[Remote Work / Avoiding the Three Cs] No Need to Go to the Office Just to Stamp a Hanko Seal

This time, I'm talking about “hanko processing,” the stamping of personal seals, a major enemy of remote work.

Watch this video, and you'll no longer be forced into pointless trips to the office.

Going to the Office for a Seal During a State of Emergency…

One thing the news coverage during COVID made clear is that Japanese society is far less digitized than anyone imagined.

In fact, it emerged that the Tokyo Metropolitan Government was using fax machines to tally infection data: a situation that was no laughing matter, urging companies to adopt remote work while being completely unable to do so itself.

Meanwhile, it was reported that even at companies working remotely during the state of emergency, people were sometimes forced to come into the office. The reason: “because I have to stamp a seal.”

The essential function of a seal is to signal “final intent to approve” an internal request, and there are all sorts of alternatives, yet still treating the seal as something unique and absolute is downright comical.

How to Complete Internal Approvals Safely, Quickly, and Reliably

Is there a way to efficiently avoid seal-stamping procedures and complete internal approvals safely, quickly, and reliably?

My proposal is to leave a signature using an iPad and Apple Pencil.

Wouldn't that do the job?

Overseas, a signature is evidence on par with a seal. In fact, the credit cards we use every day are transacted with signatures.

Even organizations wary of going fully digital might find this easier to adopt, don't you think?

But Beware of Misguided Digitization…

There are also ways to “stamp a seal online,” but I can't shake the feeling that it's a pointless solution, so I don't really recommend it.

As this shows, remote work isn't about introducing a particular tool; when ideas and consensus come alive, problems can be solved well.

If your company can't come up with approaches like this on its own, you can also get support from a remote work promotion center or a company that helps businesses adopt remote work.

We also provide consulting on remote work rules and management, so if you're interested, check the section below the video.