A Japanese company has taken a unique initiative to boost the productivity of its employees and maintain a chilled-out atmosphere in the office. QNote, a Tokyo-based tech firm specialising in web and app design, has become home to 10 cats. They play with their 32 employees during their work shifts. The company believes that these feline friends keep people stress-free in the office and help improve their productivity. QNote started adopting cats in 2004 and the first cat named Futaba was brought here from a sushi restaurant.
Gradually, the interest and productivity of the employees increased and people started liking it, so the company kept 9 more cats here. The interesting thing is that all these cats have their own responsibilities. The oldest Futaba is the chair cat here and she has equal or even more privileges than the company’s CEO Nobuyuki Tsuruta. Among the other cats, there is a chief clerk as well as a head manager.
The tech company shifted its office to a bigger place so that the cats have more space to roam around. The second and third floors of this new four-story office were renovated and better arrangements were made for the cats to live. These cats also have their own custom toilets and cat shelves. Since the cats repeatedly scratch the walls, they are also painted many times.
According to the company, many people working in Qnote have their own pet cats and dogs. In such a situation, they feel comfortable coming to the office with their friends. This initiative of ours has also inspired many people to join the company. He told that cats have now understood the office routine well. When the office is closed, people voluntarily feed them and also clean their garbage bins. This increases mutual understanding among people and improves work.
Although the cats sometimes cause interruptions during work, the employees have no complaints. The CEO believes that “interruptions force employees to take breaks, which helps refresh their minds and increases productivity.”
QNote has added cat-themed segments to its official website. The company’s logo also features a cat design.
