‘I quit!’ might be the shortest, most powerful sentence, but it’s also the most challenging sentence for Japanese people. This is why there has been a surge in companies in the country that are cashing in on employees’ hesitancy to call it quits and helping people leave their unsatisfying workplaces.
According to a Japan Times report, the demand for these quitting agencies increased after the long Golden Week holiday period from April 29 to May 6. Momuri — the Japanese phrase for “I can’t take it anymore”, received 174 such requests on a single day after the break.
If you believe this might be a GenZ problem, you are wrong. According to the company, 40 percent of the clients are over 40. A survey conducted last year in Japan by a major human resource company, En Japan, showed that more than 70% of respondents knew about the existence of such companies.
Why Are People Approaching These Companies?
In the Japanese culture, resigning is considered disrespectful. It’s to be believed that people in Japan face immense opposition and stress if they go to their seniors to resign. In most extreme cases, angry bosses rip up resignation letters and harass employees to force them to stay, or at times, difficult bosses don’t acknowledge their resignation.
Speaking to Al Jazeera in 2023, Exit co-founder Toshiyuki Niino said the idea emerged from his troubled experiences quitting a job and Japan’s larger workplace cultural norms.
“They try to make you ashamed and guilty that you quit your job in less than three years, and I had a very difficult time [quitting myself],” he said.
How Does It Work?
The companies do all the work, from calling the client’s company about their resignation to informing them of the last working day. According to the Wall Street Journal, a company named Exit is in the job of helping people resign from their jobs and is even offering half-off for returning clients. The firm, launched in 2017, overseas the resignations of around 10,000 people annually. For 20,000 yen (approximately ₹ 11,600), the business makes a call to the client’s company and informs them that they are quitting while spelling out other details. They also tell them about when their last day would be at the office and gather other information about how to return company-issued tech or uniforms and more.
What’s The Price You Pay To Avail The Service?
According to a South China Morning Post (SCMP) report, the cost of services by these resignation agencies ranges from 25,000 (Rs 14480) to 50,000 yen (Rs 28,959), but it can also be as little as 12,000 yen (Rs 6950) in some cases. They also collaborate with law firms and labour associations to resolve disputes.
