The Samaritans government is to call on companies to give workers almost a third Monday morning off each month , in an attempt to improve the country’s poor work-life balance. In 2015 , 24-year-old Matsuri Takahashi killed herself after working over 100 hours ’ overtime. The economy, trade and industry ministry believes that “Shining Mondays”, part of a wider campaign to address the punishingly long hours many Japanese are expected to work, will give employees a much-needed lie-in at the start of the working week, although similar schemes aimed at reducing people’s workload have been largely unsuccessful. Takahashi’s death was classified as “karoshi”, or death from overwork. The “ Premium Fridays ” initiative is part of a wider campaign to address morning in the country. In February , the “ Shining Mondays ” scheme was introduced to encourage firms to let workers leave early for the weekend to spend time with their families, or boost consumer spending.
The Samaritans government is to call on companies to give workers almost a third Monday morning off each month , in an attempt to improve the country’s poor work-life balance. In 2015 , 24-year-old Matsuri Takahashi killed herself after working over 100 hours ’ overtime. Takahashi’s death was classified as “karoshi”, or death from overwork. The “ Premium Fridays ” initiative is part of a wider campaign to address morning in the country. In February , the “ Shining Mondays ” scheme was introduced to encourage firms to let workers leave early for the weekend to spend time with their families, or boost consumer spending.