Commute Time Also Recognized as Work... CEO's Decision Achieving 'Commuting Reform' Gains Attention in Japan

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] Amid the diverse changes in work styles following the COVID-19 situation, a Japanese company has attracted attention by introducing a system that recognizes commuting time as working hours.

According to Japan's NHK Broadcasting, Odashima, a construction company in Kitakami City, Iwate Prefecture, started a system this year that includes commuting time as working hours.

As a result, Odashima employees can now leave their homes to match the work start time of 8 a.m. Even if they only perform simple tasks such as filling out documents or replying to emails on tablets or smartphones during their commute, it is recognized as the start of work.

Since commuting time is deducted from working hours, employees effectively have more personal time to use freely. The same applies when leaving work; employees can leave the company about an hour before the end of working hours.

A female employee from Odashima's public relations team said, "Last year, I had to leave home around 6 a.m. to arrive by 8 a.m., but now I can leave around 8 a.m."

She added, "Having peace of mind has allowed me to focus more on work," expressing satisfaction by saying, "It feels like a better balance between work and life."

Naoki Odashima, president of Odashima who introduced this system, explained, "When we thought about what young employees want, commuting conditions came to mind first," and "We arrived at commuting reform while exploring ways to use time efficiently."

Meanwhile, since the COVID-19 situation, companies' work styles have shown various changes. More companies are extending or making remote work permanent, and the number experimenting with a four-day workweek is gradually increasing.

According to the nonprofit organization 4 Day Week Global, starting this April, 35 companies in the United States, Canada, and other countries will adopt a four-day workweek for six months.

The Spanish government is supporting 200 companies wishing to implement a four-day workweek for three years. Since 2019, about 300 municipal employees in the Danish city of Odsherred have been working under a four-day workweek.

In Japan, it is reported that Mizuho Financial Group, Yahoo, Yamato Transport, and Microsoft have introduced a four-day workweek.

In South Korea, ahead of the presidential election, the four-day workweek is emerging as a major policy issue in the political arena.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.