Game Freak is following a growing trend in the video game industry by offering its employees a more flexible work schedule. The Pokemon developer has just announced a new four-day w꧟ork week will be available to employees that are taking care of young childre💛n or infirm or elderly family members.
In a press release translated by Google, Game Freak announced its "" will work a bit differently than other studios. Whereas indie studios 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:such as Kitfox Games and Young Horses simply have all employees work four days a week, Game Freak is limiting this option to certain categories of employees. Those that need a little extra time during t𒁃he week to take care of children under elementary sc🎃hool age, or elderly or infirm parents, can sign up for four-day work weeks.
The program is being instituted on a month-to-month basis, so those who work four-day work weeks can go back to working five days a week 🍃if their situation changes. For example, an elderly family member that needs temporary nursing ca🦩re might only require extra help for a few months.
Unlike four-day work weeks instituted at indie studios such as Kitfox Games or Young Horses, Game Freak’s four-day week comes with a pretty hefty catch. Working one less day per week will also constitute a 20% cut on that employee's salary since they’re now working 32-hour weeks instead of the full 40 hours.
Flexibility to take care of family is nice, but many game development studios have reporteಞd productivity remaining the same or even going up after instituting a four-day work week. And 🀅those four-dꦇay work weeks aren’t costing their employees a fifth of their paychecks.
Game Freak's announcement comes at a time strange time for Japanese developers. Major publishers like 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Bandai Namco, Capcom, and 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Koei Tecmo have all announced huge base pay bumps for their employees as they all try to retain employees and attract young talent. Game Freak's four-day work week might offer a certain flexibility that other Japanese developers lack, albeit at a price come payday.