In this programme we’re going to be talking about the world of work.
在这个节目中，我们将讨论工作世界。
Neil(尼尔)
Ah yes, travelling to an office five days a week, sitting at a desk all day, and then going home.
啊，是的，每周五天去办公室，整天坐在办公桌前，然后回家。
Georgina(乔治娜)
Neil, it’s not always like that. Office work doesn’t have to be such a routine – the usual, fixed way of doing things – it is much more flexible these days.
That’s true. During the pandemic, we’ve all had to have a more flexible approach to work.
这是真的。在大流行期间，我们都必须采用更灵活的工作方式。
Georgina(乔治娜)
Yes, we have. And it has, perhaps, changed our attitude to working flexibly. But even before coronavirus, there was an opportunity to work flexibly, and we’ll be discussing that soon.
But there’s one thing that can’t be changed and that’s you setting a quiz question for me!
但有一件事是无法改变的，那就是你为我设置了一个测验问题！
Georgina(乔治娜)
Ah yes, I hadn’t forgotten. So, Neil, I know you work very hard. But according to data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development – the OECD – workers from which country work the longest hours? Is it… a) South Korea; b) Germany, or c) Mexico?
啊，是的，我没有忘记。所以，尼尔，我知道你工作很努力。但根据经济合作与发展组织 墨西哥？
Neil(尼尔)
Well, as I’m not on the list, let’s go for c) Mexico.
好吧，因为我不在名单上，让我们去 c） 墨西哥。
Georgina(乔治娜)
OK, Neil, we’ll find out if that’s right at the end of the programme. But let’s talk more about flexible working now. Different countries have different laws about working flexibly – but here in the UK, for last 14 years, employees – workers – have had the right to request flexible working.
But what does it mean to work flexibly? Sarah Jackson is a workplace consultant and visiting professor at Cranfield University School of Management. She spoke to BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour programme about what it means exactly …
但是，灵活工作意味着什么？莎拉·杰克逊是克兰菲尔德大学管理学院的工作场所顾问和客座教授。她接受了 BBC Radio 4 的 Woman's Hour 节目的采访，谈到了它到底意味着什么......
Sarah Jackson, workplace consultant(莎拉·杰克逊，工作场所顾问)
Because of the pandemic, now everybody thinks flexible working means working from home - it doesn't, it's about common sense, what does the job need in terms of when where, how long, and what do you need and what does your family need - and how do the two match? So, flexibility really means having choice and control over when, where and how long you work, and agreeing that with your manager.
So, flexible working is not just working from home – something we’ve got used to during the pandemic. It is about common sense – using our judgement to make sensible decisions.
So, requesting to work for two hours a day is not sensible – but being able to work from 12 until 8 instead of 9 to 5 might be. Of course, this depends on the needs of the business. And as Sarah said, you need to match your needs with that of the business. Match here means to work equally on both sides.
因此，要求每天工作两个小时是不明智的 —— 但能够从 12 点工作到 8 点而不是朝九晚五可能是明智的。当然，这取决于业务的需求。正如 Sarah 所说，您需要将自己的需求与业务需求相匹配。这里的匹配意味着双方平等地工作。
Georgina(乔治娜)
Getting the working conditions that suit you does require some negotiation with your manager. You need agreement from him or her – and that can be difficult if your manager is inflexible – not willing to change.
But of course, in the UK at least, an employee has a right to request flexible working, and this must be considered by the employer. This law initially was just for parents with a child younger than 6 years old – or a disabled child less than 18.
Sarah Jackson, workplace consultant(莎拉·杰克逊，工作场所顾问)
Men, when they do ask, are more likely to be turned down, so there's a real bias there in the system and the most important thing that needs to happen here, I think, is for employers to really actively say to their men, 'we know you want to be active fathers' - because there's a whole generation of young men who do want to be active fathers - 'please use the right to request flexible working, work flexibly if you can’ because until men are enabled to be active fathers, we won't get equality at home and we certainly won't get equality in the workplace either.
OK, so men are more likely to have their request turned down – or rejected. And Sarah says there is a bias in the system – unfairness, treating one group of people more favourably than another.
And this is unfair because it can prevent some men being active fathers – actually being involved with childcare. But having more active fathers can lead to equality – or fairness – at home and in the workplace.
It sounds like something that needs to be looked at. But now, Neil, let’s get the answer to my question: According to official data, in which country do workers work the longest hours?
Which is correct, well done! According to the OECD, the average Mexican spends 2,255 hours at work per year – the equivalent of around 43 hours per week. Germans, on the other hand, clock up the fewest hours.
Well, my working day is nearly over, so let’s just recap some of the vocabulary we’ve discussed. Starting with routine – the usual, fixed way of doing things.
Common sense is our judgement to make sensible decisions.
常识是我们做出明智决定的判断。
Neil(尼尔)
When you need something to match it has to work equally on both sides.
当你需要一些东西来匹配时，它必须在两边平等地工作。
Georgina(乔治娜)
And when someone is inflexible, they are unwilling to change – sometimes we say they won’t budge!
当一个人不灵活时，他们不愿意改变 —— 有时我们说他们不会让步！
Neil(尼尔)
Bias is unfairness, treating one group of people more favourably than another. And being active with something means being involved with it.
偏见是不公平的，对待一群人比另一群人更有利。积极地参与某事意味着参与其中。
Georgina(乔治娜)
Well, there’s no flexibility in our 6 minutes so we’re out of time. We have plenty more 6 Minute English programmes to enjoy on our website at bbclearningenglish.com. And check us out on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Don't forget that we have an app too, which you can download for free from the app stores. We help you learn English on the move! Grammar, vocabulary, and interesting topics – we have them all!
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