Japan News: Japan Companies and Teleconference Work:

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20200218/p2a/00m/0bu/016000c

Article:

TOKYO -- Major telecommunications operators and other Japanese firms are urging their employees to work from home or avoid commuting during rush hours amid the new coronavirus outbreak.

Comments:

At this point it is probably a very good idea to try to use teleconferencing or some variation, if possible, to alleviate people's fears of the virus situation, and to reduce the spread of the virus.

Article:

Telecommunications giant Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT) Group on Feb. 17 began recommending teleworking and commuting at off-peak times to some 200,000 employees working in Japan. Its initiative also includes holding meetings with a large number of people through teleconferences. Those who are subject to the new system total roughly 26,000 workers at NTT Docomo Inc. and some 40,000 employees of NTT East Corp. A male employee at a subcontractor of the group's affiliated company NTT Data Corp. tested positive for the new virus.

Comments:

Some companies such as NTT maybe able to do it more effectively and efficiently than other companies. But some kind of variation, that fits the needs of a company maybe should be used. It might not have to be direct to direct employee interaction, via whatever system is used, but companies should experiment with whatever works for them.

Article:

On the same day, SoftBank Corp. moved to abolish its office rule limiting remote working to five days a month in principle, for some employees including those who are pregnant. KDDI Corp. on Feb. 18 started advising roughly 16,000 workers including temp staff to avoid commuting during rush hours and recommending teleworking. KDDI has also decided to hold talks with related groups over possibly rescheduling events held in conjunction with third parties with more than 100 participants.

Comments:

Teleconferencing or teleworking, whatever you want to call it, maybe the future of work, if companies can find a way to do it correctly, meaning it can benefit the company and the employees of the company.

Of course some people want and need to be around other people, the reason for some being in a office or a place with people. And of course some work needs to be done with other people in or at work. So it might not be completely possible in all situations. Companies should experiment to see what works for their situation.

Article:

NTT's PR person told the Mainichi Shimbun that some employees had already been working remotely before the coronavirus outbreak and the initiative will not affect their operation.

Elsewhere, MUFG Bank has been urging its about 33,000 domestic employees, including those working at branches, to commute at off-peak times since early February, while calling on workers at its headquarters in Tokyo, Osaka and other cities to work from home.

Meanwhile, major information technology firm GMO Internet Group told some 4,000 employees in Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka to telework from Jan. 27. The company initially set the teleworking period at around two weeks, but has decided to continue without a time frame.

Comments:

It seems that telework and or teleconferencing might begin to be more common in Japan, with the virus situation and of course the Tokyo Olympics coming up. And it might just be a needed benefit to provide more work/life balance for the Japanese society, especially if there really is a labor shortage in Japan, then companies might be able to use this as an extra benefit to get the workers they need in the 21st century.

© 2020, Tom Metts, all rights reserved