More Japanese firms using morning work hours to up efficiency
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An increasing number of companies are encouraging employees to start work earlier in the day in an effort to reduce overtime and improve their lifestyle.
Besides improving the private lives of employees, implementing early morning work hours also is aimed at increasing job efficiency and cutting down on the expense of paying overtime.
This strategy may help Japanese companies resolve the persistent problem of long working hours.
Hiroshi Ichinose’s day starts before dawn at 4am.
The 44-year-old Ichinose, who develops businesses related to raw metals at Itochu Corp., takes the first train from his home in Yamato, Kanagawa Prefecture, arriving at his office in Kita-Aoyama of Minato Ward, Tokyo, at 6:11am.
After checking the overseas markets and sorting e-mails, he heads to the basement for breakfast.
Ichinose’s meal, which includes bananas and onigiri rice balls, is paid for by the company.
“Coming in early in the morning works for me. I can make trades in time with North America,” Ichinose said.
His subordinates start arriving a little after 7am.
Itochu decided to institute early morning working hours in May for its 2,600 domestic employees.
The company banned overtime after 10pm, but introduced increased pay rates for working from 5am to 9am.
Since the new system started, overtime per employee has dropped by about four hours per month, reducing overall overtime expenditures by about 7 per cent.
“People are more likely to drag out overtime work at night. It’s easier for workers to concentrate in the morning,” an Itochu spokesperson said.
Ichinose finishes work at 5:15pm. After work, he sometimes has a drink with his colleagues, but never goes on to a second bar.
Instead, he heads home to spend the evening with his children. “Not having to bring overtime work home is great,” he said.
Ssome companies have encouraged workers to make their own decision on whether to come into work early.
OPT Inc, a firm based in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, that deals in Internet advertising, began offering free breakfasts twice a week in January, with the aim of changing the perception at the company that employees should work late into the night.
“Overtime pay tends to pile up at night and it’s not healthy for our workers,” said Megumi Tomikawa of the company’s human resources department.
A nearby bakery supplies bread for the breakfasts, which have proved popular, and the ranks of early morning workers have increased.
The government’s new growth strategy, released in June, also calls on companies to adopt morning work hours to help improve people’s work-life balance.
