The Government of Japan is deeply concerned about the labour shortage in the country. As a result, it is encouraging more employers to adopt a four-day work week. Organizations are being urged to allow their employees to take at least three days off, if not four.
The Japanese are often seen as workaholics, with a culture of hard work so deeply ingrained that people are known to literally work themselves to death. With the shortage of labor posing a threat to the economy, the government is pushing organizations to embrace a four-day workweek.
Although the idea of shorter workweeks was proposed at least three years ago, it has not gained traction. Interestingly, employees themselves seem to be insufficiently motivated to embrace a shorter workweek. For example, at Panasonic Holdings, only 150 employees out of 63,000 opted for the four-day workweek, reports AP.
Only about eight percent of companies in the country have adopted a five-day workweek. Only seven percent allow their workers to take a day off, which is mandatory by law.
The government has also launched a campaign to promote shorter workweeks and more convenient and flexible hours, in addition to overtime pay and paid annual leave. To motivate employers, the Labor Ministry is offering free consultation and special grants. It is also sharing success stories of employers who have benefited from shorter workweeks to encourage others.
The special campaign has been appropriately named ‘Hatarakikata Kaikaku’ or ‘Innovating How We Work’. However, not many employers or organizations have sought special consultation yet on how to ‘innovate’ and make the shorter workweek work.
