Mop this way: Lady Gaga clocks in at FamilyMart to lure Japan’s part-timers

TOKYO – Lady Gaga is helping Japan fight its labour shortage, one convenience-store shift at a time.

The American pop star shelves snacks, mops floors and runs the register in a new recruitment video for FamilyMart.

The campaign is part of a push by the Japanese brand to attract more part-time workers by giving them greater freedom to express their individual personalities at work.

Companies have been relying on foreign hires to counter Japan’s persistent labour shortage.

Convenience stores, or konbini as they are known in the country, have so far been relatively strict about work appearances, which can deter younger applicants.

FamilyMart, which competes with 7-Eleven and Lawson, is now loosening its workplace rules, allowing different hair colours and letting staff style their uniforms according to personal tastes and beliefs.

The push is to ensure that “staff from diverse backgrounds, including age and nationality, can work vibrantly”, the company says on its website.

In the 30-second video, Lady Gaga pairs what looks like the convenience store’s classic striped socks with white platform heels and a black leather dress. At the end of the clip, she is seen walking up to the camera and asking in Japanese: “Want to work at FamilyMart?” BLOOMBERG