthened with delegated executive authority and external board members. As part of this transformation, roles once carried by our founder are now taken on by CxOs and other leaders across the company.
In thinking about how to make this shift, I have often found useful analogies in religion. World religions such as Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism all share one feature: they have scriptures. By putting their core ideas into words, these scriptures make it possible to convey consistent principles to large and diverse communities. In the same way, I see our HR systems as the organization’s scriptures – a foundational set of values and frameworks for leading an organization that is no longer fully visible to any single individual.
With that mindset, our approach to reform was never about chasing HR trends, but rather about designing systems that reflect the kind of culture and behaviors we want to encourage within TIER IV.
After joining the company in January, the first thing I did was have one-on-one conversations with about 100 employees. While there are many theories about HR systems, there is no single right answer. What works differs from one company to another, and even within the same company, it changes depending on the stage of growth. That is why I felt a top-down, one-size-fits-all approach would not work, and chose instead to begin by listening carefully to our employees.
In my one-on-one conversations, two themes came up most often: compensation and benefits, and clarity around organizations and roles.
Previously, we had no clear salary bands or grade definitions. At the same time, management responsibilities often fell disproportionately on a handful of skilled engineers, even if their aspirations did not align with that path. Team structures were also ambiguous. In some cases, teams were nested under other teams – which left responsibility, authority, and accountability unclear.
Compensation and organizational clarity are like two wheels that must turn together – progress is only possible when both move forward at the same time. That is why this month we implemented major reforms in both areas at the same time.
We also recognized the importance of expanding support for the open-source ecosystem. As the core developer of Autoware, our success depends on fostering a thriving, global ecosystem. To support this, we expanded our policy on secondary employment to encourage participation.
I also wanted to ensure we had a structured way to incorporate employees’ voices, so in April, we established the Great Place to Work Steering Committee. In addition, we introduced the TIER IV Plus Survey in July to measure engagement across the company, and the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Committee in October. Through these initiatives, we aim to continuously improve across the full HR value chain.
We believe that openness leads to better ideas, better alignment and better teams. TIER IV’s mission is deeply tied to the open-source community, and that spirit extends to our organization and people strategies as well.
We’re also committed to building a diverse and global team. That’s why we actively hire international talent and provide relocation and visa support for those joining us from abroad. Things like language, nationality, or location should never prevent a great candidate from thriving at TIER IV.
In upcoming installments of this series, HR team members responsible for different areas will share more about their work as we continue building an open, ambitious and human-centered company. We hope you’ll stay tuned.
TIER IV CHRO Hironori Muraoka, center, with members of the HR team
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TIER IV is always on the lookout for passionate individuals to join our journey. If you share our vision of making autonomous driving accessible to all, get in touch.
Visit our careers page to view all job openings.
If you’re unsure which roles fit your experience, or if the current job openings don’t quite match your preferences, you can register your interest here. We’ll contact you when a suitable role becomes available and arrange an informal interview.
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