A Japanese tech company specialising in web and app design, Qnote, has gained attention in Japan for its unique office environment featuring 10 feline “employees” alongside 32 human staff members.
The company adopted its first cat, Futaba, in 2004 and has since expanded its feline workforce, as reported by South China Morning Post.
The presence of cats has become a notable aspect of the company culture as the company lists “loving cats” as a top prerequisite for job applicants and features cat elements in their branding, including their logo.
Qnote even assigned office roles to the cats, including “chief clerk,“ “manager,“ “auditor,“ and “chaircat.”
To accommodate its feline staff, the company renovated the second and third floors of their four-storey building in 2020, including 12 cat toilets, cat shelves, and scratch-resistant wall paint.
A cat named Futaba at 20-years-old, serves as the chaircat, a role that surpasses the company’s leader, Nobuyuki Tsuruta, in rank.
Nobuyuki explained that employees know that cats might disrupt their work, but they welcome this interruption because it encourages them to take breaks.
He also added that the cats have “helped people bond” and provide insights for managers about team dynamics.
Qnote reported that the cats have also helped reduce employee turnover and attract new staff and in return, employees voluntarily care for the cats, including litter box maintenance and feeding when the office is closed.
