How many times have we wondered if there was a way to take a nap during office hours? It seems like a firm in Japan has heard the plea of its employees. To encourage a better work environment, Itoki Corporation has partnered with plywood supplier Koyoju Gohan to install nap boxes in Japanese offices on Thursday after signing a license agreement.
The apparatus, which resembles a stylish water heater, holds up the workers’ heads, knees, and rears to prevent them from falling.
Japan boasts some of the world’s longest workweeks. More than 80 hours of overtime per month.
There are plans to install the new nap boxes in workplaces so that employees can take quick power naps during the day. The boxes are intended to challenge Japan’s rigid office culture, according to their designers.
Nap boxes resemble a stylish water heater
“In Japan, there are a lot of people who will lock themselves up in the bathroom for a while which I don’t think is healthy. It’s better to sleep in a comfortable location. I think a lot of Japanese people tend to work continuously with no breaks. We are hoping that companies can use this as a more flexible approach to resting,” said Itoki communications director Saeko Kawashima.
According to a 2020 survey, 86% of companies with 1,000 or more employees had staff members working 45–80 hours outside of normal business hours and on weekends each month. Because of the demanding work environment, the Japanese even created the term “karoshi,” which means “death by overwork.”
In 2015, A Dentsu’s employee committed suicide by jumping from a building. She was believed to have developed depression as a result of working long hours. (www.leankitchenco.com) Following her passing, the CEO of the business resigned, and Dentsu finally paid a fine for violating labor laws.
