Hi Ninja Mates!
Tsubaki here!
I, Tsubaki , have been in Singapore for two years and
happily working at Japanese company now.
I ALWAYS hear my friend Singaporeans are complaining about
how stressful this country's working environment is.
Yeah! I am talking about YOU!
YES, YOU!
BUUUUTTTT!
From Japanese office worker perspective, I want to say
ARE YOU CRAZY!?
I tell you that Singapore is Heaven for office working ladies.
But every time I say so, local people react like
“Yeah. this country is very good for foreigners”.
They dun understand anything.
It doesn't matter if you are locals or foreigners.
U read this article and understands the reason why Singapore circumstance can be heaven for us. (Compare to Japan, of course)
1. Less commute time
This is Ran’s story (Ran is another Ninja, u know, right?).
She is from CHIBA (near Tokyo). When she was in Japan, she spent 3 hours (2 ways) commute time every day in fully packed train.
Be note that this is not Door to door.
This 3 hours are the time u stuck in damn packed train.
U might think “Yeah, but Singapore MRT are also fully packed every morning?”
Ok, let me explain about the definition of “Fully packed train” in Japan.
First of all please watch this video. This is the view of normal commuter time in Tokyo.
AND THIS IS THE DEFINITION OF "FULLY PACKED"
Please please please watch! U will know why i mean.
Some train companies even hire part-time workers to force people squeezing into trains.
Those part timers are called "Oshiya" which means "PUSH MEN"… I am not joking.
Many Japanese friends of mine who came from big cities such as Tokyo, Osaka say
"Since I came to Singapore, My commute time became much shorter. I cannot go back the hell (Japan) anymore…. "
And currently Singapore government even put effort to reduce this "Jam" with "Early morning free ride" of MRT.
I found a Japanese website which admire this policy. They say Japan also should follow Singapore style and do something about this problem.
2.No need wearing a stocking
In this two years, since I came to Singapore, I swear that I never ever seen Singaporean ladies wear stockings.
Oh you wear it?
Then you happily can work in Japan.
According to the research of FUKUSUKE, a sox company in Japan, 90% of Japanese working ladies said "Stocking is one of must-have items for working women".
Ya I think is reasonable for them to wear it in Winter time
because Winter is super cold in Japan.
BUT, did you know that they wear stockings even in SUMMER.
And, Japanese SUMMER is damn freakin Hot, Hotter than Singapore for sure.
Me? I HATE wearing stockings, if you force me to wear it, I am sure I will kill myself.
I dun like the feeling it tighten my tummy, is v uncomfortable.
I sometimes really cannot understand Japanese standard. How can they stand it?
Seriously are they crazy??
In Singapore, I dun have to wear in my office. Soooo happy. MUACKS
3. Can work with RED nails
Last year I went back Japan and met some of my university friends.
We did many many crazy things together in University and I still remember every single happy memories of them.
After graduation, each of us became kinda office worker at different companies in different industries.
Anyway, I quincedentaly painted my hand nails red at that time.
And one of them asked me with shocked face "In SIngapore, is it ok to paint your nail in red? You are working in a bank, right?"
(Yeah, at that time, I belonged to a bank in Singapore.)
Others also started saying "Yeah, Red nails are not allowed in my company…""Red nails are considered lack of manners…"
End up they reached the conclusion that they envy me staying Singapore cos "Singapore is so liberal to personal appearance"
Is true, In Japan, let's say you are woking at a bank and have red nails, people think you are crazy…. I am serious.
4. Do not have to clean up our office
In Japan, there are many companies and offices
which do not hire any cleaning services, cleaning staffs.
The company I belonged to when I was in Japan was one of them.
It was quite big company in Japan and has many many branches and factories in all over Japan. There were over 100 staffs in the department where I was.
But the thing was there were no cleaning staffs in the office. And once every two weeks, yeah i think is was Friday if I'm not wrong, all employees needed stick together and cleaned the floor and rooms with sweeping, mopping etc....
It was super damn ridiculous for me.
First of all, how come all 100 staffs needed to stick together and clean the office?
It was obvious that 100 people were too much for office cleaning, right? was super inefficient way to do that and damn waste of time.
Why didn't they hire one or two professional cleaning staffs to clean up rooms?
is easy n best way!
WHY? WHY? WHY????????????????
Japanese people really like to act as a group.
Even when cleaning office, they need to do it together because was Japanese way.
THIS IS THE NEGATIVE LEGACY OF traditional agricultural culture.
Japanese people!!
This is not Rice planting!!
On the other hand, in Singapore,
people engage professional cleaners for their office most of the time.
Japan should follow Singapore style, seriously.
5. No gender discrimination
Since I came to Singapore, I seldom get a feeling of gender discrimination.
You are either men or women, as long as you are capable enough, u would have a chance to get promoted and are able to explore their career opportunities in this country.
Of course i believe men and women are totally different creatures and have different roles.
Women still might be expected to take initiative taking care of their kids and doing all house keeping stuffs in their house in every country.
But I strongly would like to insist that Singaporean ladies are v v blessed compare to Japanese ladies.
Frankly speaking, I sometimes feel born in Japan as a Japanese lady is kinda punishment.
"Did I do something wrong with my previous life so i was born in such a man dominating country"?
Something like that.
Ok I hope it doesn't sound v offensive cos I still have Japanese good guy friends and my current bosses are all Japanese but they are really nice people.
I am not saying "ALL Japanese guys are dominating, controlling and really jerks."
But let's say my previous office, was quite big company in Japan but it was totally hell to me. The first GM was totally jerk and was sued for sexual harassment (In internal compliance dept) by one of Japanese lady staff.
The second one was worse than the first one.
He said out in front the lady staff who have no kids that "Women who cannot give birth babies are totally useless. Seriously."
I really suspect they are INSANE n should die immediately for sure. But surprisingly this kind of guys are in higher positions like GM, MD, whatever whatever in v huge famous Japanese companies. They really think nothing wrong with saying or doing this kind of things towards women.
Sigh.....
But Singaporean guys are very polite and kind towards ladies most of the time
and i think it's really one of reasons why I want stay here soooo long.
So, dun complain about your country Singaporean!
Seriously Singapore is amazing!!
I really like this country and willing to explore more and more here.
(I also want to say I love my country as well though i've complained bout it a lot lol.)
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*Article first appeared on http://www.ninjagirls.sg