A small tech company in Osaka, Japan, is making waves with an unconventional hiring strategy: free alcohol at work and “hangover leave” for employees who overdo it.
At Trust Ring Co., Ltd., a company struggling to compete with Japan’s corporate giants on salary, the CEO decided to ditch the pay raise and offer perks that would actually make employees want to stay.
The result? Drinking on the job is not only allowed—it’s encouraged.
Unlike most workplaces where alcohol is strictly off-limits, at Trust Ring, the boss himself brings the booze, toasting with employees during work hours. And if anyone has one drink too many, they can take a "hangover leave" and start their day later, no questions asked.
"Because I used the ‘hangover leave’ system, I can go back to work at 12 o’clock,” one employee told Kansai TV, as cited by OC. “You can sleep for a few more hours and come back feeling refreshed. I feel like I will be more efficient."
Also read
Since Japan’s economic bubble burst in the 1990s, wages have remained stagnant, making it difficult for small and medium-sized businesses to compete with corporate giants offering higher salaries.
Trust Ring’s starting salary is just 222,000 yen ($1,500) per month, including 20 hours of overtime pay, which is barely above minimum wage. Raising salaries isn’t an option, so the CEO got creative.
“We really can’t raise the starting salary,” he admitted. “So I think small and medium-sized enterprises should focus on attracting talent with similar ideas.”
While some may question whether workplace drinking boosts productivity, others see it as a reflection of Japan’s shifting work culture, where companies are looking beyond traditional salary incentives to keep employees engaged.
Whether Trust Ring’s "boozy benefits" will help it compete against big-name corporations remains to be seen. But one thing is certain—job seekers looking for a more relaxed (and tipsy) work environment might just line up for an interview.
