Lately, there’s been the case in Japan of an advertising giant limiting overtime because of an employee committing suicide. But that’s the only case of work abuse, and more people have been talking about excessive work hours and the pressure of keeping a career. IT and globalization may have made our work more efficient, but that doesn’t mean that we have to work less. The planet never sleeps, and where there’s money to be made, employees are expected to make it no matter the pressure or the workload.

However, this system may be reaching its limit.

Some of you reading this right now might have been working overtime a lot lately. I am sure you can empathize with the following story

Morning, I: ‘I worked overtime last night and did all I needed to do. I can go home nice and early!’
Midday, Boss: ‘Can you submit this by tomorrow morning?’
Evening, I: ‘Ok, I have a long night ahead of me.’
→Repeat the same next day

Shachiku is a Japanese word that combines Shakai (Company) and Kachiku (Livestock), so it means something like ‘Company Slave’.

This is the typical shachiku: You are clever and have a strong sense of responsibility. You are committed to completing your tasks whatever it takes.

If you belong to that category, then this manga, Shachiku-chan, is for you. If you work too much and too hard, then it’s definitely for you. No matter how efficiently you try to work, working overtime and working on your days off is a reality that will never go away. And that’s why you will almost certainly, you’ll be able to relate to Shachiku-chan.

‘Let’s laugh it away! All you need to do is to have fun!’…that’s what you’ll be thinking after reading the manga.

Shachiku-chan the Company Slave

Shachiku-chan is a systems engineer at a company (energy drinks in the vending machines are always out of stock…such an amazing company!) She works with Sempai-san, (someone who entered the company before her) Eigyo-san (a businessman) Kohai-chan, (someone who enter the company after her) Douki-chan (someone who entered the company at the same time) and some other entertaining people.

However, there is something not right about this company.

From ‘Survive! Shachiku-chan’

Here, Shachiku-chan misses the last train home because she is working too late

Inside the mind of Shachiku-chan

Shachiku-chan knows she can’t take it anymore and she needs time off, but she still accepts more tasks. She is a responsible, hardworking person…and an easy target! It’s clear that if you meet these conditions, you are now a proud Shachiku, a company slave.

From ‘Survive! Shachiku-chan’

Shachiku-chan’s coworker tells her that a client praised her because she’s easy to work with. He then asks her to work on a Saturday and she immediately accepts it, before she realises that he said Saturday. Poor Shachiku-chan.

However, there might be lots of people who think this is nothing. Other people might say it’s normal to work on a day off, anyway. If you are at this stage, your Shachiku-level is not quite there yet. Shachiku-chan feels worried and guilty if she ever takes a day off…she can’t think straight…

From ‘Survive! Shachiku-chan’

It’s Shachiku-chan’s day off! Not only can she not bring herself to have a lie-in, she worries so much about work that she ends up going in anyway.

If these two conditions apply to you, you may be close to becoming a company slave.

Kohai-chan, Douki-chan…you guys rock!

People like them are the true winners, unlike company slaves. I would love to be like them… They automate routine tasks and try to find out what exactly needs to be done and nothing more. I’m sure Shachiku-chan is able to do such things, but she may be too honest about automated tasks and the details of them. Do you think she is a company slave because of her serious nature and great work ethic?

From ‘Survive! Shachiku-chan’

Douki-chan boasts that she has secretly automated some of the more mundane tasks so she can finish a day’s work in half a day. In the second strip, Kouhai-chan doesn’t understand some of the terms the worker is using so she asks him to explain them to her.

These days, there is a tendency to judge people who work long hours. However, it is very difficult to avoid them in the first place. Would we have to witness the fall of a whole economic system if people started working just the hours they are paid to work? A program that was designed wrong cannot be fixed with a software patch. It may seem to be working fine, but naturally, various distortions are expected to occur.

What we need to question, though, is why people have to work this much to the point they become company slaves. The problem is not with the people but with a system that allows that behavior to exist.

But, whether people call you a company slave or not, the important thing is to try and have fun. The only thing that matters is to make the most of your limited time and live happily.

So, if you get sick of your work, enjoy reading Shachiku-chan and relax!

source : http://honz.jp/articles/-/43521