Toyota to Launch Night Only Shifts to Attract More Women

Japan is considered to be a country that has a workaholic culture with 12 hour workdays being the norm rather than the exception. Leading automotive manufacturer, Toyota is planning to launch night only shifts in a bid to rearrange priorities and to make the company more attractive to women seeking to join the workforce after having children. Employees who opt for the night-only schedule will be paid more and will not have to worry about the difficulties of making childcare arrangements as they will be at home during the day.

Currently, many employees at Toyota factories alternate between workdays where eight hour shifts shifts begin at 6 am and those that begin at 4 pm. Many employees are increasingly opting for daytime only shifts that were introduced in 2013. This however created an imbalance as there were fewer takers for night-time shifts. The company is planning to launch the nighttime-only shift in January in order to correct the imbalance after a trial run at some factories.

The company is planning to introduce the scheme on a volunteer basis, with those who opt for the scheme getting incentives like a special allowance. They can take night shifts for a maximum period of three months at a time in order to minimize any possible health issues.

The night only shift option will definitely have a lot of potential to attract female employees who would like to test the waters when it comes to full time employment without the need to make arrangements for childcare during the daytime.