A new work-life balance without boundaries
Under the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people have become able to freely choose where and when to work, and various ways of working and living are now possible. For companies that created comfortable working environments by providing employee benefits such as rent subsidies, labor-management negotiations have changed to allow employees to freely choose where and how they work.
As many companies begin allowing their employees to reduce their working hours or have a side job, people begin exploring their own unique work style. Some people move to a country where there is a slight time difference with Japan, others want to balance both work and learning. Some people realize that the career path they envisioned within one company is not the best answer for themselves and the company. They prefer to build their own personal network and work as a gig worker or freelancer. On the other hand, those who have become accustomed to the traditional way of working that belongs to an organization begin feeling frustrated by themselves who cannot ride the wave of the times while recognizing that “work style that is not bound by the framework” will become a social trend.
As “work style that is not bound by the framework” becomes established, companies also change their human resource management strategies. Many companies begin finding value even in those who have spent “Moratorium” time (break period of time) worrying about how to utilize their own abilities. Furthermore, the companies have started securing human resources who have a creative perspective with the potential for serendipity (discovery of an unexpected thing) and are actually able to make an outstanding achievement even while hating doing group activities. Companies give the freedom of activity to their employees although it is unknown whether the employees can produce results. At the same time, the companies want to know at all times what the employees are trying to produce and how by using their connections and network while they are aware of the company’s “productivity”.
As the community connections within companies weaken, those who have freely chosen their own work styles try to create something upon which to rely in their daily lives. Some people take care of their child, others take care of them when they are sick. In the past, “neighborhood relationships” that were born out of coincidence of living in a same region or in the same neighborhood were “helping each other”. However, now people seek “relationship not bound by the region that help each other in the event of an emergency”, and they actively build a “neighborhood (community)”. The community builds connections between people who live far away without being bound by physical distancing and make them easily move to another place, promoting multi-site houses.
Now that people can freely choose where to live, the communications between the local residents spread at the global level. For the issues that have become obstacles for people to move to another place such as updating the residence card, paying taxes, and having a healthcare insurance, various cities in the world solve these issues through collaboration with the tax system and social security system. People can move freely between multiple cities and build “neighborhood” relationships beyond the distance limitations. Those who have lost their sense of owning things by living in multiple places begin to realize that sharing things and living spaces with others leads to a sense of comfort and security for them.
