Nowadays, under ‘’Work Style Reform Policy’’ from the Japanese government, there is a tendency to stop overtime unpaid-works and also to take annual paid leaves among the Japanese workers.
This policy implies the fact that Japanese workers had long been working long periods of overtime without payments. Annual paid leaves were of no interest to most of them.
Those companies unable to carry out the policy are labeled as ‘’Unacceptably Exploitative Enterprise (Japanese call them, ‘’ Black company’’ which refer to as evil company.)’’. Job hunters tend to avoid these companies. As a result, the company side have difficulties recruiting employees.
This year, my eldest daughter start working at state-owned enterprise.
Her enterprise encourages employees to take one-week summer vacation.
Taking annual paid leave once a month is also a requirement.
Hmmm, the world has become quite nice.
Those days when I start working at securities firm,
I spent most of the day overworking.
Even on nights without beer, I got home after midnight just working all through the night.
Regardless to half-working days on Saturdays,
we worked until night.
One Sunday, I woke up in my dorm room.
Hands of the clock pointed to four.
It was slightly dark out.
Still four in the morning, I thought.
So, I tried to sleep again.
But it was noisy outside.
I stared at my clock again.
No, it was four in the AFTERNOON !
How long have I been sleeping !?
I was shocked to spend my precious Sunday just sleeping all day long.
Those readers who had start working before & around 1989 must be nodding, having similar experience with mine.
I was once transferred from head office sales division to corporate sales division which was so-called, a special force division.
Corporate sales division was in charge of uncontracted 22 enterprise/personal clients
which/who was either in the Tokyo Stock Exchange Second Section or in the over-the-counter market.
Our duty was to make a new contract.
Our duty was to act as their lead managing underwriter.
One day, everyone in the new division gathered together
to have lunch hosted by the representative director.
At that time,
I was still in the second year of employment.
‘’You are green beret of our company.’’
This was the word given to us from the representative.
I got completely motivated by his word which led me to give my best shot.
But wait…
A bunch of sales colleagues had long been trying their best
to approach these listed uncontracted enterprises and CEO’s.
But no one knew the key to win the contract.
At the first place, they didn’t even have a chance to meet the target clients.
What shall I do?
Narrowing down my target to CEO from the popular Izakaya chain-restaurant was what I did.
I stood waiting at the entrance of CEO’s house every morning.
CEO and his wife come out before nine.
‘’Good morning sir ! ‘’ (Greeting)
And then, I walked together to his car park where his son was waiting.
‘’Have a nice day, sir ! ’’ (With a bow)
I’ve continued this for months and months.
One day, when I was walking together with them as usual,
CEO’s wife cheered me up saying,
‘’Do your best, my husband (CEO) favors you.’’
A few days later,
there was a phone call from CEO’s secretary during my company meeting.
‘’Our CEO hopes to see you tomorrow. Do you have some time to spare?’’
‘’Of course, yes !’’
We have received a large policy investment order during the meeting.
At that time, there wasn’t such a word as,
‘’Black company’’ which refer to as unacceptably exploitative enterprise.
Who will forget the moment when we received that order.
I was truly glad.
I was the happiest I could be.
Company brings us this kind of happiness.
They also pay you salary.
I realized again how great it is.
Masahiko KUMADA
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