TrustRing, a tech company based in Osaka, Japan, has introduced unconventional employee benefits to attract and retain staff amid chronic labor shortages.
The company offers "hangover leave," allowing employees to take time off to recover from hangovers. Additionally, employees can take leave when they hear upsetting news about their favorite celebrities.
One employee shared that the hangover leave allows them to sleep for two to three hours more and return to work feeling refreshed, which increases their efficiency.
Japan's labor crunch is particularly challenging for SMEs, which account for seven out of every ten jobs in the country. Large companies have responded by increasing salaries for new graduates, but smaller businesses like TrustRing cannot afford such high salaries. Instead, they offer unique benefits to compete.
Unemployment in Japan has remained below three percent for four years, one of the lowest rates among advanced nations. The aging population and limited immigration contribute to the labor shortage. Bankruptcies among SMEs are on the rise, with projections suggesting they may surpass 10,000 in 2024, the highest figure in over a decade.
So, the question for our readers is: Should American Employers Offer Hangover Leave? You Make The Call
Here is the opinion of one of the McCalmon editorial staff:
Jack McCalmon, Esq.
This is a terrible idea. If employees need to take a day off, whether it is for a hangover or a stubbed toe, they should be able to do so without declaring why they need the time off - all an employer needs to know is that the employee will be off that day. If an employee must declare that the leave is for a hangove,r it may create questions about behavior unrelated to work which is intrusive and can lead to future work-related claims should managers or supervisors use private behavioral-related information or perceptions about private behavior to influence their decisions regarding employees.
You can answer our poll. Please note any comments provided may be shared with others.
