Some Thoughts on Overtime

October 31, 2012
 
At work today, I received a most interesting e-mail in my notifications box. The e-mail stated that no one is allowed to do overtime today, everyone needs to say good-bye and go home at the city hall's exact closing time.

I find it interesting that while in the U.S. companies struggle with employees who don't show up to work, or who take too many holidays, Japan is facing the opposite problem. Lately I've been receiving notices from the office about “work-life balance.” People are doing so much over time, and not using their holidays to the point that City Hall is keeping track and averaging out the number of days taken per worker. In a given period, workers prefecture-wide are expected to take an average of 12 days off of work. When I look at the data it seems that workers in the prefecture's capital are averaging only slightly under this number. However for my city, we are currently averaging around 4 days.

I can't help but think that this is a condition the country has caused for itself (not saying that this is a bad thing. This is coming from the mouth of a workaholic, mind you). When children are all but required to stay at school until 5:30/6 o'clock at night to do club activities, it only makes sense that leaving work exactly on time as adults would be a little strange for them.

On the other hand we have to consider the irony that Japan is a country that prides itself on kirikae, in other words, making a quick change over between activities. I guess it's a different story when the change is from work to relaxation(?).