Sometimes life, especially in the work place, can really feel like a trying boss battle in a video game, with just getting through the day feeling like it's depleted your health to the end of the meter.
Tokyo logistics company Onken has decided to visualize that struggle, with the hopes of improving communication among their employees. The company recently took a suggestion from one of their employees to introduce badges that display a worker's hit points, much like the HP or health meter you'd see for a character in an RPG. The system allows employees to take note of how one another is feeling, and how to look out for one another on the job.
Employees who want to can wear any of three badges: a full green bar of 10,000 HP, a yellow bar so-so bar of 3,899 HP, and a red 15 HP for when they feel like they're on their last legs. Employees can adjust their badge as their condition changes, and Onken says they hope this can be a prompt for helping out each other, as well as a way to let others know you may be struggling mentally or physically when you might otherwise not be able to speak up about it.
We were able to get in touch with a representative from Onken to talk about the motivation behind the system, and how things have been working out since it was introduced.
grape Japan: How did you come up with this system of HP badges?
Onken: Each employee is under various pressures and stresses, both at work and in their personal lives.
Naturally, their mental and physical condition varies day to day.
However, due to their position, role, and work situation, it is often difficult for them to talk casually about such matters.
So we were wondering how to improve communication in those situations.
Then ne of our employees said, "Why don't you make a badge to visualize our HP?"
We made samples by printing and laser cutting on acrylics at our own facilities.
The results were better than expected, and we decided to distribute them in the sales department and make them a standard system.
grape Japan: How has the response been within the company?
Onken: We're still monitoring the practicality of it, but it has been a great conversation starter, even with people with whom we don't normally get to talk that much with each other.
It seems to be working well, at least as a communication tool among employees.
Perhaps because of this, I we feel that the atmosphere in the company has become brighter.
We think it is a good tool not only in practical situations, such as when you delegate work to someone, but also when you simply pass by each other in the office.
We naturally look at each other's HP badges when we pass by one another.
We've also seen employees who take their HP badges home and put them on their family members (babies and pets) to play with them.
Some employees will even wear the green full health bar to try and receive a positive placebo effect!
It is interesting to see how each employee uses the badge in their own unique way.
Response to the concept has been very positive online, with many people praising its sympathetic nature and as a method of improving communication and understanding for one another. In fact, so many people have been clamoring for the HP badges to be adopted by their own companies or wanting them for personal use, Onken has began selling them at their official online store!
Sometimes life, especially in the work place, can really feel like a trying boss battle in a video game, with just getting through the day feeling like it's depleted your health to the end of the meter.
Tokyo logistics company Onken has decided to visualize that struggle, with the hopes of improving communication among their employees. The company recently took a suggestion from one of their employees to introduce badges that display a worker's hit points, much like the HP or health meter you'd see for a character in an RPG. The system allows employees to take note of how one another is feeling, and how to look out for one another on the job.
Source: @onkenkenken
Employees who want to can wear any of three badges: a full green bar of 10,000 HP, a yellow bar so-so bar of 3,899 HP, and a red 15 HP for when they feel like they're on their last legs. Employees can adjust their badge as their condition changes, and Onken says they hope this can be a prompt for helping out each other, as well as a way to let others know you may be struggling mentally or physically when you might otherwise not be able to speak up about it.
Source: @onkenkenken
Source: @onkenkenken
"We've introduced a HP system you can see at our company."
We were able to get in touch with a representative from Onken to talk about the motivation behind the system, and how things have been working out since it was introduced.
grape Japan: How did you come up with this system of HP badges?
Onken: Each employee is under various pressures and stresses, both at work and in their personal lives.
Naturally, their mental and physical condition varies day to day.
However, due to their position, role, and work situation, it is often difficult for them to talk casually about such matters.
So we were wondering how to improve communication in those situations.
Then ne of our employees said, "Why don't you make a badge to visualize our HP?"
We made samples by printing and laser cutting on acrylics at our own facilities.
The results were better than expected, and we decided to distribute them in the sales department and make them a standard system.
grape Japan: How has the response been within the company?
Onken: We're still monitoring the practicality of it, but it has been a great conversation starter, even with people with whom we don't normally get to talk that much with each other.
It seems to be working well, at least as a communication tool among employees.
Perhaps because of this, I we feel that the atmosphere in the company has become brighter.
We think it is a good tool not only in practical situations, such as when you delegate work to someone, but also when you simply pass by each other in the office.
We naturally look at each other's HP badges when we pass by one another.
We've also seen employees who take their HP badges home and put them on their family members (babies and pets) to play with them.
Some employees will even wear the green full health bar to try and receive a positive placebo effect!
It is interesting to see how each employee uses the badge in their own unique way.
Response to the concept has been very positive online, with many people praising its sympathetic nature and as a method of improving communication and understanding for one another. In fact, so many people have been clamoring for the HP badges to be adopted by their own companies or wanting them for personal use, Onken has began selling them at their official online store!