CAPE TOWN - Various technology companies in Japan have piloted a new working programme that allows employees to work remotely from holiday destinations using a mobile workstation van.
The Ikenotaira Ski Resort in Myoko city is one of the destinations participating in the pilot programme, which is set to conclude at the end of March 2021.
Due to the coronavirus outbreak, companies across the country have adapted to the new normal of working remotely to curb the spread of the virus.
The programme has attracted sports enthusiasts who are now able to enjoy their free time or lunch break doing winter sports.
“This office space is equipped with wi-fi, electricity, electric blankets for cold weather and Bluetooth speakers. So the communication environment is in place to let you work any time, anywhere, wherever you like,” Kengo Saisho from Daihatsu Motor regional revitalisation team told South China Morning Post.
In 2020, several Japanese national parks installed wi-fi stations and set up workstations for rent at campsites to encourage people to work outdoors.
According to Japan Times, the National Parks staff will set up and disassemble the workstations themselves and also provide food, allowing visitors to focus on the tasks at hand.
“We want people to engage in remote work while relaxing in an environment away from their usual daily life,” an official at the Kyukamura Kishu Kada resort hotel at Setonaikai National Park told Japan Times.
“We would like to offer a plan in which guests can work in the morning and enjoy activities such as trekking and canoeing with their families in the afternoon,” said the official.
Meanwhile, authorities are looking to extend the Covid-19 state of emergency for regions that continue to show increasing coronavirus cases.
A total of 2,673 new cases were recorded across the country in their latest stats, taking their total to 386,742.
African News Agency