Japan is well known for long office hours and stressed out employees, but one company claims to have a cure: Cats. The Japanese IT firm Ferray has introduced an “office cat” policy to combat the stressful workplace environment. A total of 9 furry felines eat, sleep and walk freely in the Ferray Tokyo office.
A total of nine fur friends are allowed to roam freely in the office and do whatever their little hearts desire.
Hidenobu Fukuda, who heads the firm, actually introduced the famous cat policy in 2000 upon request from one of his employees, allowing staffers to bring their cats to work. He agreed, and since then he allows any employee to bring in their BFFs.
Eri Ito, who works at Ferray, says she is sold on the animal’s soothing ways.
“Cats are sleeping just beside us…It’s healing,” Ito said.
Not only does Fukuda encourage bringing cats into the workplace, but he also encourages rescues from Japan’s over populated shelters/streets.
“I also give 5,000 yen ($45) a month to those who rescue a cat,” he said of his charges.
But there is also a downside to having felines in the office, Fukuda admitted
“Sometimes a cat will walk on a phone and cut off the call, or they shut down the computers by walking onto the off switch,” he said.
Cats in the workplace have been a huge success for his employees, and the cats as well. The policy has lead to many other companies to do the same, and there are also over 60 registered cat cafes that are popping up all over Tokyo
Checkout a video of the office below:
Cats in the workplace sure sounds like a win win for everybody! Share the cuteness with your friends!
