This one hit my inbox yesterday.
Our client is a leading engineering technology provider, undertaking research, design, development and strategic services to the world's automotive manufacturers. THE ROLE: To work in Tokyo for 3 - 6 months to assist on a website design project The work is 5 days per week but 50+ hours per week, so dedication and flexibility are vital.
Does anybody else think that the sort of organisation that starts with a plan involving 3-6 months of 50+ hour weeks is going to end up with something considerably worse?
Can anybody else say Death March?
(Incidentally I just noticed today that I've not watched any television for about three weeks. Zip. Nada. Not through any virtuousness on my part - there has just been nothing on that I've wanted to watch.)
Re:Legendary Japanese work hours?
Adrian on 2005-09-07T10:55:03
It is often said that people in Japan work long hours. If this is the true, maybe 50 hours is considered average...Often said - but not necessarily true
:-) There's been a sustained government campaign to lower the average working hours in Japan, which seems to have been pretty effective. See some boring statistics.
Even if 50+ hour weeks were average in Japan it wouldn't make it any less dysfunctional.
