Japan's workaholics: Necessity or just tradition?

Even though I had known the word “workaholic” for a long time, I had never figured out what it really was until I got to Japan.

Workaholic is a play on the word alcoholic. It means people who are addicted to work. In most cases, however, the word workaholic is for people who spend most of their time working, disregarding their families and social ties. This trend is embedded in the Japanese work culture, but I have discovered a new angle to it.

I spent six months in Japan, commuting on a subway line through downtown Tokyo. Early in the morning, men wearing black suits and holding small bags would hurry to get into the crowded trains en route to work. Late at night, the same men, some apparently drunk, sat in the same trains going back home.

This lifestyle may seem normal for most Japanese, but being an outsider, it really amazed me. I felt that, in addition to Mt. Fuji and cherry blossoms, the workaholics are a national symbol of the uniqueness of Japanese society.

In Thailand, Japanese companies are renowned for overworking their employees. Because of this, some Thai people ignore good opportunities to join famous Japanese firms. They prefer to work for other foreign companies that allow employees more time with their families and to relax.

It does not necessarily mean that the Thai people are afraid of hard work. Rather, they will eagerly sacrifice themselves to get their jobs done. However, work is not everything to them. People need time to enjoy their own lifestyles and families. As life is too short, they believe they have to manage their time wisely by balancing work and life so as to be happier.

Recently there have been more discussions aimed at promoting a work-life balance in Japan, too. Many companies have changed their policies toward allowing their workers to spend more time with their families. During the past few years, the working hours in Japan have gradually declined. Yet, the world’s second largest economy is still among countries that form a top group on the list of countries with the world's longest working hours.

According to the OECD Employment Outlook 2007, the average annual working hours per person in Japan plunged from 2,126 hours in 1979 to 1,784 hours in 2006. In the same year, however, it climbed to the 10th longest working nation in the world as compared to 12th place in 2005.

This statistic, furthermore, may not reflect the real situation of Japan’s workaholics because the survey was based only on “formal” working hours. In fact, in Japanese society, employees are always under pressure to spend more time doing voluntary work. Besides, even after finishing work, most Japanese traditionally like to go drinking with their colleagues to talk and exchange opinions about their work. Due to these factors, Japan’s working hours are actually much longer than those of workers in other countries.

There are several assumptions about Japan's workaholics. One is for career growth. Amid aggressive competition, anyone who wants to get ahead in his career needs to prove his potential. At the same time, showing capability may not be enough to impress the boss in Japan.

Therefore, many people work hard to show how they can make sacrifices for the company, hoping it can be a sufficient tool in persuading their bosses to promote them..

Many Thai people who work for Japanese companies have a different perception about this. As local workers, they all realize that no matter how hard they work, they cannot reach the top of the company. And it seems like the high-ranking positions are preserved only for the Japanese staff. Therefore, to put in more extra working hours for a career advantage is useless for the non-Japanese.

The higher cost of living in Japan, some say, can be another reason forcing Japanese people to become workaholics. After getting married, most men will take on full responsibilities to raise their families as breadwinners, while most women become fulltime housewives to look after children and take care of all the housework. To help the rest of his family have a better quality of life, the husband has to work harder to gain more money.

While living in Japan, I had a chance to stay with a Japanese family. What I noticed was that my host father always left home early in the morning and came back after 9 p.m. Sometimes he had to work over the weekend.

The situation is different in Thailand. Couples continue working even after they get married to share their burden of the cost of living. For example, we usually see some fathers come to pick up their kids after school or during the school break; they may take their kids to the office and look after them in order to take turns of doing this with their wives. With such a responsibility, Thai people cannot devote all their time only to working.

Frequently I was told by my Japanese friends that they are overworked. They often complained about how hard they have to work. But they cannot stop doing it. Why? My observation hints that it reflects the Japanese spirit of group solidarity.

In Japan, people are expected to abandon their personal interests and sacrifice themselves to the group they belong to. And to achieve the company’s goal, people must follow the work ethic strictly to maintain a good relationship with other members and to create a harmony among the group. If anyone disobeys, he may feel ashamed for the group.

Some of my Thai friends who had experienced working with Japanese firms said that even though they had already finished their own jobs, it was difficult to leave the office earlier than their colleagues who still had plenty of work to do. They had to work late and wait until the senior staff members left the office. Then they could leave.

In the Thai work culture; the individual’s interest has a strong influence rather than being part of a group orientation. Since conditions for finding new jobs are not too difficult, it encourages people to quit jobs easily once they feel they are at a disadvantage. Likewise, their relationship and loyalty toward the company are not as strong as compared with the Japanese.

I am always impressed by the way Japanese employees sacrifice their heart and energy for their companies. It was such hard work that helped Japan survive the many crises it faced and maintain its power as one of the biggest economic nations. in the world.

Yet, overworking can create various serious problems in the long run, for example, health or social problems. Therefore, the best way to avoid all the risks related to these is to learn how to balance work and a social life properly. The world is glorious and exciting. Therefore, do not wait to enjoy life after the age of retirement.

Do not live for work but only work for a living.