Man I would get so fired in Japan.

Typically arrive at the office around 9.03, for a 9am start. Then I open up my laptop, start up my apps and email. Then I go to the kitchen, put my lunch away, and start making a coffee with an aeropress. Then I go to the bathroom while it brews. I sit back down at my desk around 9.20 to start work.

It's incredibly difficult to get fired in Japan.

ssjevot posted...

It's incredibly difficult to get fired in Japan.

What would be the typical consequence of something like this? Just shunned by colleagues and dressed down by bosses constantly?

Does anyone remember those videos of the Bento boxes that fit into wrist watches because taking a lunch break is dishonorable in Japan? Were those for real, or was it a joke?

pinky0926 posted...

What would be the typical consequence of something like this? Just shunned by colleagues and dressed down by bosses constantly?

If you have a bad employee you usually shun them, give them demeaning tasks, etc. until they leave of their own volition. Firing someone is a pretty bad move for companies for a variety of reasons. You have to do something major to get fired (like at my work of you were drunk driving you would get fired instantly, probably for other jailable offenses as well). But honestly the stuff you're describing sounds pretty minor. My wife does maybe two hours of actual work in an 8 hour day. My job doesn't have set hours or a boss (researcher), so I can't comment from my own experience, but Japan is well known for being reluctant to fire employees (and foreign companies often hate how difficult it is to fire employees here). Unions are very strong, so if you aren't a temporary worker, your contract will usually make it pretty damn hard to get fired.

WarfireX posted...

Does anyone remember those videos of the Bento boxes that fit into wrist watches because taking a lunch break is dishonorable in Japan? Were those for real, or was it a joke?

Everyone takes a lunch break. That's a bunch of bullshit.

ssjevot posted...

Everyone takes a lunch break. That's a bunch of bullshit.

Are you speaking from experience as someone who lives in Japan? Because having worked for 4 major financial institutions in the last 20 years, a majority of office workers in the lending institutions in the United States feel obligated to skip lunch breaks. This is not something I do, but it is the norm.

Edit: oops, I just read the post above that reply. It looks like to do live in Japan and it sounds the same as here. I've worked from home for the last 8 years and regularly just take naps and play video games when I get enough done. But whenever I'm in the office, the little old ladies working there are in constant stress mode and are afraid to leave their desks.

WarfireX posted...

Are you speaking from experience as someone who lives in Japan?

Yes? Did you even read my posts. The idea we aren't taking lunch breaks is nuts. You guys need to stop believing random shit you see online.

ssjevot posted...

It's incredibly difficult to get fired in Japan.

Given their tendency to work themselves into misery I would think it's the opposite (companies don't invest in employees who aren't willing to chain themselves to their desks).

Though I do think they're starting to turn a corner in concepts like work-life balance.

Your boss is super lenient

I'd be fired if I did what you did

Solid_Sonic posted...

Given their tendency to work themselves into misery I would think it's the opposite (companies don't invest in employees who aren't willing to chain themselves to their desks).

Though I do think they're starting to turn a corner in concepts like work-life balance.

Japanese people work less hours on average than Americans. There are some really bad companies, called black companies that exist, but Westerners seem to think that's the norm. It isn't. Next you will tell me everyone in Japan is killing themselves. Again US has a higher suicide rate. Now you will say the birth rate is super low, but it's the highest in East Asia and comparable to Spain and Italy.

Stereotypes and real life are not actually the same.