March 31, 2020 2:40 PMTOKYO: The longstanding stereotype of Japan’s office-bound “salaryman” is being tested as companies cautiously embrace working from home in a bid to stem the spread of the coronavirus.
Experts say part of the challenge is the social stigma attached to deviating from the “salaryman” stereotype of the suited-up office worker who proves his dedication by spending long hours at his desk. “The image of going to the office is very strong. You have to show that you work hard and long hours and that you help your colleagues,” Sato told AFP.But the spread of the new coronavirus has forced employers and workers to give telework a try in Japan, and Sato for one has been pleasantly surprised.
“This experience has completely changed my image of teleworking,” he told AFP in the small office he has set up in the family home he shares with his wife and two children. Sato’s wife Hitomi takes primary care of their daughters, six-year-old Yurina and four-year-old Hidano and said she has welcomed the helping hand at home.The Japanese government has renewed its push for teleworking and off-peak commuting in recent years, hoping to ease the burden on the notoriously congested Tokyo public transport system, particularly ahead of the Olympics.
A poll carried out at the end of February by the Keidanren business association of nearly 400 major firms found nearly 70% had already begun implementing teleworking or were planning to because of the pandemic.
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