Japanese store deploys remote workers as convenience store clerks for graveyard shifts

Lawson uses remote workers with avatars for Japanese graveyard shifts.

: Lawson hires remote workers from abroad to operate avatar clerks for late shifts in Japan. The system, aided by time differences, involves operators controlling avatars via cameras during hours convenient in their timezone. Initiated this month, it involves workers like a Japanese national in Sweden managing shifts in Tokyo and Osaka. Lawson plans to extend to more zones, addressing Japan's labor shortages.

Lawson, a Japanese convenience store chain, addresses a national labor shortage by hiring remote workers to manage graveyard shifts. These workers, located overseas, operate avatar clerks in stores through a video call-like interaction, bringing a novel solution to staffing issues.

The approach utilizes time zone differences to orchestrate operations conveniently. For instance, a Japanese national living in Sweden covers late shifts in Japan during his working hours, contributing to productivity in Lawson stores across major cities like Tokyo and Osaka.

Lawson President Sadanobu Takemasu plans to expand this system to other time zones, using technology developed by Avita. Early implementations in 28 stores have shown positive results, saving 90 minutes of staffing per store daily, though 37.5% of store operators anticipate further staffing challenges.

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