Business uses monkeys as employees
October 8, 2008 by Fred HosierPosted in: In this week's e-newsletter, Latest News & Views, That's how they do it in ______
After training two monkeys to do some human work, a business in Japan is looking to add three more to its staff.
The Kayabukiya sake house, north of Tokyo, has trained two macaques named Yat-chan and Fuku-chan to serve its customers.
Fuku-chan hands out hot towels to customers, a custom in sake houses.
Some customers say Yat-chan appears to understand their exact orders.
“We called out for more beer just then and it brought us some beer,” one customer told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. “It’s amazing how it seems to understand human words.”
“The monkeys are actually better waiters than some really bad human ones,” said another customer.
Tavern owner, Kaoru Otsuka, said one of the monkeys began to imitate him doing work, and that’s when he realized he could train them as waiters.
Otsuka has received three new baby monkeys and hopes to add them as waiters.
You can see a photo and a video of one of the macaque monkeys at work here.
This story involves a nontraditional use of animals in the workplace. Of course, there are more traditional uses we’re all somewhat familiar with: dogs work with police and help guide those with vision impairments.
Can you imagine working with animals at your company? Let us know in the Comments Box below.
Tags: Japan, monkey, sake house
October 8th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
That is a really great idea. From a strategic standpoint, if you are not paying them wages it is almost like using an automated machine in a factory to replace a human. Would it ever evolve to a point that we’d need labor laws for let’s say a monkey?
October 9th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
We call them executives.
October 9th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
But on a serious note, you have health issues, OSHA problems, housing, feeding, etc…
October 9th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
Save for allergic folks, animals in an office setting doesn’t sound too awful. But putting animals into a food service environment has scarier possibilities. While one might train animals to deliver food, wouldn’t the possibility of contagious disease or hair or (shudder) slobber be a bit off-putting to customers? Health department, anyone?
October 10th, 2008 at 9:33 am
I’m pretty sure OSHA has no authority in Japan, Jim!
October 10th, 2008 at 10:22 am
Can you honestly say you don’t worry about human waiters with contagious diseases, hair, or slobber. The monkeys may actually be cleaner and healthy than some.
October 10th, 2008 at 10:23 am
Just meant it would be a problem here…
October 10th, 2008 at 11:10 am
If we could get them a drivers license, I’d hire them!
October 10th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
I can just hear the monkey jokes beginning…but then who is the joke on?
October 10th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Let’s put them on the compensation committee for AIG and other Corporate Boards. May see some improvement.
October 10th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
I thought I was already working with a bunch of monkeys.
October 10th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
They already are Joy
October 10th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Animals in the food service? I just wonder if they call in sick do they get cooked as the daily special?
October 10th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Do I hear a prequel to The Planet of the Apes coming on?