Japanese firm tells workers: drinks are on us

Boozing into the night might inhibit coherent speech, but a Japanese company bets it will make workers communicate better. And it's even willing to pay for it.

Japan General Estate Co said Tuesday it is planning to dole out thousands of dollars a month for its employees to go on the town in a bid to help communication.

Japanese companies routinely offer generous expense accounts to entertain clients, but the real estate company is going a step further by subsidising workers' drinking sessions with one another.

The company plans to offer managers who supervise 20 or more people up to 300,000 yen (3,000 dollars) a month to take them out. Managers with fewer than 20 workers will get 200,000 yen, a company statement said.

After-hours drinking is encouraged in Japanese corporate culture as a way to break the ice in work environments that can be uptight and formal.

But critics say the pressure to drink is one of the reasons why Japan's population is declining as men in particular spend little time at home.

Japan General Estate said the drinking benefits could alternatively be used for wedding or funeral expenses.

The company is known for its unorthodox work policies, such as paying 100,000 yen in benefits every month to employees who do not smoke.

喝酒至深夜可能会导致说话语无伦次，但日本一家公司却认为喝酒可以增进员工间的交流，而且甚至愿意为此买单。

日本房地产总公司于本周二表示，公司计划每月为员工提供几千美元的“促进交流”活动经费。

日本公司在招待客户方面一向慷慨大方，但这家房地产公司更胜一筹，甚至愿为员工喝酒聚会提供补贴。

该公司在一项声明中表示，公司计划为管理20人以上的经理提供每月30万日元（合3000美元）的部门聚餐经费；手下员工不到20人的经理则可领到20万日元的经费。

日本的企业文化鼓励员工下班后喝酒聚会，这样可以帮助员工在严肃紧张的工作环境中缓和气氛。

但批评人士认为，喝酒应酬是日本人口持续下降的原因之一，特别是男性经常在外应酬，很少有时间在家。

日本房地产总公司表示，酒水补贴也可用于婚葬支出。

该公司一直以其“另类的”员工政策而著名，比如，不吸烟的员工每月可获10万日元的奖金。