Japan is facing a problem: there aren’t enough young people wanting to work. Big companies are raising salaries to get workers, but small businesses are getting creative with benefits. For example, a tech company in Osaka called TrustRing is offering unusual leave options to make work more fun.
One interesting rule they have is “hangover leave,” which lets workers take time off if they feel bad after a night out. One employee mentioned that coming in later helped them work better. The company also has something called “celebrity loss leave.” This means that if a favorite celebrity has a big announcement, like getting married, employees can take the day off. In 2021, one worker even took time off when a popular singer got married.
TrustRing’s president, Daigaku Shimada, said that these fun rules help attract workers even though they pay a starting salary of 222,000 yen (about $1,400) plus overtime. The strategy seems to be working well because the company has been successful, and no one has left their jobs in three years!
To make things even better at work, they have a bar with drinks in the office. Many people online are talking about these cool benefits, and some joke that they want to find more favorite stars to celebrate and take off work.
In China, another company called Pangdonglai lets workers take “unhappy leave” if they feel stressed. Employees can have up to 10 extra days off to relax when they need it. The founder, Yu Donglai, believes it’s important to give workers a break when they feel overwhelmed.
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