Nomura Holdings Inc. plans to make flexible work permanent for its employees in Japan once the coronavirus pandemic ends, underscoring how the health crisis may hasten changes to working styles in the nation.

The nation's biggest brokerage is finalizing preparations to enhance its work-from-home program, Chief Executive Officer Kentaro Okuda said at an investment forum Tuesday. The firm may introduce a minimum 40% of hours to be spent in the office each month, and departments would have discretion within that limit, he said in a presentation.

Nomura joins financial firms around the world that are adapting to the shift toward remote work, after the pandemic forced them to keep thousands of staff at home. In Japan, the virus has prompted some companies to move away from the entrenched practice of long hours spent in the office, a culture that the government has been trying to change to improve productivity and lifestyles.