‘Smiling at work’ is harassment, Japanese survey reveals

JAPAN: A new poll initiated by Helpfeel Inc. that was featured in a recent HRD Asia article prompted debates about the limits of customer service, primarily on the expectations placed on customer service workers. The study, which polled 1,070 people all over Japan, aimed to detect which customer service set-ups do people consider as harassment. A prominent finding came out – 45% of respondents saw the slogan “smile please” directed at store staff as a type of harassment.

According to a Helpfeel insider, many of the respondents feel that maintaining a specific “customer service face” creates unwarranted pressure. The conclusions of the census echoed the company’s past survey, which found that asking crew members to be more agreeable and courteous was also seen as harassment.

McDonald’s Japan

The shifting landscape of customer service outlooks is most noticeable in McDonald’s Japan, where it has recently “fixed” its famous “Work with a Smile” strategy. Once a trademark of the McDonald’s customer service tactic, the “smile directive” is no longer in use. Reacting to criticisms, largely from the millennials and Gen Z customers, McDonald’s Japan substituted its earlier motto with “Work with your Style”.

To better address the issue, McDonald’s teamed up with TBWA\HAKUHODO, an advertising agency, and Ano, a music group, and initiated a campaign that emphasises the diversity of working styles within the company. The drive presented a song that depicted the actual moods and states of mind of McDonald’s staff members, motioning a change in the company’s strategy to customer service. Through the new campaign, the fast-food giant is saying that McDonald’s is no longer a place where “smiling is compulsory”, but rather a venue that embraces an extensive assortment of expressions, knowing that each employee has their distinctive style.

The effect of the alteration made was substantial. Using the new marketing initiative, the number of job applicants surged to more than a hundred per cent, which led to over a hundred thousand new hires. This change in strategy not only enticed more job aspirants, principally from Gen Z, but also aided in shaping the notion of customer service, highlighting the welfare and happiness of its workforce as a major element of the company’s individuality.

At a time when employee satisfaction is progressively associated with customer approval, McDonald’s Japan’s shift in strategy can be viewed as a trailblazer for other establishments to emulate when they reassess their approach to service standards. As customer service outlooks keep evolving, businesses that prioritise the well-being of their workers will be the ones that will succeed in the future.