H☆Mさんの おぼえた日記 - 2018年4月29日(日)

[Workplace Trends] (4,5,6) -Lesson 2 / Business Communication in Action-

Grace: Employees are demanding flexibility because of the sheer demands of work and our always-on society.

Pearson: There's a potential downside to the blended workforce from an employer's point of view. Part-timers may be lacking in loyalty or motivation, and a temporary or short-term workforce needs to be continually retrained. There's also the risk of losing staff in the middle of important projects, as well as tension between permanent and part-time employees.

Grace: The challenge for HR managers is to get the best performance from such a workforce. They face a difficult balancing act. They need to make sure permanent staff feel appreciated and secure. But at the same time they have to find ways to motivate and create challenges for freelance workers.

Ueda: Tell me, Paul, what do you see as the key challenges when it comes to the changing work environment?

Pearson: Ensuring employees' physical and mental well-being, and helping them cope with the pressures of work. Many companies have wellness programs in place to reduce absenteeism, attract top talent and cut back on healthcare costs.

Grace: Companies that realize their employees are their most important resource are playing more attention to things like workplace stress.

Grace: Some authorities see stress as the biggest health issue that employees have to deal with.

Pearson: Yes, how to deal with stress has become a hot topic lately. People make light of being stressed out, but it's no laughing matter. Stress can lead to physical and mental health problems, reduces life expectancy, insomnia, absenteeism, inappropriate lifestyle and diet choices, and many other problems.

McMillan: Many companies are trying to create a more relaxing and healthier working environment.

Grace: One workplace trend likely to take off in the next few years is what's known as biophilic design, or how a given living or working environment incorporates natural elements. That includes things like air quality, aesthetic and acoustic design, optimal use of natural light and creating comfortable physical spaces in which to work. All of this can have a big influence on performance and overall well-being.

Pearson: Some companies are getting creative with their employee benefit packages and perks to increase loyalty and satisfaction. They're offering treats like free lunches or staff discounts at local eateries, sleeping pods and relaxation rooms, and yoga or meditation sessions at work.


★[The challenge for HR managers is to get the best performance from such a workforce.]
　人事担当マネジャーにとっての課題は、こうした従業員たちから最高の成果を引き出すことです。

★[They're offering treats like free lunches or staff discounts at local eateries, sleeping pods and relaxation rooms, and yoga or meditation sessions at work.]
　無料の昼食や近くの飲食店での社員割引、仮眠スペースや休憩室、職場でのヨガやめい想の教室などの特典を提供しているのです。


★[words and phrases]
-[sheer]まったくの/純粋な
-[potential downside]潜在的な欠点
-[from someone's point of view]…の観点からすれば
-[lack in-]…に欠ける
-[loyalty]愛社精神/忠誠心
-[retrain]再教育/再研修する
-[balancing act]互いに矛盾する状況を同時に処理しようとする試み
-[feel appreciated and secure]評価されていると感じて安心感を抱く
-[motivate and create challenges]やる気を起こさせてやりがいをつくり出す
-[ensure]確保する/確実なものにする
-[physical and mental well-being]心身の健康
-[have something in place]…を設ける/を整える
-[wellness program]健康維持ﾌﾟﾛｸﾞﾗﾑ
-[absenteeism]常習的な欠勤
-[cut back on-]=[reduce]=[decrease]…を削減する
-[resource]資源・資産
-[always-on society]常時ON/常に緊張している
-[to cope with-]うまく処理する/対抗する
-[HR manager]=[human Resources]人事担当ﾏﾈｰｼﾞｬｰ
　⇒[HRD]=[Human Resources Development]人材開発/企業研修
　--[personnel][Employee Relations]

-[make light of-]
-[no laughing matter]
-[life expectancy]
-[insomnia]
-[take off]
-[biophilic design]
-[incorporate]
-[aesthetic]
-[acoustic]
-[optimal]
-[perks]
-[treat]
-[eatery]
-[get creative]
-[sleeping pod]

[caregiver](子供や病人などの)世話をする人/介護者
-[daycare]保育園/託児所
-[venture out of doors]あえて外出する
-[humidifier]加湿器