A Look Back at Quirky and Heartwarming 2022 Workplace Stories

​Whether it was landing a job getting paid to do nothing, surprising a beloved grocery bagger with an emotional sendoff or delivering a baby at work (despite not being a medical professional or working at a hospital), 2022 had its share of unusual and uplifting happenings in the workplace. 

Dream Job: The Japanese Man Who Gets Paid to Do Nothing

Shoji Morimoto has what some would see as a dream job: He gets paid to do pretty much nothing.

The 38-year-old Tokyo resident charges 10,000 yen ($71) per booking to accompany clients and simply exist as a companion. It's how he supports himself, a wife and child.

"Basically, I rent myself out. My job is to be wherever my clients want me to be and to do nothing in particular," Morimoto told Reuters.

His job has taken him to a park with a person who wanted to play on a seesaw, he's beamed and waved through a train window at a complete stranger who wanted a send-off, and he shared tea and cakes with a 27-year-old data analyst who wanted to wear her sari in public but was worried doing so with her friends would embarrass them.
(Times of India)                                                                                                       

Mattress Company Casper Hires Professional Nappers

At mattress company Casper, sleeping on the job is encouraged. 

Earlier this year, the company was looking to hire someone part time with "exceptional sleeping ability" to demonstrate to the public and social media universe how easy it is to achieve restful sleep on Casper mattresses, according to a job listing on the company's website. 

Duties included sleeping in Casper stores as well as in "unexpected settings out in the world." While awake, the successful candidate was expected to share their sleeping experience on different social media platforms. 

Among the special skills for the job, Casper sought someone who can sleep anytime, anywhere. The candidate must also want to sleep "as much as possible" and be able to "sleep through anything." Wearing pajamas to work not an issue.
(CBS News)                                                                     

Not Just Fast Food; Baby Comes Quickly at Atlanta McDonald's

McDonald's employees sprang into action in November, helping deliver Nandi Ariyah Moremi Phillips—who the fast-food crew nicknamed "Little Nugget."

Alandria Worthy's labor was intensifying, and she was on her way to the hospital when she and her fiancé stopped at McDonald's to use the bathroom.

"I went into the bathroom and my water broke immediately," she said. Worthy started screaming, and restaurant manager Tunisia Woodward went to investigate and found Worthy lying back on the toilet. Woodward said, "Then I knew to tell my crew, 'We're having a baby today.' "

She and two other female employees helped Worthy's fiancé deliver the baby. The franchise manager awarded the employees $250 gift cards; Woodward said she plans to spend it on the Little Nugget.
(Associated Press) 

Ditch the Necktie to Conserve Energy

Over the summer, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez asked government officials and people working in the private sector to save energy by giving up wearing neckties at work.

Appearing at a news conference in Madrid in an open-necked white shirt and blue jacket, Sanchez explained he had dressed less formally, not as a nod to the casual Friday custom, but to curb utility use—presumably air conditioning, though he did not spell that out.

Spain experienced sweltering temperatures for more than a month; parts of the country often surpassed 104 degrees Fahrenheit, the Associated Press reported July 29. The government urged people to reduce electricity costs by not overusing air conditioning.
(Associated Press) 

U.S. Woman Sends Resume on Cake to Nike

Karly Pavlinac Blackburn of North Carolina had set her mind on a job at Nike. On the suggestion of a friend, Blackburn decided that instead of sending in her resume the traditional way, she would send it on a cake to the Nike World Headquarters in Oregon.

She reportedly managed to get one foot through the door thanks to her innovative approach and has "talked to some people at Nike" about a position in hospitality or administration. As for Denise Baldwin—the Instacart delivery driver who assisted Blackburn with the cake delivery—she has developed a mentorship with Blackburn and has hopes of working at Nike, too, potentially in hospitality or administration.
(Today)

Founder Gives Away the Company

Rather than selling outdoor apparel company Patagonia or taking it public, founder Yvon Chouinard, his wife and two adult children transferred their ownership to a specially designed trust and a nonprofit organization.

The Patagonia Purpose Trust and nonprofit Holdfast Collective were created to preserve the company's independence and ensure that all of its profits—around $100 million a year—are used to combat climate change and protect undeveloped land around the globe. The company is valued at about $3 billion.

Because the Chouinards donated their shares to a trust, the family will pay about $17.5 million in taxes on the gift.
(The New York Times) 

Sushi Chef Learns ASL for Deaf Couple

One couple who dined at an upscale restaurant in Dallas found out what it really means to receive top-shelf service and where accessibility equals hospitality.

Victor and Melissa Keomoungkhoun, who are deaf, are used to communicating with restaurant staff using their voices along with American Sign Language (ASL) and showing texts on their phones—or hand-writing out—menu items they want to order.

Upon snagging a hard-to-get reservation at Tatsu Dallas, where servers explain the omakase tasting menu verbally for a more intimate dining experience, the couple advised the restaurant ahead of their reservation that they were deaf.

It sent them a menu, noting that a more detailed menu would be provided the night of their reservation. When they arrived, a staff member greeted them using ASL, and they were amazed to find out that the chef had learned how to sign the entire tasting menu.

"Customers like my husband and I are used to accommodating the staff's preferred communications at the restaurant, shops, hotels, etc.," Melissa Keomoungkhoun said. "It's really nice to see people being aware and posting positive responses about learning ASL in the hospitality industry—to create human connection through language."
(Yahoo) 

North Carolina Community Raises More Than $31,000 for Beloved Harris Teeter Bagger

When Harris Teeter customers in Raleigh, N.C., learned beloved employee Tim McCloud was leaving the store where he had bagged groceries for 23 years, hundreds of customers surprised him with an emotional sendoff that included a check for more than $31,000.

Customer Julie Cavenis cried when he told her he was transferring to a Harris Teeter closer to his home, reducing his commute from 45 minutes to nine minutes.

She started a GoFundMe campaign for the man who has become her friend and "part-time therapist," who has seen her children grow up, and with whom she's shared her worries and cares. Her goal was to raise $1,000 from customers to show their appreciation for McCloud. They met that goal in less than an hour, and the contributions continued to roll in.

"He's legendary here," showing up every day with a smile and positive attitude, Cavenis said. "I don't think he even knows it; that's what makes it so beautiful, that he does not have a clue what a great impact he's had within our community."
(Southern Living)