'Shining Monday': What has Japan implemented to make Mondays more palatable?

What is often dubbed as the worst day of the working week is becoming far more appealing in Japan, thanks to a new government provision.

The Japanese government has been seeking ways to encourage companies to crack down on employees’ overtime and alleviate them from the confines of the office earlier than normal. This strategy is part of a wider plan to improve the work-life balance of the working population, in a bid to eliminate the unyielding persistence of ‘karoshi’ – more commonly known as death caused by overworking.

So, the government has implemented a shiny new plan – dubbed ‘Shining Monday’.

The proposals are designed to be more ‘palatable’ to companies and popular with workers who want to indulge on a Sunday. Companies will let staff have a lie-in on the first Monday of every month, allowing employees to rock up to the office after lunch.