Japanese Railway to Workers: Do You Pass the Smile Test?
Travel Blog • Jim Benning • 07.08.09 | 11:16 AM ET
Photo by I can’t count the number of times European friends and visitors to the U.S. have remarked on American workers’ penchant for wishing them a “nice day” after they make a purchase or eat a meal—wishes almost always delivered with a big smile. To Europeans I’ve met, that American custom was always regarded as either quaint or kooky or both.
I wonder what they would make of this bit of news about a Japanese railway company trying to improve customers’ experiences: Keihin Electric Express Railway Co. has begun using a scanner to assess the smiles of its employees.
From the story:
The device analyzes the facial characteristics of a person, including eye movements, lip curves and wrinkles, and rates a smile on a scale between 0 and 100 percent using a camera and computer.
Employees will be required to scan their smiles before work each day and carry around a photo of their brightest smile so they can try to repeat it. (Via FP Blog)
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Jim Benning is the editor and co-founder of World Hum.
Jennifer 07.08.09 | 12:15 PM ET
This sounds like a brilliant idea! I’m sure it will work splendidly! Will employees also be required to carry a small mirror with them so that they can compare the picture of their scanned smiles with the smiles they will try to replicate throughout the day? If employees weren’t happy enough to smile before, I doubt this new policy will make them any happier!
Grizzly Bear Mom 07.08.09 | 2:47 PM ET
Yes but hte Japnanese are different. They sing company songs and exercise as a corporation. I can already see the President of Toyota marching his employees out and giving the command “Ready-Smile!”
Melinda 07.09.09 | 11:03 PM ET
My first reaction is to recoil…but I’ve heard that forcing yourself to smile can actually have a positive influence on your mood. Who knows, maybe they’re onto something?
As an American with an ambivalent attitude toward work, who now lives in Japan, I doubt if I could pull it off myself. All I can do is pray that the practice doesn’t spread.
Simple Peter 07.12.09 | 11:26 AM ET
Anyone who can’t see the full horror of this idea needs to be kept away from technology.
Kevin 07.27.09 | 5:21 AM ET
Wow, I have to really think about this. Forced smiling doesn’t necessarily seem like a good idea and in fact, a “faked” smile can have the opposite of its intended effect. It would probably be a better idea to truly give the workers something to smile about instead of requiring them to smile.