Japanese companies have found a way to keep workers over the age of 60 employed, even if they can no longer keep pace with the technological changes taking place in offices. According to Fortune, such individuals are often removed from their previous roles and reassigned to more modest positions that do not require tackling complex tasks.
In some cases, an employee draws a salary while performing minimal duties—essentially just sitting by a window. A 74-year-old Japanese man described the practice this way: if a person cannot keep up, they are moved to a spot by the window and given paperwork to handle.
This category of workers has acquired a specific name: madogiwazoku, or the “window-side tribe.” They rarely use email; their primary activity consists of checking and sorting documents—work for which they receive a paycheck.
This arrangement emerged because older employees struggle to keep up with technological advancements, yet companies are reluctant to dispense with their services entirely. Fortune reports that Japan has established a comprehensive system for keeping citizens over the age of 60 in the workforce.
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