Why Japan wants its citizens to try a 4-day workweek

The government launched a ‘work style reform’ campaign that promotes shorter hours and other flexible arrangements along with overtime limits and paid annual leave. Japan, a nation so hardworking its language has a term for literally working oneself to death, is trying to address a worrisome labor shortage by coaxing more people and companies to adopt four-day workweeks.The Japanese government first expressed support for a shorter working week in 2021, after lawmakers endorsed the idea. The concept has been slow to catch on, however; about 8% of companies in Japan allow employees to take three or more days off per week, while 7% give their workers the legally mandated one day off, according to the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare.Hoping to produce more takers, especially among small and medium-size businesses, the government launched a “work style reform” campaign that promotes shorter hours and other flexible arrangements along with overtime limits and paid annual leave. The labor ministry recently started offering free consulting, grants, and a growing library of success stories as further motivation.“By realizing a society in which workers can choose from a variety of working styles based on their circumstances, we aim to create a virtuous cycle of growth and distribution and enable each and every worker to have a better outlook for the future,” states a ministry website about the hatarakikata kaikaku campaign, which translates to “innovating how we work.”The... Continue reading at 'Fast Company'

[ Fast Company | 2024-09-02 14:15:57 UTC ]
News tagged with: #gained traction #recent survey #manga

Other news stories related to: "Why Japan wants its citizens to try a 4-day workweek"