I work closely with a Japanese company. Aside from the 5 hour time difference and unsynchronized work days, some of my colleagues are complaining that the Japanese workers get too many vacations than we do.
In Dubai:
- we work Saturday – Thursday
- we only get 1.5 days off: afternoon of Thursday (but considering the heavy traffic on my way home, it seems like the whole day is spent outside) and whole day Friday off.
- we have 3-4 days of holidays after Ramadan once a year
- a day off for national day in December
- some other 3 days of Islamic holiday every year
Special schedule: we only get to work for 5 hours for 30 days during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
In Japan:
- Work sked is Monday-Friday
- Off on Saturdays and Sundays every week.
- They have these national holidays every single month with the exception of June, ranging from one day to 5 straight days! If it’s one day, the government set it to Monday so they can have a long weekend.
Sounds like they have all the fun but most Jap workaholics stay in the office until 10 pm while we don’t do overtime in Dubai and we get to spend dinner with out families every night.
Which would you prefer?
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{ 8 comments }
I actually turned down a very prestigious job in Tokyo years ago because the commitment it would have required didn’t fit with the way I wanted to live my life and raise my family.
I’ve never regretted it, but I do wonder once in a while how things would have turned out…
Robins last blog post..Old Jaffa, 2008
If I were forced to pick between only Japan and Dubai, I’d go to Japan. I understand the culture better.
pussrebootss last blog post..Past Perfect Present Tense
I think workers (INCLUDING expats) have to be given TWO full days off! The half day is simply ridiculous. If that’s taken care of, then both schedules are alright. However, some cultures/countries have a greater workload and overtime and different pressures to stay back and finish more and more work…I personally think that this does not fit in well with family life and wanting to spend time with them and all. I was a child when we were in the Gulf, and I appreciated the fact that my parents came home “early” (they didn’t have an afternoon shift and worked from 7-2? Were home by 3). We always had lunch together and they were around for the rest of the day. Here in North America, work day ends later, and my mom sometimes works overtime and we don’t get to see her much. I think that part isn’t healthy for her nor for us.
I think Japan has the right idea!!! But the workaholic thing is just not right.
Eaton Bennetts last blog post..Thursday Thirteen 168th Edition
Japan, not including the overtime… but i rarely did overtime when i was workign there anyway.
Charlotte (Charmed Life)s last blog post..Ghostly Encounters
well I would say the Monday through Friday, but that is probably because I am not muslim AND I am used to the M-F schedule…
It would be nice to have two full days in a row off.
Is the school Sat-Thursday too?
if so then it is ok… otherwise, I would want to have the same days off as my kids
I would just prefer not to work at all lol
Melanys last blog post..Home
Definitely prefer fewer holidays, but a more balanced work-life schedule!
Michelle Harris Zuziks last blog post..Invitations from the past
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