Hi everyone. In class on Wednesday we talked about Ken and his decision to take a week off work in order to deal with his stress. We then went on to briefly talk about taking time off work in Japan, and in particular if we think it is easy or difficult to take holidays in Japanese companies. Some people mentioned that it may be difficult to take time off work in Japanese companies because of the work environment – companies don’t encourage people to take time off work… indeed they often encourage people NOT to take time off work.
In this week’s discussion I want you to think about this question: Should companies do more to encourage workers to take their annual leave? Annual leave is the number of delegated days a year that a worker is entitled to spend on holiday from work. Some things you might like to think about are:
1. The mental and physical health of workers
2. Family/Personal life and Work Balance
3. Productivity
This may be a difficult topic, but please try your best. Should workers take their annual leave? Why or why not? Would YOU take your entitled annual leave? Why/why not?
Kris
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Hi Kris,
I think Japanese companies should allow their workers to take more annual leave because you sometimes don't understand what are you warking when you are too busy. We don't work only for making living but also being happy, spending with family and friends or traveling etc... It is important for being healthy mentaly and physicaly. However today's Japanese company can't aford to do it. Companies will not do things if it seems to be loss. I think government should adopt some policy.
Thanks for your comment... but who are you?? Hiroko?
Anyway, I think you made a good point... we don't only work for the sake of our company or for just making a living, but also for our own personal reasons, too.
I think it's interesting that you say "Japanese companies can't afford to (allow people to have holidays." I wonder if this is actually true or not. Why can't Japanese companies find the money and resources to allow this? Where are they using all of their money??
Yes, it definately seems that the government needs to make companies make their employees take holidays. I think we really need to see a change of attitude within companies. Why is it so bad to just take a holiday?!
Kris
Hi, Kris,
Well...it's a really difficult topic, isn't it? I think workers should take their annual leave because they are sure to feel a lot of stress. Especially Japanese working hours are longer than other countries. So, death from overwork happened as Japanese social phenomenon. I think Japanese government recommend workers annual leave to reduce stress.
I would sure to take annual leave. But if my co-workers' task increses by my annual leave, I wouldn't take easily my annual leave. I don't want to trouble them. So, I think companies should consider their workers to take annual leave more easily.
Thank you for reading my comment!
Yui
Hi Kris,
Today's topic is difficult to understand and write down my comment...
I think it is difficult to take holidays in Japanese companies because the type of Japanese community is vertical society.So, some workers couldn't fight back their bosses.Accodingly,these days,the problem is that some workers come to melanhcholy from stress.Therefore,Japanese government should make new law which is more easy to take time off work by workers.But,some workers should find the easy way to decide the stress by themselves because too take a lots of time to make the law.
Hi kris,
I think it is a difficult topic. Japanese companise should allow workers to take their annual leave.
However few companise can do now. There are many reasons. I wonder the biggest reason is short of hands. Japanese companise run themself with the fewest workers. So Japanese workers have heavy responsibilities for their works and can't leave their works up to other workers.
However it can't solve easily. Japanese companise can't afford to employ extra workers. Therefore, I think Japanese goverment should help companise.
Hi Kris,
Actually, I agree with Yui and Tomoe. However, in the existing, it is difficult for workers to take their annual leaves in Japan today. When I was high school student days, I learned paid leaves in Japanese companies and other countries. It find out that Japanese companies's paid leaves was shorter than other countries it like America and England and most of worker in Japan took their paid leaves few days. But other countries worker took their paid leaves full days for relax. In my mother's case, she don't take her annual leaves as long as when she have to do other things. She looks very tired and busy. So, I think Japanese companies or government should improve a system of annual leaves. I think Ayaka's opinion is good.
Fumiko
Hi,
I don't understand this topic, so I'm not sure my comment is right or not...
I think Japanese companies should do more to encourage workers to take their annual leave because overworking is not good for health. If we get sick, we might need to absent from job more than annual leave. So before getting sick, we should take holidays.
Hi.Kris,
I wish Japanese workers could take their annual leave!There are two significant reasons for this.First, I think it's the most important to think about their family.They should communicate with their family more often.Second is the mental and physical health of workers problem.
I often hear that Japanese are working too much.I think enough annual leave lead you to working success!!
↑I'm Yuki.
Hi everyone,
It seems like this week’s topic was a difficult one to think about. But, even difficult questions are worth while thinking about once in a while!! You all did a good job in expressing your ideas and opinions. Hiroko, Yui, Tomoe, Fumiko and Yuki all stated that they believe workers should take their entitled paid leave, although everyone admitted that it is very difficult for workers to take holidays. Hiroko and Tomoe suggested that one reason for this is that companies can’t afford their workers to take long breaks from work. Everyone agrees that both the government and companies should do more to encourage people to take time off work, to maintain their physical and mental health, so they can spend more time with their families, and so they can enjoy their lives. It’s a difficult topic, but one that’s important for the lives of workers around Japan and the world… including you guys someday!! I hope you all manage to find a good company in the future, which allows you plenty of time off work!!
Cheers,
Kris
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