Japan on Monday launched a scheme to promote “telework’’ or working from home, in an effort to ease congestion when Tokyo hosts the 2020 Olympics. The country also intends to soften a notoriously rigid work culture.
Almost 930 companies, including Suntory-Beverage & Food Ltd., Ajinomoto Co and Tokyu-Construction Co are participating in “Telework Day’’, to be held on July 24 each year henceforth until the Olympics opening ceremony set for July 24, 2020.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s government has introduced policies to shorten working hours, raise contract workers’ pay and curb abuse of labour laws. Telework could be another way to reform working practices that some say are behind the times. “Once the Olympics start, it will be hard to get to work, so we are doing this as an experiment,’’ said Takashi Kozu, 61, president of the Ricoh Institute of Sustainability and Business.
“The lifestyles of younger generations are changing, so firms should offer alternative work styles to maintain employees’ incentive.’’ Kozu said he worked from home on Monday morning, planned to attend an off-site meeting in the afternoon and would not show up in the office until early evening.
No comments:
Post a Comment