04:07At the Qnote Inc. office, a system engineering firm in Tokyo’s Suginami Ward, ten special employees don't clock in or out but are experts in creating the perfect work atmosphere.
The feline employees are tasked with curling up on desks and helping employees to relax and increase productivity.
Footage shows employees feeding and playing with cats, while other cats nap on the job or wander their workplace.
It all started in 2004, a year after the company was founded. Nobuyuki Tsuruta, the president of Qnote, recalls how the idea came about.
"It was about a year after the four of us started the company, a year or so, and the four of us went out to have lunch at a sushi restaurant. The sushi restaurant had a shelter cat, a kitten, and they were looking for someone to take it. So we thought, well, it would be fun to have a cat at the office, so 'Let's take it?'” he explained.
At first, it wasn’t all smooth sailing with new colleagues. Tsuruta laughs as he remembers the early challenges.
"Cats are very disruptive to the work, and they even climb on the keyboards. Nowadays everyone uses laptops, so it doesn't happen very often," he explained.
Employees saw the presence of their feline colleagues offers much more than just an aesthetic distraction. Megumi says the cats help provide a much-needed balance.
"Of course, there are times when we are all too busy to take care of the cats, but really, those who can do it do it, and we all help each other to maintain a good balance between cat care and work," she explained.
"Cats are super soothing, so when I'm tired from work, or when I lose focus for a minute, I play with the cats to kind of reset myself, like a change of pace,” noted fellow employee Miyamoto.
Over the years, the cats have been free to roam between the second and third floors of the office building, which was renovated with cat-friendly walkways and nooks when the company moved to its current location.
Reportedly, the cats have become unofficial mascots and PR representatives for Qnote, with a section devoted to them on the company website. Their presence in the office has generated positive attention on social media, helping Qnote to build a more approachable and friendly image.
Kitten around in the workplace! Cat employees provide purrfect work-life balance for colleagues at Tokyo firm
At the Qnote Inc. office, a system engineering firm in Tokyo’s Suginami Ward, ten special employees don't clock in or out but are experts in creating the perfect work atmosphere.
The feline employees are tasked with curling up on desks and helping employees to relax and increase productivity.
Footage shows employees feeding and playing with cats, while other cats nap on the job or wander their workplace.
It all started in 2004, a year after the company was founded. Nobuyuki Tsuruta, the president of Qnote, recalls how the idea came about.
"It was about a year after the four of us started the company, a year or so, and the four of us went out to have lunch at a sushi restaurant. The sushi restaurant had a shelter cat, a kitten, and they were looking for someone to take it. So we thought, well, it would be fun to have a cat at the office, so 'Let's take it?'” he explained.
At first, it wasn’t all smooth sailing with new colleagues. Tsuruta laughs as he remembers the early challenges.
"Cats are very disruptive to the work, and they even climb on the keyboards. Nowadays everyone uses laptops, so it doesn't happen very often," he explained.
Employees saw the presence of their feline colleagues offers much more than just an aesthetic distraction. Megumi says the cats help provide a much-needed balance.
"Of course, there are times when we are all too busy to take care of the cats, but really, those who can do it do it, and we all help each other to maintain a good balance between cat care and work," she explained.
"Cats are super soothing, so when I'm tired from work, or when I lose focus for a minute, I play with the cats to kind of reset myself, like a change of pace,” noted fellow employee Miyamoto.
Over the years, the cats have been free to roam between the second and third floors of the office building, which was renovated with cat-friendly walkways and nooks when the company moved to its current location.
Reportedly, the cats have become unofficial mascots and PR representatives for Qnote, with a section devoted to them on the company website. Their presence in the office has generated positive attention on social media, helping Qnote to build a more approachable and friendly image.
At the Qnote Inc. office, a system engineering firm in Tokyo’s Suginami Ward, ten special employees don't clock in or out but are experts in creating the perfect work atmosphere.
The feline employees are tasked with curling up on desks and helping employees to relax and increase productivity.
Footage shows employees feeding and playing with cats, while other cats nap on the job or wander their workplace.
It all started in 2004, a year after the company was founded. Nobuyuki Tsuruta, the president of Qnote, recalls how the idea came about.
"It was about a year after the four of us started the company, a year or so, and the four of us went out to have lunch at a sushi restaurant. The sushi restaurant had a shelter cat, a kitten, and they were looking for someone to take it. So we thought, well, it would be fun to have a cat at the office, so 'Let's take it?'” he explained.
At first, it wasn’t all smooth sailing with new colleagues. Tsuruta laughs as he remembers the early challenges.
"Cats are very disruptive to the work, and they even climb on the keyboards. Nowadays everyone uses laptops, so it doesn't happen very often," he explained.
Employees saw the presence of their feline colleagues offers much more than just an aesthetic distraction. Megumi says the cats help provide a much-needed balance.
"Of course, there are times when we are all too busy to take care of the cats, but really, those who can do it do it, and we all help each other to maintain a good balance between cat care and work," she explained.
"Cats are super soothing, so when I'm tired from work, or when I lose focus for a minute, I play with the cats to kind of reset myself, like a change of pace,” noted fellow employee Miyamoto.
Over the years, the cats have been free to roam between the second and third floors of the office building, which was renovated with cat-friendly walkways and nooks when the company moved to its current location.
Reportedly, the cats have become unofficial mascots and PR representatives for Qnote, with a section devoted to them on the company website. Their presence in the office has generated positive attention on social media, helping Qnote to build a more approachable and friendly image.