Offices in Japan are installing "nap boxes" designed for staff to sleep standing up.

The bizarre sleep stations are aimed at white collar employees who are known for logging excruciatingly long hours.

Resembling a sleek water heater, the device supports workers' heads, knees and rears so that they will not fall over.

The creation came from two companies hoping to encourage a healthier office culture in Japan.

It came after a business matching event where furniture specialist Itoki met with plywood supplier Koyoju Gohan.

Itoki communications director Saeko Kawashima is confident it offers a healthier solution for those wanting to take a quick nap during the day.

Japan is known for its work culture
Japan is known for its work culture (
Image:
Getty Images)

"In Japan, there are a lot of people who will lock themselves up in the bathroom for a while which I don’t think is healthy," they told Bloomberg News.

"It’s better to sleep in a comfortable location."

Sleepiness on the job is so widespread that the country has the phrase "inemuri" which refers to those who sleep during the day in order to get through a long commute or full workday.

Japan has some of the longest working hours in the world.

Plans are underway for the new nap boxes to be installed in offices (
Image:
Getty Images)

One in four companies require employees to work more than 80 hours of overtime each month which is often unpaid, according to a 2016 government study.

Plans are underway for the new nap boxes to be installed in offices so that workers can take short power naps throughout the day.

Designers hope that the boxes will help address Japan's strict office culture.

"I think a lot of Japanese people tend to work continuously with no breaks," Kawashima said.

"We are hoping that companies can use this as a more flexible approach to resting.”

Pricing and availability is yet to be decided.

People poked fun at the nap boxes on Twitter on Friday.

"This is how we get people back to the office," one person joked.

"Capitalism always wins," another tweeted while another mocked "who sleeps like a bird?"

A fourth quipped: "People are not robots that can be placed in a charger. Just give them pods where they can lie down."

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