I work in IT industry in Tokyo as Project Manager. 30M and bilingual. I know it’s s Japan where workspaces are not super fun as they are in my country or Western countries. Back home offices are not just about working 9 to 6, 5 days a week but there are occasional activities like office team outings, dinner, rewards and recognition day, festival celebrations or any kind of fun activity to take the mind and body off from over working, which helps in bringing down the work fatigue.
My current workplace is very boring and there is no such activity resulting in stress and fatigue.
If I have to look for a new job with a better office environment, which company would you suggest? (IT or non IT)
Thanks !
10 comments
I thought you were making 30M there for a second. I guess you mean you are a 30 year old guy?
Sounds like you want to work for a foreign company that’s based in Japan. Video game companies are pretty good with this such as Riot Games Tokyo. Best research, sometimes its worth taking a paycut to have a better environment for work
wait … I thought people hate “work fun activities”???
Honestly, the corporate mandatory fun time and toxic positivity is just as bad as a boring workplace. I wish there was something in between.
As someone with a kid now, I can never attend any of their work functions and miss out. Consider yourself lucky you don’t have many of them.
If you are after it for camaraderie then look for a non-Japanese company with a Tokyo office. The more foreigners, the more likely there are casual socials and that kind of friendship group. At least that’s why my company is like.
I know some offices in Japan have like a little social club thing…people kick in 500-1000yen/month and they get a little corner of the office with snacks/drinks.
>>occasional activities like office team outings, dinner, rewards and recognition day, festival celebrations or any kind of fun activity to take the mind and body off from over working
The dirty little secret about those (or other “fun” gimmicks in the office) is that they are 100% about keeping you in the work ecosystem, even in your off time. And not even in a team-building way like Japanese enkais.
It’s become the platonic ideal over the last ~15 years that an employee’s friends are their co-workers, that a spouse is also somewhere in the company, and basically any leisure/social time is tied to the company.
What I would do:
– Work from home
– Have fun with other people (a hobby)
Lmao, I guess the grass is always greener, I was an IT PM back in my home country that had all the “fun” things like soda fountains, foosball tables, “team building exercises” like going to escape rooms and stuff, and I absolutely fucking hated it.
The boring offices here are such a godsend, in my experience the best office environment is one where you are productive and can finish early. I’d rather look for a place where they measure your productivity than your “loyalty” or “team spirit”.
I work from home full time now, but at my last company, they had windows, which was nice.
One fun time I remember was when *Premium Friday* happened that one time. The company misunderestimated Japan Inc.’s grand strategy with regards to what *Premium Friday* was supposed to accomplish, which meant that we were not released to patronise the local economy, or go home early to make love, but instead management brought in a lot of booze, and a snack, which we consumed at our desks.
I distinctly remember this one evrnt as a fun time, because a few folks actually worked up the courage to say a few words after getting properly steamed. Something which would never happen when they were sober.
It never happened twice though.
So, my recommendation would be to start drinking in the office.
Probably not before 12:00 though, otherwise nothing will get loose. Despite the gears being well lubricated.
Pretty sure covid and 2022 economic climate budget cuts killed all of this stuff