Are you working at a Black Company?
This is a shortened version of an article I came across on a Japanese website.
When I read it I was amazed at how many of these points I could recognise in a number of companies I have worked with and for over the last five decades. In fact it seems to me that these abuses are becoming the norm instead of the exception.
I am certain that if you go through the points listed below you will be horrified at how many apply to you and your workplace. Originally aimed at Japanese companies I suspect that these conditions are common to most (if not all) countries. Effectively you are treated as and considered slaves by the organisations you work for. This would be especially true if you are an intern or a junior executive – perhaps even a senior executive.
If 1-9 items are applicable, it is considered gray. 10-14 is dark gray. 30 out of 30 is pitch black. You get the picture. Now let’s take a look at the list.
1. I do work overtime, but overtime is never paid.
2. It’s usual to work more than 80 hours overtime a month.
3. I don’t have a break, or at the most, 10 minutes a day.
4. I work on my days off. Actually, I’m not even sure when my days off are. The Company cellphone is always on. If I turn it off or not answer it I get reprimanded.
5. There is no paid time off system or if there is such a system, I am never allowed to use it.
6. I never get reimbursed for expenses and always have to pay out-of-pocket.
7. There is no social insurance, benefits, or pension. If I ask about this, I would be bullied.
8. If I converted my monthly wage into an hourly rate equivalent, it would be less than minimum wage.
9. Regardless of how long I work overtime, the overtime payment is a fixed amount.
10. The company is constantly hiring new employees.
11. The advertised job wage is different from the actual amount paid.
12. There are no time cards or someone else punches you in and out.
13. There are one or more workers who can’t come to the office due to psychotic depression or nervous breakdown.
14. I’m so busy that I often can’t get adequate sleep.
15. There is no union or company regulations.
16. Some employees are promoted to an administrative position right after joining the company, but there is no extra remuneration for that.
17. Employees have to run private errands for their employers.
18. There is a slogan saying “work until you die” on the company wall.
19. Abuse of power and sexual harassment are very common.
20. There are so many affiliate companies and subsidiaries, though I don’t even know what those companies do.
21. Whenever some incident happens, the company changes its name.
22. There are training sessions, which use what can be considered brainwashing or hazing.
23. Threats such as “I’m going to kill you” can be commonly heard at the office.
24. Violence is rampant.
25. All the supervisors are relatives of the CEO.
26. I was told to quit the company in a roundabout way like, “you may not be cut out for this position.”
27. I can’t quit the job. If I say I’m going to quit, I’ll be threatened that I will have to pay damages for quitting.
28. They don’t provide the necessary documents such as the separation slip to those who try to quit.
29. The worker’s average age is really young.
30. The rate of people leaving their jobs within 3 years is really high.
Now after looking through them, do any of these conditions apply to your company? Many of the items may sound ridiculous, but I have seen people working under some of these conditions before and I have some colleagues who work for such companies. However, I’m not sure if their companies are pitch black. Maybe just very, very dark?
In Japan, they even have an award for the worse companies – it is called the “Black Corporations Award” where the public could vote on “the most evil corporations of the year.”
How does your workplace stack up? Is it a Black Company? Leave comment below.
Original Article from http://www.tofugu.com/2014/04/25/awful-japanese-black-companies/
The World Wasabi Organisation is a Family Business where NONE of the above abusive conditions occur. Our products are produced by happy employees who have time and resources to ensure their families can enjoy their lifestyle they want. All our products are available at https://wasabi.org/products-2/