Do Japanese companies offer three days off per week? So that’s the truth...

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Japanese companies offer three days off per week; yet such an easy work environment still fails to retain employees. Why is that? The high stress levels in urban life in Japan, along with its high suicide rate, seem to be the common impression people have of that country. High prices, as well as pressures related to employment and survival, contribute to low levels of happiness among white-collar workers in Japanese society. This is a long-standing problem. In order to boost their employees’ motivation and retention rates, Japanese companies are actively seeking ways to make changes. The three-day workweek, which seems like a great way to reduce stress, why then doesn’t it work? According to Taiwan’s United News Network, a **latest Japanese survey shows that companies implementing work schedules such as three days off per week account for about 5.8% of all companies. Although this figure remains in the single digits, it has more than doubled compared to ten years ago. In some of these companies, not only do employees have more vacation time, but there is also less overtime. For example, a rice milling machine manufacturer with nearly a thousand employees began testing a three-day workweek this summer. To ensure smooth implementation, the company made significant efforts to improve work efficiency. The design department has more than two hours each day to focus on design work; the supervisor helps handle all incoming calls, while the human resources and accounting departments assist the business department in visiting clients or carrying out repairs. As a result, not only can each employee enjoy three days off per week, but the average number of overtime hours per month also decreased by 7 hours. Rumor: Japanese companies offer three days off per week, work is much easier, and employees become overreaching. Truth: The three-day workweek is also spreading to local businesses in Japan. The working system has changed from \"8 hours a day, 5 days a week\" to \"10 hours a day, 4 days a week\", with the total working hours remaining at 40 hours per week. So, in fact, it means extending the working hours each day; one still has to work the same number of days per week, and this three-day weekend system can sometimes even cause some problems. In some industries, work must be scheduled to fit the clients’ schedules, and implementing a three-day workweek can actually cause inconvenience to the clients, as well as put pressure on employees and the company. Indeed, when the option is available to take two or three days off per week, with such flexibility, many employees are more inclined to pursue stable career development, which in turn reduces staff turnover. I just don’t know whether this three-day workweek model adopted by Japanese companies will be adopted by our **companies as well Original title: Japanese companies offer three days off per week, yet resignations continue – why?