Vol.1 OVERWORK
The Japanese are renowned throughout the world as hard workers. It is well known, however, that a good work-life balance is essential to our physical and mental health. We were reminded of this last year, when an employee of a large advertising company committed suicide as a result of overwork. There are rules which limit the number of overtime hours workers can work, but may companies seem to bend them, and workers under-report the number of hours they have actually worked.
The situation in Japan contrasts with that in some European countries. In France and Germany, for example, people work several hundred hours less every year than they do in Japan. Yet Europeans still think they are working too hard. In Sweden, efforts are being made to reduce the working day from eight hours to six. It was found that a six-hour day not only makes workers happier but also makes them work harder and get sick less often. As a result, staff turnover is reduced, while productivity rises.
Why is it so difficult for Japanese companies to reduce working hours? Of course, managers generally think that the harder their employees work, the more their profits will increase. But could it also have something to do with Japan’s corporate culture? At one well-known company, workers are told that they should never give up on their tasks, even if the effort kills them. In Japan, company employees are still sometimes seen as warriors fighting for victory over their rivals, rather than as individuals with private lives outside of the workplace.
QUESTIONS
1. Do companies always stick to the rules on overtime hours?
2. In what way is Europe different from Japan?
3. What happens to Swedish workers who work less?
4. Why is the 6-hour day good for Swedish companies?
5. Why does the writer think people work so hard in Japan?
COMPOSITION TOPIC
In the future, would you rather work longer hours (more hours a week) and earn more money, or work shorter hours (fewer hours a week) and earn less? Give reasons for your choice.
