When a country is chosen to be the host of the Olympic Games, many preparations must be taken. Venues must be secured, and the safety and security of tourists must be taken into consideration. And for Japanese employers, the upcoming Olympic Games also means that they’ll have to start embracing workplace flexibility with “telework days.”
Here’s why Japan is encouraging telework days:
Japan hasn’t always been a big proponent of work flex. Its work culture is largely office-driven, since many employers view being present in the workplace as a sign of loyalty and commitment to a company. But even though the Olympic Games are two years away, Japan is bracing itself for the 40+ million tourists it expects to receive for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games by allowing “telework days.”
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The proposed measure was created in 2017 after seeing how the United Kingdom adopted a similar initiative during the 2012 London Olympics. More than three-quarters (80%) of companies in London adopted telework policies, which not only decreased traffic in and around the Olympic Village, but it also did something greater—it improved employee productivity and work-life balance for its workers. These are two of the biggest and best-known benefits of flex, and Japan is eager to experience this, too. That’s why it ran a preliminary campaign during the summer, with 2,000 companies participating. The goal? To increase the initiative annually until it’s time for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Slowly Embracing Remote Work
Currently, slightly more than one in ten (13.9%) of Japanese businesses that have 100+ employees have telecommuting options. The reasons vary (such as the initial costs of implementing flexible work policies), but the fact that Japan is slowly but surely embracing telecommuting and remote work options is a very good sign. Understanding that flexible work policies are the best way to see boosted productivity and decreased absenteeism—not to mention a way to attract top-tier talent globally in an effort to fight the country’s labor shortage—means that Japan could very well become a leader in the flexible work movement in the not-too-distant future.
Photo Credit: bigstockphoto.com
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