What Japanese workers in their 40s really think about telework

I'm a huge advocate for telework, and I love the benefits it provides. Increased flexibility (especially helpful as a parent with kids), not having to battle a commute every day, and the cost savings really add up over time.

Not everyone feels the same, though!

A new survey conducted by the corporate mobile phone matching site Ikkatsu.jp looked into the complex attitudes of Japanese office workers in their 40s toward teleworking and flexible work styles. While remote work has become a familiar option for a lot of us in the post-pandemic era, the findings showed that for many in this age group, the ideal way to work isn't so straightforward.

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Out of 100 respondents aged 40 to 49, 32% said they preferred to work entirely in the office. Even though commuting remains unpopular, many feel that face-to-face interaction, real-time communication, and a sense of psychological stability still make coming into an office worthwhile. Hybrid models were also popular, with 19% wanting to mainly work remotely with occasional office days, while 18% preferred the opposite. Only 15% wanted to work entirely from home.

When asked about the appeal of teleworking, the top reason by far was reduced commuting time (54%). Others appreciated the ability to concentrate at home (19%), avoid workplace social stress (16%), and enjoy more flexibility and work-life balance. Still, 25% said they didn’t find remote work appealing at all.

The biggest concern about telework was a lack of communication with coworkers and superiors (37%). Others struggled with reduced concentration at home, technical issues, health concerns, or unclear work-life boundaries.

I was particularly interested in this myself as I fit the age demographic of the people surveyed, and I honestly would prefer telework over in-office always! I think a bit part of it can be personality-based, and since I'm an introvert I'm quite happy not being surrounded by people all the time.

If you have the option to either work remotely or in an office environment, do you have a strong preference for one over the other?

Survey data: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000209.000140336.html