Who needs office drinking parties anyway? Let them disappear.

 

Read the original article (in Japanese):

The Absurdity of Claiming “Those Who Don’t Read the Room Aren’t Trusted” in the Reiwa Era

This article—and the author’s central claim—provokes serious concern. It attempts to revive workplace norms that many have worked hard to reform over decades.

“People who don’t attend drinking parties aren’t trusted.”
“If you don’t match the organization’s energy, no one will help you.”
“Those who keep their distance are coldly treated.”

Such arguments promote a culture where workplace relationships are governed by vague “atmosphere,” reinforcing structures that exclude those who don’t conform. This is not simply outdated advice—it legitimizes a modern form of workplace bullying.

“If You Want Help, Play Along” Is the Logic of Exclusion

The reasoning goes like this:

  • Don’t attend social gatherings → You’re not trusted

  • Not trusted → No one will support you when trouble arises

  • Therefore → You’re at a disadvantage for not “reading the room”

In other words, “if you want help, you’d better fall in line.”

BehaviorJudgment
Doesn’t attend eventsLacks loyalty
Doesn’t engage in chatLacks team spirit
Breaks the atmosphereHas no cooperation
Is excludedBrought it on themself

This is the textbook logic of bullying, where behavior is tied to character judgment and used as grounds for exclusion.

Don’t Call This “Japanese Culture”

The author uses terms like “Homo sapiens instinct” or “Japanese workplace tradition” to justify forced conformity. But this is merely nostalgia for an era when people were expected to sacrifice their lives for the company.

There are three critical problems with this logic:

  1. It tries to freeze past mistakes into “cultural norms”

  2. It denies ongoing reform in today’s workplaces

  3. It imposes outdated values onto younger generations

The Hidden Cost of “Reading the Room”

When conformity becomes the primary workplace currency, these problems arise:

  • Leaving on time is frowned upon

  • Cheerfulness trumps competence

  • Constructive criticism is suppressed

  • Anyone “different” is filtered out

In such environments, productivity suffers, innovation stalls, and diversity is stifled.

Cooperation Is Not Compliance

Let’s be clear: this is not a denial of cooperation.

True cooperation means:

  • Respecting different working styles

  • Collaborating constructively, even with differences

It’s not about pretending to feel enthusiasm, or joining every social event.

The Danger of Dismissing “Cool-Headed” Workers

In every workplace, there are valuable employees who:

  • Carry out their responsibilities calmly

  • Contribute without needing emotional displays

  • Maintain professional boundaries

To treat them as “untrustworthy” just because they’re reserved is to reject professionalism and reason itself.

What Should the Workplace of the Future Look Like?

The answer is simple: trust and performance—not “air.”

Key Reforms:

  • Evaluate based on output and reliability

  • Respect diverse styles of contribution

  • Replace unspoken rules with clear policies

  • Expect managers to adapt, not impose

  • Clarify that socializing is optional

Conclusion: The Era of Reading the Room Is Over

Trust isn’t built by going to drinking parties. It comes from doing your job responsibly and respectfully.

Any workplace that believes “being low-energy is grounds for exclusion” will struggle to attract talent.

The age of conformity is ending. The age of results and mutual respect has begun.

And any effort to reverse that progress deserves a firm, resounding NO.


Read in Japanese↓

「飲み会に出ない人は信頼されない」職場論など馬鹿げている（2025.6.27）

Read more articles (in Japanese)↓

AIを敵では無く、「最強の味方＝部下」にできるか？（2025.6.25）

コメント

コメントを投稿

このブログの人気の投稿

Why Aren’t Wages Rising in Japan?

イメージ
  Why Aren’t Wages Rising in Japan? — How the Labor Share Ratio and Retained Earnings Are Stalling Economic Growth Read the original article (in Japanese): 生産性3割アップも「増えない給料」　原因は「貯めこむ大企業」にあった | TBS NEWS DIG Chapter 1: The Illusion of Wage Growth Despite government announcements of a “historic wage increase,” most workers in Japan feel no real difference in their paychecks. The reality is that real wages have barely moved in 25 years , even though labor productivity has risen by roughly 30% during the same period. This growth rate exceeds that of major European economies like France and Germany. The popular narrative — “wages haven’t increased because productivity is low” — is no longer credible. The real question is this: Why are companies making more money, yet not paying workers more? Chapter 2: Record Corporate Profits, Yet No Pay Raises The most glaring figure is Japan’s retained earnings , also known as corporate savings or internal reserves. In 1998: approximately...
続きを読む

Proposing the Radical Idea of a “Tenure-Based Retirement System”

イメージ
Read the original article (in Japanese): 「もう長すぎた…」宇宙飛行士・野口聡一氏が57歳でJAXAを辞めた納得のワケ( ダイヤモンド・オンライン ) The Reality Behind the 45-Year Retirement Debate The ongoing public debate around the “45-year retirement” and early retirement plans in Japan was initially intended to encourage self-directed career development. Yet, many workers interpret these initiatives as thinly veiled attempts to push them out. As astronaut Soichi Noguchi has noted, Japan’s work culture tends to reward compliance over skill-building or career ownership. If we want to change that, we need structural reform—not just slogans. The Proposal: A Tenure-Based Retirement System A better alternative is the Tenure-Based Retirement System . Rather than setting a fixed age for retirement, the idea is to define an employee’s career cycle within a company by tenure—say, a 20-year maximum. Such a system allows for natural career reflection without age-based discrimination. More importantly, it promotes a mindset where workers are exp...
続きを読む

How “Incompetent Seniors” Drive Young Employees Away Through Broken OJT Structures

イメージ
 Read the original article (in Japanese): なぜ「OJT」ばかりの企業に若者は定着しないのか？　上司が部下育成を勘違いする理由 「うちはOJTで育てる」と胸を張る企業がある。OJTとはOn-the-Job Trainingの略で、現場で実務を通じて部 www.itmedia.co.jp Introduction: Is “We Train Through OJT” a Cop-Out? “We develop people through OJT”—how many times have we heard this in Japanese workplaces? On-the-Job Training (OJT) is originally meant to be a practical learning method where skills are honed through real work. Yet in practice, many companies abuse this term as a way to justify throwing new employees into unfamiliar tasks without guidance. This leads to frustration, underperformance, and ultimately, resignation. This article explores why such “OJT in name only” is problematic and what structural improvements companies must make—drawing comparisons to the foundational training methods found in sports and the arts. 1. Without Form, Growth Can’t Begin Karate, Baseball, and Art: Why Mastery Begins with Form Karate has kata. Baseball has standard stances and pitching mechani...
続きを読む