Japanese company allow pets into the office
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The reading
The coronavirus pandemic has changed working conditions worldwide. Millions of people have switched from working in their offices to working remotely at home. A Japanese company has initiated a novel measure to entice workers back into the office. The technology giant Fujitsu is allowing some of its workers to bring their pet dogs to work with them. Executives set up an experimental "dog office" at a building in Kawasaki, near Tokyo. Members of staff are being encouraged to return to the office by bringing their dogs to work. It is part of a trial aimed at making workers more comfortable in the workplace. More people may be willing to give up working remotely from home.
Japan's workforce is renowned for spending long hours in the office. The pandemic greatly changed this. Many workers started working from home. They preferred this new culture of teleworking. They also decided that working remotely was better than enduring two-hour commutes from the suburbs. They got attached to the idea of spending more quality time with their pets. Fujitsu's experiment is an incentive for workers to return to the office and be with their pooches. One worker said he could "communicate with other people with the help of our dogs". Reuters says the Fujitsu "dog office" has space for up to six dogs "and features stain-proof carpets and a range of pet supplies".
Sources:
- https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/salarymans-best-friend-japan-office-lets-dogs-post-covid-work-shift-2022-09-22/
- https://nypost.com/2022/09/23/japanese-company-fujitsu-lets-employees-to-bring-dogs-to-work/
- https://money.usnews.com/investing/news/articles/2022-09-22/salarymans-best-friend-japan-office-lets-in-dogs-in-post-covid-work-shift
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