Japan's unwanted IT workers dumped in 'forcing-out rooms'

[Svartalf]

So you can do whatever the fuck you want in work and they keep paying you. This is supposed to make you quit how?

Probably something to do with "losing face".

Yep, If I'd been able to whip out my book and freely browse the net (rather than having access only to a few approved sites), I'd have held out a lot better and longer than I did... but them Japanese, they have face to mind and some righteous work ethics.

[Pappa]

So you can do whatever the fuck you want in work and they keep paying you. This is supposed to make you quit how?

I'd quit. I'd much rather be doing something challenging and interesting than spending 8 hours a day online.

You could spend 8 hours a day working on open source projects. There would be a huge amount of satisfaction in knowing that your employer is funding FOSS development

I could, and I'd like to, but I'd probably just fiddle about and not really get anything done.

[Horwood Beer-Master]

...I'd probably just fiddle about...

I'm fairly certain they could fire you for that...

[mistermack]

...I'd probably just fiddle about...

I'm fairly certain they could fire you for that...

They probably could, but they won't. It's a matter of national pride that people have a job for life, over there.
Hence the forcing-out rooms. They would rather do anything, than fire people.

My suggestion would be to transfer them to an IT department in Fukushima. That should provoke a few resignations.

[klr]

...I'd probably just fiddle about...

I'm fairly certain they could fire you for that...

They probably could, but they won't. It's a matter of national pride that people have a job for life, over there.
Hence the forcing-out rooms. They would rather do anything, than fire people.

My suggestion would be to transfer them to an IT department in Fukushima. That should provoke a few resignations.

Along with a few glowing recommendations.

[Tyrannical]

Now that I think of it, this does sort of describe my current job It's not so bad really, as long as you have internet.

[Mysturji]

Now that I think of it, this does sort of describe my current job It's not so bad really, as long as you have internet.

Until you need another job.

[pErvinalia]

...I'd probably just fiddle about...

I'm fairly certain they could fire you for that...

They probably could, but they won't. It's a matter of national pride that people have a job for life, over there.
Hence the forcing-out rooms. They would rather do anything, than fire people.

My suggestion would be to transfer them to an IT department in Fukushima. That should provoke a few resignations.

Along with a few glowing recommendations.

[Cormac]

I was once involved with the closure of a company in Ireland that had been acquired about 20 years beforehand by a Japanese firm.

My job, along with a senior guy from one of the major accounting firms, was to minimise the cost of exit for the company. (Yes - back then I was a fascistic lad of about 22 working to deprive people of a decent redundancy package. It was a shite job).

Anyway, two fellas from Japan turned up to represent the parent company.

In the room - the union negotiators set out their stall - demand 1, 2, 3, and 4.

I retorted that they weren't actually legally entitled to anything from the company at all, and was proceeding to reject their claims, when one of the Japanese fellows tapped me on the arm and spoke up.

"Excuse me, could we have a few minutes alone to discuss the matter".

Exit the union.

The Japanese guys rang their parent company - in Japan - and two minutes later, they conceded to all the union demands.

The Union guys looked at each other and said, "Ah yes, but you haven't heard demand 5, 6, 7, and 8 yet...

This cycle continued until the union ran out of things to demand!

The parent company spent the equivalent of twice the annual TURNOVER of the parent company in the redundancies - when they'd no need to pay anything at all.

It was the single most amazing employment law experience I've ever had.

(I was puzzled for years afterwards as to how such a small Japanese company could afford to pay so much money over, and wondered whether the company would survive. Turned out, they owned a key piece or intellectual property that has been making money for them for 50 years).

[JimC]

In related news, porn site statistics are on the rise in Japan...