Shoko Hagiya’s Post

In #Japan, it's common for #employees who arrive #early to #park farther away, allowing those who come later to park closer to the building. This practice reflects a strong sense of mutual #respect and consideration in the workplace. By giving #latecomers easier access to #parking, early arrivers help reduce the stress of their colleagues. This thoughtful gesture fosters a #cooperative #environment, #highlighting the importance of #harmony, #empathy, and #teamwork in Japanese work culture. It emphasizes collective well-being over #individual #convenience.

Finland's Secret to Workplace Happiness (3 keys to fostering joy and fulfillment in your career) —— The latest World Happiness Report ranks Finland as the happiest country for the seventh consecutive year, with high trust levels and work-life balance playing significant roles. Miika Makitalo, CEO of HappyOrNot, shares insights into the Finnish approach to work happiness, emphasizing continuous learning, flat hierarchies, and tackling challenges with a positive mindset. —— Key 1: Embrace Continuous Learning ↳ Understand that no one starts as an expert. ↳ Foster a growth mindset, believing in the potential to improve skills. ↳ Encourage making mistakes and learning from them. ↳ Pursue your aspirations, learn on the job, and be patient with your progress. —— Key 2: Promote Flat Hierarchies ↳ Prioritize tasks based on urgency, not just because they are assigned. ↳ Cultivate an environment where feedback flows freely across all levels. ↳ Recognize that everyone is an equal contributor, reducing micromanagement. ↳ Ensure everyone understands the organization's vision and can independently contribute. —— Key 3: Navigate Challenges with Positivity ↳ Adopt the mindset of moving forward, regardless of obstacles. ↳ Use challenges as opportunities to learn and grow. ↳ Avoid dwelling on problems and focus on actionable steps. ↳ Empower yourself and others to find solutions and progress. —— —Why it works— Adopting these principles aligns with: 1). Continuous learning and improvement. 2). An egalitarian and empowering work culture. 3). A proactive and positive approach to challenges. —— Implementing these keys can lead to greater satisfaction and success in your professional life. After all, "forward, said the granny in the snow," symbolizing the resilience and forward-thinking attitude that defines Finnish work culture. #WorkplaceHappiness #FinnishWorkCulture #ContinuousLearning -- Enjoy this? ♻️ Share the post with others and follow me for more. 🔔 https://buff.ly/3J2F9YH

https://lnkd.in/e5NKCgVt NewsgetApp TVBS News Network track Are you overworked? Taiwan has been dubbed the "Island of Overwork" and the average annual total working hours has reached the fourth place in the world! Liu Yanxuan Yan Ruisheng March 21, 2023 Overwork and high working hours have been synonymous with labor in Taiwan for many years, which has also made Taiwan’s average annual total working hours reach the fourth highest in the world in 2021. Among Asian countries, it is second only to Singapore, which ranks first in terms of overwork. island.

Finland's Secret to Workplace Happiness (3 keys to fostering joy and fulfillment in your career) —— The latest World Happiness Report ranks Finland as the happiest country for the seventh consecutive year, with high trust levels and work-life balance playing significant roles. Miika Makitalo, CEO of HappyOrNot, shares insights into the Finnish approach to work happiness, emphasizing continuous learning, flat hierarchies, and tackling challenges with a positive mindset. —— Key 1: Embrace Continuous Learning ↳ Understand that no one starts as an expert. ↳ Foster a growth mindset, believing in the potential to improve skills. ↳ Encourage making mistakes and learning from them. ↳ Pursue your aspirations, learn on the job, and be patient with your progress. —— Key 2: Promote Flat Hierarchies ↳ Prioritize tasks based on urgency, not just because they are assigned. ↳ Cultivate an environment where feedback flows freely across all levels. ↳ Recognize that everyone is an equal contributor, reducing micromanagement. ↳ Ensure everyone understands the organization's vision and can independently contribute. —— Key 3: Navigate Challenges with Positivity ↳ Adopt the mindset of moving forward, regardless of obstacles. ↳ Use challenges as opportunities to learn and grow. ↳ Avoid dwelling on problems and focus on actionable steps. ↳ Empower yourself and others to find solutions and progress. —— —Why it works— Adopting these principles aligns with: 1). Continuous learning and improvement. 2). An egalitarian and empowering work culture. 3). A proactive and positive approach to challenges. —— Implementing these keys can lead to greater satisfaction and success in your professional life. After all, "forward, said the granny in the snow," symbolizing the resilience and forward-thinking attitude that defines Finnish work culture. #WorkplaceHappiness #FinnishWorkCulture #ContinuousLearning -- Enjoy this? ♻️ Share the post with others and follow me for more. 🔔 https://buff.ly/3J2F9YH

In Japan, there is a noteworthy workplace practice where employees who arrive early often park farther away to allow latecomers to park closer. This behavior reflects a cultural value known as omoiyari (思いやり), which emphasizes empathy and consideration for others. This behavior highlights the social norms that prioritize group harmony and the needs of individuals over personal convenience.Employees often feel a sense of responsibility towards their colleagues, which can manifest in various ways, including parking practices. The emphasis on punctuality in Japanese work culture, where being late can lead to penalties or loss of bonuses, further reinforces this behavior, as employees strive to accommodate their peers. In certain workplaces, early arrivals may indeed choose to park further away, showcasing their consideration for others. However, the specific term "mutual understanding" does not accurately capture the essence of this practice. I appreciate the rich cultural nuances that shape workplace behaviors in Japan, highlighting the importance of empathy and thoughtfulness in fostering a collaborative environment.

🔥 Wayang at Work: A productivity trap or a symptom of deeper cultural issues? It’s December, and many of us are guilty of wayang-ing at work - putting on the act of busyness while counting down to our long-awaited year-end breaks. But let’s pause and reflect: why is this even necessary? In Singapore’s workplaces, wayang isn’t just a December phenomenon; it’s a cultural norm ingrained by a system that prioritizes appearances over outcomes. Employees feel pressured to look busy even when there’s no meaningful work to be done. The result? A vicious cycle of disengagement and inefficiency. Let me ask you this: - What if we stopped pretending? - What if we normalized downtime and focused on results instead of rigidly monitored hours? The stories in this article are funny, yes - but they also reveal a deeper dysfunction. When organizations punish transparency and reward presenteeism, they drive employees into performative behaviors that waste time and erode trust. If we truly want to embrace the future of work, we need a culture shift - one that values trust, transparency, and outcomes over theatrics. 🚨 Do you agree, or is wayang-ing just harmless fun? Let’s discuss. How does your company handle the December blues? #WorkplaceCulture #Wayang #FutureOfWork #Productivity #SingaporeWorkplace #Leadership

👀 Last week, as I wandered through the peaceful streets of Helsinki before and after two electrifying Metallica concerts on Friday and Sunday 🤘⚡️, I couldn't help but notice something truly special. 🇫🇮 👑 Finland is frequently crowned the happiest country on Earth. I think it really lives up to its title. The joy and happiness are absolutely visible in the smiles and faces of the people you meet. 😀 But what exactly fuels this happiness? 😀 ❤️✨ I think the deep-rooted culture that prioritizes well-being in the Finnish community. Finnish people enjoy an enviable work-life balance, with most working less than 40 hours weekly, preserving evenings and weekends for personal time, which I found contributes significantly to their overall happiness. By law, Finland’s standard workweek is 37.5 hours, but as most leaders see it, employees can work with their managers to figure out how that breaks down each day. 👏 Leaders also support regular breaks throughout the day. For example, at Framery (a Finnish manufacturing company), staffers are encouraged to take an hour-long break once a week for exercise, whether it’s for a walk or to use the company’s onsite gym. 💡 If someone goes out for a walk during the workday, they don’t think "Oh they’re slacking off or being lazy". It’s really that they’re taking care of their focus and being smart about how they balance their mental health. Now I think this is something special :) Most companies and leaders should learn from this behavior and approach. 💡 Moreover, the Finnish workplace is notable for its emphasis on trust and flexibility. The sense of community and mutual trust is so strong that it even extends to their civic life, as demonstrated by the impressive honesty in experiments like the "dropped wallet" test in Helsinki. 🇫🇮 This trust is built into the fabric of Finnish society, supported by transparent governance and social equality, which are considered key contributors to their happiness. ❓ So here’s a question to ponder: What could our own communities and workplaces gain if we were to adopt some of the Finnish approaches to trust, work-life balance, and community? #wellbeing #worklifebalance #trust #happiness

When your boss asks you to do a sketch on well-being at work... and you say yes 😅 A year ago, I took on a new challenge: performing a sketch about well-being at work in front of a hundred colleagues. Speaking in front of an audience is not new to me – I regularly do stand-up in Brussels and have been part of theater and improv groups for over ten years. But performing in front of your own colleagues—risky bet or smart move? After all, I’d see them the next day at the coffee machine... Life in the workplace is an endless source of inspiration for me, and I love observing its limits and absurdities to laugh about them – either internally or with my close friends and colleagues. It was a real challenge. Making jokes about burnout in front of people who've experienced it, or about salary gaps, required a delicate balance. Fortunately, there were also the “easy” jokes about small office spaces or the coffee machine that taunts us with its ‘Enjoy your coffee!’ when it just served us hot water. I think I managed to pull it off: not only did I make people laugh about every topic, even the tricky ones, but I also got them to think, striking a balance between subversiveness and not crossing the line. The experience was incredibly satisfying. It was a personal accomplishment to see people laughing out loud, bringing some fresh air into an otherwise "normal" day of meetings, and breaking the ice on delicate subjects to encourage open conversations. I’m truly grateful to André Sobczak and Alex Godson for giving me the chance to lead such a project. It’s inspiring to see organizations like Eurocities open to these kinds of original humor practices, which I believe are still underused. I hope I can use these skills in other professional contexts in the future. Combining my knowledge of the corporate world, European affairs, and both public and private sectors, with my passion for comedy, is definitely something I’ll be exploring. And what do you think? Would you like to see more of this kind of humor in your workplace? Here’s a short excerpt from my bit about the lack of space in the office (the "Sparta" room) ⬇️ #HumorAtWork #WorkplaceComedy

Corporate life in Japan is a blend of tradition and modernity, marked by long working hours and a hierarchical structure. The work environment emphasizes teamwork, loyalty, and a collective approach to problem-solving. Employees often engage in "nomikai" (after-work drinks) to foster camaraderie and strengthen professional bonds. The concept of "lifetime employment" still influences many large companies, providing job security but also creating pressure to conform and perform. Decision-making tends to be a collective process, requiring consensus, which can be time-consuming but ensures thorough consideration. Office etiquette is important, with a strong focus on respect and formality. Punctuality, modesty, and humility are valued traits. While the work culture can be demanding, many find it rewarding due to the deep sense of community and purpose it fosters. In recent years, there has been a gradual shift towards better work-life balance, with some companies adopting more flexible work arrangements. However, traditional practices remain deeply ingrained in Japan's corporate landscape

Lendi Group offers a ‘flex first’ policy for all team members, which is leveraged by our people in many different ways. For the last four months, I’ve been turning off the tools at lunch time two days a week, and sneaking out for a PT session at Build a Body in Dural with my wonderful trainer, KP 👫 . A few months back, I found I was very cranky (crankier than usual anyway 😅) and just way too comfortable going through the motions of life, and I needed to snap out of it 🤜🏼 . I have a fairly colourful history of disordered eating. I’ve been very overweight and dangerously underweight and every state in between, and I’ve had quite a complicated relationship with food and exercise at different times…so while I’ve shifted 14kg over the last four months with KP, this was never about a number on the scale. This was about breaking up the monotony, prioritising myself, and creating routines that will allow me to live a balanced, healthy, mobile life. If the added consequence is that I can venture back into the deep corners of my fabulous wardrobe that have been unexplored for a long time, then I'll take it 😂💅🏼 . I can’t vouch highly enough for a lunchtime training session, it really does break up the day nicely. I find I do some of my best thinking and ideating on the drive back to the desk, and I come back with energy and clarity, ready to power through the afternoon 🚀 . Anyway, point of the story is, adults need hobbies too. If your employer offers flexibility, then I implore you to take that gym class, have that piano lesson, do whatever it is that will allow you to be a more happy, healthy, productive human. And if your employer doesn’t offer flexibility, then get a new job 😉 . Side note: for my Hills District people, if you’re wanting to give your fitness routine a kick up the a***, then you won’t find anywhere better than Build a Body. Great facility, great people, great vibe. Special shoutout to KP for always coming through with the quality banter ❤️ #flexibleworking #workfromhome #remotework #hybridworking #flexibility #health #fitness