Company tells workers: Go home early, make babies
July 8, 2009 by Sam NarisiPosted in: Latest News & Views, Leave
There’s only one thing better than leaving work a few hours earlier, and this company has nailed it right on the head.
Japan’s Canon, Inc., wants its employees to do their part in helping the nation by leaving work early to go home and procreate.
The country’s 1.34 birthrate is far below the 2.0 needed to hold the population at an even rate, so executives are sending employees home to give them more family time and inflate those numbers.
One stat to note: Japan’s population is shrinking and aging faster than any other country because of employees’ notorious 12-hour workdays.
Even though Canon is sending its workforce home early twice a week, on average, those employees are still putting up numbers well over a 9-to-5 pace.
Tags: Canon, flexible schedule, Japan
July 10th, 2009 at 9:29 am
What?!?! This is just ridiculous. Hope Canon can provide enough benefits for all their employees.
July 10th, 2009 at 10:27 am
I think they need our water fountain! 8-10% our employees are pregnant every year!
July 10th, 2009 at 10:46 am
ours, too, TP – I’m pretty sure it’s the drinking water as well …..
July 10th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
12 hours? Good golly, after 12 hours of work that’s the last thing on my mind. And what if people just want to go home and rest? Is procreation optional? This is actually funny but it does raise a bunch of other questions, like….is this being monitored so that they know employees are using this time for what it was intended for? And what about the single folk? Or are we assuming everyone in Japan that works for Canon is, indeed, married and wanting or able to have a family. What will be next?
July 10th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
12hours is a bit too much, but i understand that they don’t think work once they are home, unlike most Americans that take work home with them.
Why would they want more kids if they work all the time?
July 10th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
Does this mean that if one is past menopause they have to work doubletime????
July 10th, 2009 at 5:40 pm
I would be open to a policy such as this but it seems our group has the same water source mentioned earlier. Do they require the employees to procreate with their own spouses or is this optional?
July 10th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
Richard, your question makes all kinds of sense!
July 13th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
We have the same “water cooler” issue that was mentioned a couple times earlier, lol!
I would say if the Japanese are serious about increasing their population they should institute a more family friendly work place altogether. Routine 12 hour days just will never be family friendly.
July 15th, 2009 at 7:24 am
They need to leave the system alone. Japanese people obviously don’t want to reproduce, they’d rather work. Nothing wrong with that.
July 17th, 2009 at 11:01 am
NOW I AM IN CALIFORNIA AND IF WE HAD THIS POLICY/BENEFIT AND THE COUPLE COULD NOT CONCEIVE WILL THE COMPANY BE SUED OR HAVE TO PAY FOR “INVETRO” ETC.
GEE WHAT IF THE EMPLOYEE WAS INJURED TRYING TO MAKE BABIES. I CAN HEAR IT NOW THE COMPANY TOLD ME TO GO HOME AND DO THIS ETC. I AGREE WITH STACY LEAVE THIS ALONE.