Survey: Hybrid Work Still Popular in Japan
The percentage of people in Japan working remotely decreased last year, but hybrid work is still common, according to a survey of more than 36,000 people by the transport ministry.
The survey, which was done online in October and November 2023, found that about a quarter of working people in Japan did some remote work last year.
That's down from 27% in 2021.
Like in many other countries around the world, remote work became the norm for many people in Japan during the coronavirus pandemic.
But now many companies are asking their employees to spend more time in the office.
The number of people working remotely between five and seven days a week has now fallen to about 18%, down from a little over 19% in 2021.
However, there has been an increase in the percentage of people doing hybrid work — spending some time in the office and some time working remotely. And the number of people working remotely between one and four days per week has increased.
On average, people spend 2.3 days per week working remotely, which is similar to what it was in 2022. And remote work is more common in cities, especially Tokyo.
About a third of young workers said they may not follow their company's instructions if told to work from the office, or they would negotiate with their boss and ask to work remotely.
Eleven percent of employees under 30 also said they would think about starting their own business or getting a new job to find the working arrangements they want.
