Western CEOs crack down, demanding super-AI productivity to keep your job. Japanese firms pay older workers to do nothing | Fortune

"While "Trump says, 'You're fired,' in Japan we don't say 'You're fired,'" a 74-year-old Japanese influencer explained on TikTok. "If someone is not doing a good job, we put him near the window, let them do paperwork. Those people we call madogiwazoku." This distinction highlights how Japanese companies handle underperforming workers through reassignment rather than termination."

"A key distinction is that these workers aren't office troublemakers—they're often loyal, non-confrontational workers who've simply been overtaken by changing technology or strategy. Rather than push them out, employers quietly move them aside, allowing them to continue working comfortably without real responsibility or complaint."

"These "window workers" are mostly Gen X and boomer men in their late 50s and 60s, who were hired on the promise of lifetime employment "Shushin Koyo" and a seniority-based pay system. Instead of leading teams or closing deals, they spend their days answering occasional emails, shuffling documents, and sorting paperwork while maintaining comfortable salaries."

Japan maintains a practice of reassigning underperforming or redundant older employees to desk positions near windows with minimal work responsibilities, known as "madogiwazoku" or "window workers." These are primarily Gen X and boomer men in their late 50s and 60s hired under lifetime employment promises and seniority-based pay systems. Rather than being terminated, they continue receiving comfortable salaries while being steered away from meaningful responsibilities. This approach reflects cultural values prioritizing loyalty and non-confrontation over productivity metrics. The practice contrasts sharply with Western corporate trends emphasizing efficiency, five-day office mandates, and AI-driven workforce reductions. Japan's approach has resulted in one of the highest senior employment rates globally.

Read at Fortune