Apparently an ad for a human resources agency in Japan, this charming pixel-art history of what the middle class there's been up to for the last century has some great details hidden in its relaxing vibe. Is that a Canon Typestar, from the 1980s? And how about that shining white light from above in the 1940s, while everyone walks in step. The posing of "people working in public cafes" as a 2010s signifier is interesting, too: something that was normal and pervasive suddenly consigned to an earlier time.
It's been almost 100 years since the "salaryman" type of office worker first appeared in Japan back in the 1920s. As our society faces a major turning point, SmartHR decided to create a brand film to reflect upon how work styles have changed with time over the past century. We hope that by looking back on history, we inspire people to think about how they want to work going forward. ▼To learn more about each scene, visit our special brand film website Hataraku no hyakunenshi [A Century of Work] (available only in Japanese) https://100years-movie.smarthr.jp
