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什么是好的办公室福利？(上)
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当企业勒紧裤腰带时，他们首先考虑的是可自行决定的支出。Meta去年取消了为员工提供的免费洗衣服务。今年1月，谷歌宣布了一轮裁员，其中包括27名公司内部按摩治疗师。
双语精读
What makes a good office perk?
什么是好的办公室福利？
When companies tighten their belts, they look first to discretionary spending. Meta got rid of free laundry for its workers last year. In January Google announced a round of lay-offs that included 27 in-house massage therapists.
当企业勒紧裤腰带时，他们首先考虑的是可自行决定的支出。Meta去年取消了为员工提供的免费洗衣服务。今年1月，谷歌宣布了一轮裁员，其中包括27名公司内部按摩治疗师。
Salesforce, another tech firm, has axed its contract with a Californian "wellness retreat", where employees would have done God-knows-what with each other. The chopping of such benefits has been christened the "perkcession".
另一家科技公司Salesforce已经取消了与加州一家"健康疗养地"的合同，天知道员工在那里干什么。这种砍掉福利的做法被命名为"福利衰退"。
But just as perks get cut in bad times, so they return in the good. Eventually you can expect to read articles about a "perkcovery". What makes a good perk?
但就像福利在不景气的时候会被削减一样，等日子好过了，福利又会回来。终有一天，你可以读到关于"福利回归"的文章。什么才是好的福利呢？
Dispensability is part of the point. This is not like a salary or a health-care plan; if it cannot be cut, it is not a perk. Views on what counts as a discretionary benefit can shift over time.
其中一点是福利是可有可无的。福利不同于工资或医保，如果是不能免去的，那就不算福利。对于什么是自行决定的福利，人们的观点可能会随着时间的推移而改变。
Before the pandemic being allowed to work from home every so often was seen as a perk. Anyone who still describes it that way has failed to grasp how much the world has changed for white-collar workers.
在疫情之前，允许偶尔居家办公被视为一种福利。如果有人仍然这样描述居家办公，那么这个人就没有意识到，对于白领来说，世界已经发生了多大的变化。
By the same token many of the perks that are now being cut were designed for a pre-pandemic world of long weeks in full offices. Last month Google warned that services at snack bars and cafeterias were being reviewed because attendance patterns had changed.
出于同样的原因，现在被砍掉的许多福利都是为疫情前的工作情况设计的：满满当当的办公室和漫长的工作周。上个月，谷歌警告称正在重新审视小吃餐吧和食堂的服务，因为员工出勤模式发生了变化。
Working out which perks are valuable to workers is hard. Asking employees may not always yield good answers.
要弄清哪些福利对员工来说是有价值的并不容易。询问员工可能并不能总是得到好的答案。
A poll conducted last year for Trusaic, a software firm, asked American workers what perks they would like to see introduced: the top answer was hangover leave.
去年为软件公司特鲁萨克进行的一项民意调查询问了美国员工，他们希望看到推出什么福利：排名第一的是宿醉假。
Perks that sound great in theory may not work out that well in practice. Several firms, Goldman Sachs and Netflix among them, tout the fact that they offer members of staff unlimited holidays.
理论上听起来很棒的福利在实践中可能效果不会那么好。包括高盛和网飞在内的几家公司吹嘘说，他们为员工提供无限制的假期。
But other companies have abandoned the policy because the absence of clear rules leaves employees unsure how much time they can really take off; some take less than they did under a fixed allocation of vacation days.
但其他公司已经放弃了这项政策，因为没有明确的规定，员工就不确定他们真正可以休息多长时间，有些人比之前有固定假期时休假更少了。
词汇预习
shift [高考]
美[ʃɪft] | 英[ʃɪft]
v. 移动；改变；换挡；字型转换 n. 轮班；变化；移动；计谋；轮班职工
unlimited [高考]
美[ʌnˈlɪmɪtɪd] | 英[ʌnˈlɪmɪtɪd]
adj. (数或量)极大的；无限的；不受限制的
poll [高考]
美[poʊl] | 英[pəʊl]
n. 民意测验；投票；票数 v. 做民意测验；获得 ... 票
tighten [高考]
美[ˈtaɪtn] | 英[ˈtaɪtn]
vt. 使紧；勒紧；固定 vi. 变紧
attendance [高考]
美[əˈtendəns] | 英[əˈtendəns]
n. 出席；出席人数；出席率
theory [高考]
美[ˈθiːəri] | 英[ˈθɪəri]
n. 学说；理论；原理；意见
salary [高考]
美[ˈsæləri] | 英[ˈsæləri]
n. 薪水 v. 给 ... 薪水
software [高考]
美[ˈsɔːftwer] | 英[ˈsɒftweə(r)]
n. 软件
laundry [高考]
美[ˈlɑːndri] | 英[ˈlɔːndri]
n. 洗衣店；洗衣；要洗的衣服
grasp [高考]
美[ɡræsp] | 英[ɡrɑːsp]
n. 把握；领会；抓紧 vt. 领会；抓住；紧握
absence [高考]
美[ˈæbsəns] | 英[ˈæbsəns]
n. 缺席；缺乏
collar [高考]
美[ˈkɑːlər] | 英[ˈkɒlə(r)]
n. 衣领；项圈；[机]轴环 vt. 抓住；为 ... 戴上项圈；为 ... 上领子
in practice [高考]
美[ɪn 'præktɪs] | 英[ɪn 'præktɪs]
在实践中； 在不断练习中； 实际上
retreat [高考]
美[rɪˈtriːt] | 英[rɪˈtriːt]
n. 撤退；改变；隐居处 v. 撤退；改变；退避；缩回象棋的棋子
token [高考]
美[ˈtoʊkən] | 英[ˈtəʊkən]
n. 象征；标志；纪念品；代币；代价券；[语言学]语言符号 adj. 象征性的；装样子的
yield [高考]
美[jiːld] | 英[jiːld]
v. 生产；获利；屈服；弯下去 n. 投资收益；生产量
where [高考]
美[wer] | 英[weə(r)]
adv. 在哪里；在那个地方 conj. 在 ... 地方
would [高考]
美[wʊd , wəd] | 英[wʊd , wəd]
aux. 将；可能；大概；总会；愿意；will的过去式
unsure [四级]
美[ˌʌnˈʃʊr] | 英[ˌʌnˈʃʊə(r)]
adj. 不肯定的；不确定的；没有自信的
tech [四级]
美[tek] | 英[tek]
n. 技术学校；技术；技术人员
massage [四级]
美[məˈsɑːʒ] | 英[ˈmæsɑːʒ]
n. 按摩 v. 按摩；用...揉擦；美化（事实）；虚报（数量）
fixed [四级]
美[fɪkst] | 英[fɪkst]
adj. 固定的；不变的；确定的
white-collar [六级]
美[ˌwaɪt ˈkɑːlər] | 英[ˌwaɪt ˈkɒlə(r)]
adj. 白领阶层的
health-care [六级]
美[ker] | 英[helθ]
n. 卫生保健 adj. 健康保健的
in full [六级]
美[ɪn fʊl] | 英[ɪn fʊl]
全部地, 不省略地
perk [专八]
美[pɜːrk] | 英[pɜːk]
v. （使）振作；打扮；竖起 vi. 滤煮 n. 额外津贴；特权；利益
tout [专八]
美[taʊt] | 英[taʊt]
v. 兜售；高价卖；刺探；吹捧 n. 贩子
hangover [专八]
美[ˈhæŋoʊvər] | 英[ˈhæŋəʊvə(r)]
n. 残留物；遗物；宿醉
allocation [考研]
美[ˌæləˈkeɪʃn] | 英[ˌæləˈkeɪʃn]
n. 分配；配置；安置
God [考研]
美[ɡɑːd] | 英[ɡɒd]
n. 神；偶像；(复数)[英]剧院顶层楼座的观众；(大写)上帝 int. 天呐
less than [雅思]
美[les ðən] | 英[les ðən]
不到； 少于
重点讲解
What makes a good office perk?
什么是好的办公室福利？
perk n. & v.
1. 作名词：（工资之外的）补贴，额外福利
【例】Perks offered by the firm include a car and free health insurance.
公司给予的额外待遇包括一辆汽车和免费健康保险。
2. 作动词
（1）使活跃、振作
【例】He soon perked up when his friends arrived.
朋友一来他就精神起来了。
（2）增加；使有趣
【例】A little chili will perk up the sauce.
加一点辣椒，这酱汁就更有味了。
get rid of
1. 丢弃、毁掉某物
【例】It’s time we got rid of all these old toys.
我们该把这些旧玩具全部丢掉了。
2. 摆脱、除去某物
【例】He opened the windows to get rid of the smell.
他打开窗户把气味散出去。
3. 赶走某人
【例】Try and get rid of your visitors before I get there.
在我到达之前，想办法把你的客人打发走。
lay-off n. （因工作不多而导致的）临时解雇，裁员
【例】more lay-offs in the car industry
汽车行业更多的裁员
【拓展】lay off
1. 停止，别再打扰
【例】Lay off bullying Jack.
别再欺负杰克。
2. （因为没有活干而）解雇
【例】The company laid off 250 workers in December.
公司在12月份解雇了250名工人。
When companies tighten their belts, they look first to discretionary spending. Meta got rid of free laundry for its workers last year. In January Google announced a round of lay-offs that included 27 in-house massage therapists.
当企业勒紧裤腰带时，他们首先考虑的是可自行决定的支出。Meta去年取消了为员工提供的免费洗衣服务。今年1月，谷歌宣布了一轮裁员，其中包括27名公司内部按摩治疗师。
perk n. & v.
1. 作名词：（工资之外的）补贴，额外福利
【例】Perks offered by the firm include a car and free health insurance.
公司给予的额外待遇包括一辆汽车和免费健康保险。
2. 作动词
（1）使活跃、振作
【例】He soon perked up when his friends arrived.
朋友一来他就精神起来了。
（2）增加；使有趣
【例】A little chili will perk up the sauce.
加一点辣椒，这酱汁就更有味了。
get rid of
1. 丢弃、毁掉某物
【例】It’s time we got rid of all these old toys.
我们该把这些旧玩具全部丢掉了。
2. 摆脱、除去某物
【例】He opened the windows to get rid of the smell.
他打开窗户把气味散出去。
3. 赶走某人
【例】Try and get rid of your visitors before I get there.
在我到达之前，想办法把你的客人打发走。
lay-off n. （因工作不多而导致的）临时解雇，裁员
【例】more lay-offs in the car industry
汽车行业更多的裁员
【拓展】lay off
1. 停止，别再打扰
【例】Lay off bullying Jack.
别再欺负杰克。
2. （因为没有活干而）解雇
【例】The company laid off 250 workers in December.
公司在12月份解雇了250名工人。
Salesforce, another tech firm, has axed its contract with a Californian "wellness retreat", where employees would have done God-knows-what with each other. The chopping of such benefits has been christened the "perkcession".
另一家科技公司Salesforce已经取消了与加州一家"健康疗养地"的合同，天知道员工在那里干什么。这种砍掉福利的做法被命名为"福利衰退"。
axe v. & n.
1. 作动词
（1）精简（机构）；大量削减（经费）
【例】Other less profitable services are to be axed later this year.
其他盈利较少的服务预计今年稍晚将被大量削减。
（2）解雇，开除
【例】Jones has been axed from the team.
琼斯已被开除出队。
2. 作名词
（1）（遭）解雇；倒闭
【例】Patients are delighted their local hospital has been saved from the axe.
病人高兴的是当地医院得以免遭关闭。
（2）斧子
【例】He hacked the box apart with the ax.
他用斧头把盒子劈开
retreat v. & n.
1. 作动词
（1）退却；撤退
【例】The army was forced to retreat after suffering heavy losses.
部队因伤亡惨重被迫撤退。
（2）取消，撤回
【例】The Canadian government has retreated from a plan to kill 300 wolves.
加拿大政府取消了要杀死300头狼的计划。
2. 作名词
（1）僻静处；静养所
【例】a country retreat
乡间隐居所
（2）〔立场的〕改变，放弃
【例】a retreat from hard-line policies
放弃强硬政策
（3）撤退，后退
【例】Ten thousand years ago the ice began its retreat from Scotland.
一万年以前，冰开始从苏格兰消退。
christen v.
1. 给…施洗
【例】Did you have your children christened?
你的孩子都受洗了吗？
2. 给…取名（或命名）
【例】His fans christened him the king of rock.
他的歌迷称他为摇滚歌王。
But just as perks get cut in bad times, so they return in the good. Eventually you can expect to read articles about a "perkcovery". What makes a good perk?
但就像福利在不景气的时候会被削减一样，等日子好过了，福利又会回来。终有一天，你可以读到关于"福利回归"的文章。什么才是好的福利呢？
axe v. & n.
1. 作动词
（1）精简（机构）；大量削减（经费）
【例】Other less profitable services are to be axed later this year.
其他盈利较少的服务预计今年稍晚将被大量削减。
（2）解雇，开除
【例】Jones has been axed from the team.
琼斯已被开除出队。
2. 作名词
（1）（遭）解雇；倒闭
【例】Patients are delighted their local hospital has been saved from the axe.
病人高兴的是当地医院得以免遭关闭。
（2）斧子
【例】He hacked the box apart with the ax.
他用斧头把盒子劈开
retreat v. & n.
1. 作动词
（1）退却；撤退
【例】The army was forced to retreat after suffering heavy losses.
部队因伤亡惨重被迫撤退。
（2）取消，撤回
【例】The Canadian government has retreated from a plan to kill 300 wolves.
加拿大政府取消了要杀死300头狼的计划。
2. 作名词
（1）僻静处；静养所
【例】a country retreat
乡间隐居所
（2）〔立场的〕改变，放弃
【例】a retreat from hard-line policies
放弃强硬政策
（3）撤退，后退
【例】Ten thousand years ago the ice began its retreat from Scotland.
一万年以前，冰开始从苏格兰消退。
christen v.
1. 给…施洗
【例】Did you have your children christened?
你的孩子都受洗了吗？
2. 给…取名（或命名）
【例】His fans christened him the king of rock.
他的歌迷称他为摇滚歌王。
Dispensability is part of the point. This is not like a salary or a health-care plan; if it cannot be cut, it is not a perk. Views on what counts as a discretionary benefit can shift over time.
其中一点是福利是可有可无的。福利不同于工资或医保，如果是不能免去的，那就不算福利。对于什么是自行决定的福利，人们的观点可能会随着时间的推移而改变。
shift v. & n.
1.作动词
（1）转移，挪动
【例】Could you help me shift some furniture?
你能帮我挪几件家具吗？
（2）（情况、意见、政策等）改变；转向
【例】Public attitudes towards marriage have shifted over the past 50 years.
50 年来，公众对婚姻的态度已经改变。
（3）去除（污迹等）
【例】a new washing powder that will shift any stain 一种能洗掉任何污渍的新型洗衣粉
（4）销售，出售（尤指销路不好的商品）
【例】They cut prices drastically to try and shift stock.
他们大幅度降价，试图销出存货。
2. 作名词
（1）改变；转移
【例】a shift of emphasis 重点的转移
（2）班；轮班
【例】to work an eight-hour shift 按每班八小时轮班工作
Before**** the pandemic**** being allowed to**** work**** from**** home**** every so**** often was seen**** as**** a perk****.**** Anyone**** who still describes it**** that**** way has failed**** to**** grasp how much**** the world has changed for white-collar**** workers.****
在疫情之前，允许偶尔居家办公被视为一种福利。如果有人仍然这样描述居家办公，那么这个人就没有意识到，对于白领来说，世界已经发生了多大的变化。
By the same token many of the perks that are now being cut were designed for a pre-pandemic world of long weeks in full offices. Last month Google warned that services at snack bars and cafeterias were being reviewed because attendance patterns had changed.
出于同样的原因，现在被砍掉的许多福利都是为疫情前的工作情况设计的：满满当当的办公室和漫长的工作周。上个月，谷歌警告称正在重新审视小吃餐吧和食堂的服务，因为员工出勤模式发生了变化。
By the same token 由于同样的原因；同样地
【例】The penalty for failure will be high. But, by the same token, the rewards for success will be great.
失败就要付出沉重的代价，同样，成功就会获得很大的回报。
【拓展】token n. & a.
1. 作名词
（1）象征，标志
【例】Please accept this small gift as a token of our gratitude.
区区薄礼，以表谢忱，请笑纳。
（2）代金券；赠券
【例】Collect six tokens for a free T-shirt.
收集到六张礼券可以换一件 T 恤衫。
2. 作形容词：装样子的；象征性的
【例】The government has only made a token gesture towards helping the unemployed.
政府只不过是做做样子表示了一下对失业者的帮助。
review v. & n.
1. 作动词
（1）复查；重新考虑
【例】The government will review the situation later in the year.
政府将在今年晚些时候对形势重新加以研究。
（2）回顾；反思
【例】to review your failures and triumphs 回顾你的成功和失败
（3）写（关于书籍、戏剧、电影等的）评论
【例】The play was reviewed in the national newspapers.
全国性报纸都对这部戏剧作了评论。
2. 作名词
（1）评审，审查
【例】The case is subject to judicial review.
这个案子必须接受司法审查。
（2）评论，评价
【例】a book review 书评
（3）报告；汇报
【例】a review of customer complaints 有关消费者投诉的汇报
Working out which perks are valuable to workers is hard. Asking employees may not always yield good answers.
要弄清哪些福利对员工来说是有价值的并不容易。询问员工可能并不能总是得到好的答案。
tout v. & n.
1. 作动词
（1）标榜；吹捧
【例】She's being touted as the next leader of the party.
她被吹捧为该党的下一任领导人。
（2）兜售；推销
【例】They are not allowed to tout for business.
他们不得私自拉生意。
2. 作名词：票贩子，黄牛
【例】ticket tout 票贩子
take off
1. 在（某日或某段时间）休假
【例】I rang my boss and arranged to take some time off.
我给老板打了电话请假一段时间。
2. 突然开始成功，开始走红
【例】Mimi became jealous when Jack’s career started taking off.
杰克的事业开始成功，米米就妒忌起来。
3. 起飞
【例】I felt quite excited as the plane took off from Heathrow.
当飞机从希思罗机场起飞时，我感到很兴奋。
4. 脱下，脱去（衣服）
【例】Charlie was taking off his shirt when the phone rang.
查利正在脱衬衫，突然电话铃响了。
A poll conducted last year for Trusaic, a software firm, asked American workers what perks they would like to see introduced: the top answer was hangover leave.
去年为软件公司特鲁萨克进行的一项民意调查询问了美国员工，他们希望看到推出什么福利：排名第一的是宿醉假。
tout v. & n.
1. 作动词
（1）标榜；吹捧
【例】She's being touted as the next leader of the party.
她被吹捧为该党的下一任领导人。
（2）兜售；推销
【例】They are not allowed to tout for business.
他们不得私自拉生意。
2. 作名词：票贩子，黄牛
【例】ticket tout 票贩子
take off
1. 在（某日或某段时间）休假
【例】I rang my boss and arranged to take some time off.
我给老板打了电话请假一段时间。
2. 突然开始成功，开始走红
【例】Mimi became jealous when Jack’s career started taking off.
杰克的事业开始成功，米米就妒忌起来。
3. 起飞
【例】I felt quite excited as the plane took off from Heathrow.
当飞机从希思罗机场起飞时，我感到很兴奋。
4. 脱下，脱去（衣服）
【例】Charlie was taking off his shirt when the phone rang.
查利正在脱衬衫，突然电话铃响了。
Perks that sound great in theory may not work out that well in practice. Several firms, Goldman Sachs and Netflix among them, tout the fact that they offer members of staff unlimited holidays.
理论上听起来很棒的福利在实践中可能效果不会那么好。包括高盛和网飞在内的几家公司吹嘘说，他们为员工提供无限制的假期。
tout v. & n.
1. 作动词
（1）标榜；吹捧
【例】She's being touted as the next leader of the party.
她被吹捧为该党的下一任领导人。
（2）兜售；推销
【例】They are not allowed to tout for business.
他们不得私自拉生意。
2. 作名词：票贩子，黄牛
【例】ticket tout 票贩子
take off
1. 在（某日或某段时间）休假
【例】I rang my boss and arranged to take some time off.
我给老板打了电话请假一段时间。
2. 突然开始成功，开始走红
【例】Mimi became jealous when Jack’s career started taking off.
杰克的事业开始成功，米米就妒忌起来。
3. 起飞
【例】I felt quite excited as the plane took off from Heathrow.
当飞机从希思罗机场起飞时，我感到很兴奋。
4. 脱下，脱去（衣服）
【例】Charlie was taking off his shirt when the phone rang.
查利正在脱衬衫，突然电话铃响了。
But other companies have abandoned the policy because the absence of clear rules leaves employees unsure how much time they can really take off; some take less than they did under a fixed allocation of vacation days.
但其他公司已经放弃了这项政策，因为没有明确的规定，员工就不确定他们真正可以休息多长时间，有些人比之前有固定假期时休假更少了。
tout v. & n.
1. 作动词
（1）标榜；吹捧
【例】She's being touted as the next leader of the party.
她被吹捧为该党的下一任领导人。
（2）兜售；推销
【例】They are not allowed to tout for business.
他们不得私自拉生意。
2. 作名词：票贩子，黄牛
【例】ticket tout 票贩子
take off
1. 在（某日或某段时间）休假
【例】I rang my boss and arranged to take some time off.
我给老板打了电话请假一段时间。
2. 突然开始成功，开始走红
【例】Mimi became jealous when Jack’s career started taking off.
杰克的事业开始成功，米米就妒忌起来。
3. 起飞
【例】I felt quite excited as the plane took off from Heathrow.
当飞机从希思罗机场起飞时，我感到很兴奋。
4. 脱下，脱去（衣服）
【例】Charlie was taking off his shirt when the phone rang.
查利正在脱衬衫，突然电话铃响了。
课后练习
Companies may cut perks because ____.
A. the perks cannot bring real satisfaction
B. companies need to reduce unnecessary costs
C. some perks lead to low productivity
D. employees prefer high salaries to perks
One of the characteristics of a perk is that ____.
A. it is as mandatory as the salary
B. it is temporary and unstable
C. it can change depending on the situation
D. it is designed to improve attendance
The example of the hangover leave shows that ____.
A. employees want a flexible schedule
B. it is important to reach an agreement on perks
C. it is not easy to know what a good perk is
D. employers have unrealistic demands
The example of unlimited holidays shows that ____.
A. companies may not deliver on their promises
B. employees are ashamed of asking for leave
C. employees are too busy to take a holiday
D. companies may not achieve the desired effect