Japan's NTT Sets Remote Work For 30,000 Employees Next Month

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. (NTT) will begin remote work for around 30,000 of its domestic employees in July, treating attendance as a business trip and allowing work and commute from anywhere in Japan, including by air, a source familiar with the matter said.

Photo Insert: The new strategy is part of the company's efforts to retain talented employees in the face of labor shortages by providing a flexible work environment.

According to a report published in Manichi Japan, the telecom giant will have no set limit for transportation expenses and will pay for accommodations when employees commute to work after the company, like many others, has implemented different working styles as part of measures to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

NTT employs 180,000 people.

The new strategy is part of the company's efforts to retain talented employees in the face of labor shortages by providing a flexible work environment. Other Japanese companies are also implementing diverse working styles.

Similar schemes were launched by flea market app operator Mercari Inc. and portal site operator Yahoo Japan Corp., allowing their employees to live and work anywhere in the country.

Nonetheless, some major corporations are pushing for employees to return to the workplace.

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Inc., stated in an email to administrative staff that he wants office workers to return to work for a minimum of 40 hours per week or face termination.

Honda Motor Co. and e-commerce behemoth Rakuten Group Inc. are also said to have discontinued or reduced teleworking days, indicating that the pandemic is improving.

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