Well during one of my internship I was FORCED to take a pause of 2 hours for the lunch (agreement between the company and the state). So everyday with the other interns we were doing Counter Strike & Day Of Defeat tournaments. During 6 months ^^'
Imagine the government to tell you to work less and provide you an universal income check every month in order to compensate the hours lost from work to boost the local economy. ^_^
The working holidays here remind me of going to visit relatives in Africa. For any kids born outside the continent in my family have the option to go over to stay with family. The only thing needed is a plane ticket and your help. Most of my family are on farms and I truly loved it. It was quiet and for two months I felt completely relaxed. I recommend to anyone with family abroad. Visit and offer to help out. It’s a lot cheaper and creates some memories that would be hard to any other way!
The thing about Japanese workers is, that they are not tougher (or less tough) than other humans, and yes, they work long hours, yes, they work many days, but the efficiency of it is another issue, and I talked to a lot of people who told me, that they got the same stuff done in eight hours as Japanese in twelve. The fact that you need rest in order to function properly is something I hope to fully enter the Japanese mindset.
The funny thing is, it's been doing just the opposite. People have been working more and more around the world. This sort of spread is especially visible in European countries who's culture normally is to take time off very seriously. Now they do so less and less.
This problem is known as "productivity". The productivity of the Japanese worker as measured in dollars GDP/hour worked is the lowest in the G7 and is below average in the OECD. It's not due to vacations, this is often due to Japan's office culture and failure to adapt to technology. For example, where other countries e-mail a form, and the recipient can copy and paste the data, the Japanese will print it out, fax it, and require the other end to type it back in. Other countries use online signatures and approval software on their smartphone, Japanese will print a document and apply a chop to it, and scan it back in.
@@straightpipediesel it's interesting that you've mentioned the fax machine and use there, even now. You may already know this but other readers may not. The original popularity of the fax machine in Japan was because type writers and keyboards of the time weren't Latin alphabet friendly (ie. 'english'). The keyboards have improved over the years but it's still a hassle for older Japanese to utilise kanji characters - it's quicker to handwrite and then fax across. This is changing with the younger generations, as is this insistence everything is hand signed and returned. Peter barakan himself explained this on an interview, the vids on YT somewhere.
I'm evious towards the japanese for having the best of both world. Want to be amazed by city skylines? Go to tokyo and other major cities in Japan; Want to have a winter getaway? Go to hokkaido; Want to jave a tropical getaway? Go to okinawa; want to enjoy riding atv on sand dunes? you bet japan has an area for that
Having worked in Tokyo in large companies of 2000+, I got to see just how much time is wasted in the 'Japanese' way of their workday. Most of the time is spent making yourself appear to be busy. Also, you can't leave until your boss leaves even if you're finished for the day and they decide to stick around for whatever reason. Working yourself to death is more like working yourself to death by lack of sleep.
I worked in a manufacturing company that hired mostly Native Americans. They would celebrate traditions even at work at certain times. Halloween was a time to remember their dead and have a feast in honor of those that passed. Food was prepaired and placed on large tables for everyone to enjoy. Usually a prayer for the deceased was given. No one had the energy to work after having such feasts so instead, they set up games and the production lines would just shut down for the rest of the day. Even taking a nap was encouraged. Oh Yes, we got paid for the whole day. Often, we ate all day taking a plate, then going back a few?hours later for another. Thanksgiving was second biggest feast. Everyone received a turkey. Even if there were 4 family members working, they got 4 turkeys. We got 2. At Christmas, everyone got a fruit basket and a ham. You guessed, family members each got one. I know one family that received 6 baskets and 6 hams. They donated most of them. Even we donated our second basket.
In my opinion, you worked for an outstanding company. A company that allows for or even encourages culture and celebrations is a company with thoughtful and generous people at the top - this will produce a workforce of employees who are most likely thoughtful and generous themselves, and who will be loyal and hard working in return. Thank you for sharing your story.
@@ShengTheCraftsman Sadly, that company changed. The owner became more concerned with the dollar than his employees. Eventually he lost contracts with GM and ended up selling. I see it is now owned by an air craft company. They probably still produce wiring harnesses and custom bent tubing but my guess it's all for the aircraft industry now. Those days have long gone. Sad but It was memorable for an 18 year old kid. I bought my first Brand new car working for that company. It was a Ford though, not a GM.
@@scottfirman I see, well sadly nothing lasts forever, I see you into RC hobby too, My channel have some RC Tank videos from my builts and RC event come check it out ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-cx5STIOFPck.html
Not to get on too much of a soap box here, but I just find it interesting how pleasant the Switchbox Factory sounds to work at because it has been so well automated with taking care of their employees being taken into consideration. It just seems like the fears surrounding automation have very little to do with what machines are put in a factory and much more to do with failing to make an equitable work environment around the new technology.
I remember there is a channel/RU-vidr that goes to Japan to attend each festival as a workout regimen, especially those involving carrying floats and the like. His channel is about exercising.
Japan is a hard-working country, that said the US tops it which isn't even third, that's Korea which is two steps down Mexico the hardest working country in the world today
Good order forecasting, larger production runs, and holding a little more inventory are good ways to run a manufacturing operation. Much better than the Just-In-Time bullcrap that looks good on paper, but ultimately leads to lower quality, missed shipments deadlines, and higher employee stress.
The contradiction between what you see as Geisha culture and holidays are interesting, given the fact the secon developed so much later. Gives you a lot of angles to consider there.
I have watched more Japanology videos than I can count. I much enjoy the view of various parts of Japanese life. One rather aggravating constant is the wailing flute and other noises as background to parts of these videos. It seems to detract from the informative content. I would like to express my appreciation, however, for the opportunity to see so many different aspects and views of Japanese culture and life.
Japan does have mandatory 10-20 vacation days. Just that employees won't take them. It's part of their culture, that if you don't work, you're lazy. Though it's having a big problem cause Japan has a big issue of work life balance. Which is lessening the time for ppl to develop relationships, which is leading to a population decrease.
It's not just their work ethic that prevents them from having children. Japan is one of those nations to which having a kid is really expensive, so a lot goes into planning a family. I actually like their system of using logic rather than emotions. Why should a child suffer poverty all because the birth rates are down? That is forcing people to have children they can't afford or don't want. The crime rates will go up if people raise children they do not love, because they can't provide for and children will face more abuse due to not being planned out and loved. Children have the right to be born well and to be well. Having children just because is faulty science. They need to change their economic system and make things affordable if the government worries about population reduction.
theworldsoutside.com/2018/09/05/life-out-of-balance-or-the-story-of-a-boy-with-one-less-tooth/ Hi! I worked in Japan and wrote a bit about work-life balance in my blog. It's complicated but in essence I agree with what you're saying. Check it out...
@@lyhthegreat Of course they would, otherwise the business would struggle to hold onto staff. The holidays are an incentive to work hard and efficiently when at work. The business designed a system to operate efficiently around the holidays.
My god why does no one on youtube understand that BGM is supposed to be in the barely audible in the back ground not making it so you can't hear what the person is saying?
Japan seems so nice and very interesting, I would really like to visit, BUT I cant take the sheer amount of people everywhere. Whenever I see a documentary from Japan, there are just people on top of people. And the tiny living spaces, and than out to the street and mingle with more people. I am open for suggestions.
I went to Japan last year, but I wasn't in Tokyo, I was in Chiba. I was only there for 4 days to attend a 2 day concert, but there were no huge crowds except at the venue (Makuhari Messe). This was at the end of June. I think if you go 'off season', take care with watching for their 'holiday's, you can enjoy Japan.
Yeah, maybe time to step away from watching documentaries and just go. No country is a monolith; not everyone in Japan like huge crowds either. Or, maybe, expose yourself to a huge crowd and then take a quick train ride outside the major city. Travel is meant to expose you to different lives and ideas, not keep you safe in your own cocoon.
@@Shontaku I recommend not making sarcastic comments on a serious video such as this one. It will only make you look foolish. Which I'm sure you're not, since a real fool would not even be interested in watching this kind of video . But, since you're an American - only an American would think to make such a joke - you've been taught that using is funny and therefore intelligent. But the comment section of this video, being viewed by an international audience, is not the appropriate arena for such a provincial comment. It's not logical to insult the cuisine of the country that this video is based on, since everyone watching this video is inherently interested in the country. As a fellow American, I implore you: let's look a bit more refined in front of the rest of the world by not making such comments.
@@brianmessemer2973 Well said. On another note.. it has been said that one's ENTIRE Life experiences are re-visited at death... and that one must deal with those choices. A sobering thought. It does make sense since reality.. even at this gross/physical level of Consciousness works on the Principle of Cause & Effect... what one sows... one reaps. Some souls seem to catch on much faster than others. Compassion and Kindness can take one far. Namaste
No problem these days in Europe and the USA for long stay at home without a job. Permanent unemployment is the new style holidays for the industrial slaves of the 21st century. The only problems is a lack of money to spend, haven’t any in fact, only the wealthy have permanent holidays without worries others than polishing their fingernails and choosing the style and colour of their hand bags and shoes. Cannot stop progress indeed.
Well that would be the biggest draw back for living in Japan. The Japanese are more group thinkers than individual thinker. They all do what ever the group is doing. I wouldn't like that either.
Shhh don't ruin the secret! Just kidding. But I am of the same opinion. The Japanese are a people have such integrity, and have built such a wonderful society that, when I return to my home country after being in Japan for a while, I feel a sadness that my own country's people that they can't possibly experience such a wonderful existence.
Ohhhhhhh, when Peter mentioned a “certain rodent” and his “theme park” I assumed he meant Pikachu and there was a Pokémon theme park. Am I racist now? >.
No, it really isn't. In the Netherlands people easily go on two week vacations, and then they still have days left over which they also use up. Everyone also expects you to use up all your paid free days.
