离职谈话有意义吗(上)

"你觉得你进公司以后工作内容变了吗？""你为什么想换工作？"

双语精读

Is there a point to exit interviews?

离职谈话有意义吗？

"Do you feel your job description has changed since you were hired?""What prompted you to start looking for another position?"

"你觉得你进公司以后工作内容变了吗？""你为什么想换工作？"

Such questions are typical of the exit interview, to which an email from HR may invite you after you've handed in your notice. Do you accept?

这些都是离职谈话中的典型问题，在你提交离职申请后，HR可能会给你发电子邮件，邀请你谈谈这些问题。你愿意回答吗？

And if so, how honest should you be with your soon-to-be-ex-employer during the discussion? Just like humans, corporate entities do not want to admit their faults. As such, many companies deal with resignations badly.

如果准备好回答这些问题，你会对你的准前任雇主实话实说吗？就像人一样，公司也不想承认自己的错误。因此，许多公司都处理不好离职问题。

Exit interviews may help them do better. More important, understanding why workers leave is critical if you want to stop more of them heading for the exit.

离职谈话可能会帮助公司做得更好。更重要的是，要想阻止更多员工离职，了解离职原因就非常关键了。

Recruiting and training top talent is a big cost for firms, particularly those in the service sector, so anything that can be done to reduce staff turnover is valuable.

招聘和培训高级员工对公司来说成本很高，对那些服务行业的公司来说尤其如此，所以只要能够降低员工流动率，任何方法都是值得一试。

Poaching is part of any competitive industry, so knowing what drew an employee to a different firm can be useful, too. Former employees who leave happy can in future fill a role as corporate ambassadors.

任何竞争激烈的行业都存在挖墙脚的现象，因此了解员工为什么会被别的公司挖走对公司来说非常有用。如果在离职的时候员工很满意，那么未来他们或许就能帮公司做宣传。

For firms the best exit interview is the one that doesn't happen. A study conducted by the Harvard Business Review concluded that they should be "the culmination of a series of regular retention conversations".

对于公司来说，最好的离职谈话其实就是没人需要进行离职谈话。《哈佛商业评论》的一项研究结论称，进行最终的离职谈话前，公司应该定期进行一系列留用谈话。

Such attempts will not work every time, or even often--staff churn is a fact of corporate life. For unsalvageable cases, some firms arrange a one-to-one conversation with the leaver's manager. Others offer an online form, which is less personal but provides the opportunity to collate feedback easily.

这些谈话不会每次都奏效，甚至大多时候都不会起作用。对于企业而言，员工流失在所难免。对于那些一心想走的人，有些公司会安排其上司和他们进行一对一谈话。其他公司则会提供一个在线表格，虽然不那么私人化，但是方便整理反馈。

Such exchanges are best scheduled after the initial rush of emotion has passed but before the employee has checked out mentally. The information gleaned can be revealing. In some firms, it travels all the way up to the board.

这样的交流最好安排在员工萌生去意但还没下定决心离开的时候，这时收集到的信息会很有启发。在一些公司，这些信息会一路传达到董事会。

The incentives for a departing employee are less clear. (If you are pursuing legal action against your employer, your lawyer is likely to tell you to avoid the interview altogether.)

即将离任的员工则没有那样强烈的动机参与离职谈话。(如果你打算和雇主对簿公堂，你的律师很可能会劝你最好不要参加任何离职谈话。)

It is tempting either to ignore everyone and just walk away or, conversely, to really let rip. "When one burns one's bridges," wrote Dylan Thomas, "what a very nice fire it makes."

不管不顾直接走人，或者反其道而行之，离职前干脆撕破脸皮大闹一场，无论哪种做法都对离职员工来讲都很有诱惑力。狄兰·托马斯写道："当一个人自断后路时，产生的火焰是多么美啊。"

But letting off steam by unburdening yourself of all the wrongs and little things that ever upset you is a shallow game.

但是，一股脑把所有曾经让你不爽的经历倾倒出来其实是很肤浅的做法。

词汇预习

• particularly [高考]

  美[pərˈtɪkjələrli] | 英[pəˈtɪkjələli]

  adv. 特别；尤其；详细地

• critical [高考]

  美[ˈkrɪtɪkl] | 英[ˈkrɪtɪkl]

  adj. 批评的；挑剔的；决定性的；危险的 adj. 临界的

• employer [高考]

  美[ɪmˈplɔɪər] | 英[ɪmˈplɔɪə(r)]

  n. 雇主

• competitive [高考]

  美[kəmˈpetətɪv] | 英[kəmˈpetətɪv]

  adj. 竞争的；有竞争力的；胜过或超过他人的

• mentally [高考]

  美[ˈmentəli] | 英[ˈmentəli]

  adv. 精神上；智力上；心理上

• corporate [高考]

  美[ˈkɔːrpərət] | 英[ˈkɔːpərət]

  adj. 法人的；公司的；社团的；共同的；全体的

• feedback [高考]

  美[ˈfiːdbæk] | 英[ˈfiːdbæk]

  n. 反馈；反馈意见

• sector [高考]

  美[ˈsektər] | 英[ˈsektə(r)]

  n. 部门；部分；区域 n. [计]扇形；扇区 vt. 使分成部分

• ignore [高考]

  美[ɪɡˈnɔːr] | 英[ɪɡˈnɔː(r)]

  vt. 忽视；不理；不顾

• arrange [高考]

  美[əˈreɪndʒ] | 英[əˈreɪndʒ]

  vt. 整理；安排；计划；改编(乐曲) vi. 协商；计划

• description [高考]

  美[dɪˈskrɪpʃn] | 英[dɪˈskrɪpʃn]

  n. 描述；刻画；类型；说明书

• exit [高考]

  美[ˈeksɪt] | 英[ˈeksɪt]

  n. 出口；退场 v. 离去；退出

• altogether [高考]

  美[ˌɔːltəˈɡeðər] | 英[ˌɔːltəˈɡeðə(r)]

  adv. 总共；完全；总的来说

• legal [高考]

  美[ˈliːɡl] | 英[ˈliːɡl]

  adj. 法定的；法律的；合法的

• shallow [高考]

  美[ˈʃæloʊ] | 英[ˈʃæləʊ]

  adj. 浅的；薄的 n. 浅滩；浅处 v. 变浅

• initial [高考]

  美[ɪˈnɪʃl] | 英[ɪˈnɪʃl]

  n. (词)首字母 adj. 开始的；最初的；字首的 vt. 签姓名的首字母于

• a series of [高考]

  美[ə ˈsɪriːz əv] | 英[ə ˈsɪəriːz ɒv]

  一系列, 一连串

• conversely [四级]

  美[ˈkɑːnvɜːrsli] | 英[ˈkɒnvɜːsli]

  adv. 相反地

• email [四级]

  美['imeɪl] | 英['i:meɪl]

  vt. 发电子邮件；给……发电子邮件 n. 电子邮件，电子信函

• turnover [四级]

  美[ˈtɜːrnoʊvər] | 英[ˈtɜːnəʊvə(r)]

  n. 营业额，成交量；(人员的)流动率；周转率；半圆馅饼 adj. 翻过来的，可翻转的

• up to [四级]

  美[ʌp tu] | 英[ʌp tu]

  胜任；直到；多达；该由 ... 决定

• in future [四级]

  美[ɪn ˈfjutʃɚ] | 英[in ˈfju:tʃə]

  今后； 从今以后

• conversation with [四级]

  美 | 英

  与……谈话

• rip [六级]

  美[rɪp] | 英[rɪp]

  v. 撕裂；扯开 n. 裂口；裂缝；撕裂

• heading [六级]

  美[ˈhedɪŋ] | 英[ˈhedɪŋ]

  n. 标题；题目；航向

• all the way [专四]

  美[ɔl ði we] | 英[ɔ:l ðə wei]

  一路上,自始至终,特地

• tempting [专四]

  美[ˈtɛmptɪŋ] | 英[ˈtemptɪŋ]

  adj. 诱惑人的

• scheduled [专四]

  美['skedʒəld] | 英['ʃedju:ld]

  adj. 预定的；预先安排的

• collate [专八]

  美[kəˈlet, ˈkɑlˌet, ˈkoˌlet] | 英[kəˈleɪt]

  v. 对照；校对；校勘；整理

• retention [考研]

  美[rɪˈtenʃn] | 英[rɪˈtenʃn]

  n. 保留物；保存；保持(力)；记忆力

• checked [托福]

  美[tʃɛkt] | 英[tʃekt]

  adj. 格子花纹的；棋盘花纹的 v. 检查；阻止；核对（动词check的过去式和过去分词）

重点讲解

Is there a point to exit interviews?

离职谈话有意义吗？

prompt   v. & adj.

1. 作动词，促使；导致

【例】The discovery of the bomb prompted an increase in security. 

此次发现炸弹促使当局加强了安全工作。

【搭配】prompt sb to do sth 促使某人做某事

【例】What prompted you to buy that suit?

是什么让你想买那套西装？

2. 作形容词，立即的；迅速的；及时的

【例】Prompt action was required as the fire spread. 

由于火势蔓延，须要立即采取行动。

"Do you feel your job description has changed since you were hired?""What prompted you to start looking for another position?"

"你觉得你进公司以后工作内容变了吗？""你为什么想换工作？"

prompt   v. & adj.

1. 作动词，促使；导致

【例】The discovery of the bomb prompted an increase in security. 

此次发现炸弹促使当局加强了安全工作。

【搭配】prompt sb to do sth 促使某人做某事

【例】What prompted you to buy that suit?

是什么让你想买那套西装？

2. 作形容词，立即的；迅速的；及时的

【例】Prompt action was required as the fire spread. 

由于火势蔓延，须要立即采取行动。

Such**** questions are typical of**** the exit**** interview,**** to**** which an**** email from**** HR**** may invite**** you after you've**** handed**** in**** your**** notice****.**** Do**** you accept****?****

这些都是离职谈话中的典型问题，在你提交离职申请后，HR可能会给你发电子邮件，邀请你谈谈这些问题。你愿意回答吗？

And if**** so****,**** how honest**** should**** you be**** with**** your**** soon****-to****-be****-ex****-employer**** during**** the discussion****?**** Just**** like**** humans****,**** corporate entities**** do**** not want**** to**** admit their faults****.**** As**** such****,**** many**** companies deal**** with**** resignations**** badly.****

如果准备好回答这些问题，你会对你的准前任雇主实话实说吗？就像人一样，公司也不想承认自己的错误。因此，许多公司都处理不好离职问题。

Exit interviews may help them do better. More important, understanding why workers leave is critical if you want to stop more of them heading for the exit.

离职谈话可能会帮助公司做得更好。更重要的是，要想阻止更多员工离职，了解离职原因就非常关键了。

head for sth   朝（某个方向）前进；可能遭受（不幸的事）

（英文释义：to move in a particular direction; to be likely to experience sth bad）

【例】She headed for the door. 她朝着门走去。

They're heading for disaster if they're not careful.

如果不当心，他们将走向灾难。

【拓展】head sth up 领导；主管

【例】He headed up a Miami-based legal team. 

他领导了一个位于迈阿密的法务团队。

Recruiting and training top talent is a big cost for firms, particularly those in the service sector, so anything that can be done to reduce staff turnover is valuable.

招聘和培训高级员工对公司来说成本很高，对那些服务行业的公司来说尤其如此，所以只要能够降低员工流动率，任何方法都是值得一试。

turnover   n.

1. 人事变更率；人员调整率

【例】a high turnover of personnel 很高的人员变更率

2. （一定时期内的）营业额

【例】The business has an annual turnover of £50,000.

这家公司的年营业额为5万英镑。

Poaching is part of any competitive industry, so knowing what drew an employee to a different firm can be useful, too. Former employees who leave happy can in future fill a role as corporate ambassadors.

任何竞争激烈的行业都存在挖墙脚的现象，因此了解员工为什么会被别的公司挖走对公司来说非常有用。如果在离职的时候员工很满意，那么未来他们或许就能帮公司做宣传。

poach    v.

1. （在他人地界）偷猎，偷捕

【例】They can't poach elephants from our lands. 

他们不可以在我国土地上偷猎大象。

2. 挖墙脚

【例】Several of our employees have been poached by a rival firm. 

我们公司有好几名职员被对手公司给挖走了。

3. 盗用（他人的想法等）

【例】Jeff always poaches my ideas, and then pretends that they're his own.

杰夫总是盗用我的创意，然后装作是他自己想的。

draw sb to sth  吸引某人去某处

（英文释义：to attract attention or interest）

【例】Her screams drew passers-by to the scene. 

她的惊叫声把过路人吸引到了现场。

For firms the best exit interview is the one that doesn't happen. A study conducted by the Harvard Business Review concluded that they should be "the culmination of a series of regular retention conversations".

对于公司来说，最好的离职谈话其实就是没人需要进行离职谈话。《哈佛商业评论》的一项研究结论称，进行最终的离职谈话前，公司应该定期进行一系列留用谈话。

the culmination of sth   结局，某事物的顶点（极点，最终成果）

（英文释义：something, especially something important, that happens at the end of a long period of effort or development）

【例】This little book represented the culmination of 8 years' work.

这本小书是8年工作的结晶。

Such attempts will not work every time, or even often--staff churn is a fact of corporate life. For unsalvageable cases, some firms arrange a one-to-one conversation with the leaver's manager. Others offer an online form, which is less personal but provides the opportunity to collate feedback easily.

这些谈话不会每次都奏效，甚至大多时候都不会起作用。对于企业而言，员工流失在所难免。对于那些一心想走的人，有些公司会安排其上司和他们进行一对一谈话。其他公司则会提供一个在线表格，虽然不那么私人化，但是方便整理反馈。

churn   v. & n.

1. 作动词

（1）剧烈搅动；猛烈翻腾

【例】The water churned beneath the huge ship. 

水在巨轮下面剧烈翻滚。

（2）感到不安；心烦意乱

【例】Conflicting emotions churned inside him. 

相互矛盾的情绪使他感到心烦意乱。

2. 作名词，人员变动；员工跳槽

【例】Employee churn for new hires increased by 33% for the third straight year.

员工跳槽率已连续三年增加33%。

Such exchanges are best scheduled after the initial rush of emotion has passed but before the employee has checked out mentally. The information gleaned can be revealing. In some firms, it travels all the way up to the board.

这样的交流最好安排在员工萌生去意但还没下定决心离开的时候，这时收集到的信息会很有启发。在一些公司，这些信息会一路传达到董事会。

check out

1. 办理退房；结账离开（旅馆）

【例】Guests should check out of their rooms by noon. 

客人必须在中午以前办理退房手续。

2. 办妥手续后离开

【例】check out of an office 办手续后离职

3. 得到证实；获得证明

（英文释义：If information, facts, etc. check out, you can prove that they are true or correct.）

【例】The local police found her story didn't check out. 

当地警方证实她的说法不成立。

【搭配】check sth out 察看，观察

【例】Don't forget you can check us out anytime online.

别忘了随时可以在网上察看关于我们的信息。

The incentives for a departing employee are less clear. (If you are pursuing legal action against your employer, your lawyer is likely to tell you to avoid the interview altogether.)

即将离任的员工则没有那样强烈的动机参与离职谈话。(如果你打算和雇主对簿公堂，你的律师很可能会劝你最好不要参加任何离职谈话。)

check out

1. 办理退房；结账离开（旅馆）

【例】Guests should check out of their rooms by noon. 

客人必须在中午以前办理退房手续。

2. 办妥手续后离开

【例】check out of an office 办手续后离职

3. 得到证实；获得证明

（英文释义：If information, facts, etc. check out, you can prove that they are true or correct.）

【例】The local police found her story didn't check out. 

当地警方证实她的说法不成立。

【搭配】check sth out 察看，观察

【例】Don't forget you can check us out anytime online.

别忘了随时可以在网上察看关于我们的信息。

It is tempting either to ignore everyone and just walk away or, conversely, to really let rip. "When one burns one's bridges," wrote Dylan Thomas, "what a very nice fire it makes."

不管不顾直接走人，或者反其道而行之，离职前干脆撕破脸皮大闹一场，无论哪种做法都对离职员工来讲都很有诱惑力。狄兰·托马斯写道："当一个人自断后路时，产生的火焰是多么美啊。"

let rip 

1. 激动地说（或做）；忘乎所以地说（或做）

（英文释义：to speak or do sth with great force, enthusiasm and without control）

【例】When she gets angry with her boyfriend, she really lets rip at him. 

当她生男朋友气的时候，她真的对他破口大骂。

2. 毫无拘束地做；纵情地做

【例】Let your ambitions rip.This is no time to sit and dream. 

让你的雄心壮志腾飞吧。现在可不是坐着空想的时候。

3. 全速前进

【例】Once on the open road, he let rip. 

一上空旷的公路，他就全速行驶。

burn one’s bridges/ boats   破釜沉舟，自断后路，采取无可挽回的行动

（英文释义：f you are in a situation and you burn your boats/bridges, you destroy all possible ways of going back to that situation.）

【例】I think you really burned your bridges when you announced you were quitting and proceeded to insult your boss in front of the whole staff.

我觉得你宣布辞职后还在全体员工面前侮辱你的老板真的是在自断后路。

But letting off steam by unburdening yourself of all the wrongs and little things that ever upset you is a shallow game.

但是，一股脑把所有曾经让你不爽的经历倾倒出来其实是很肤浅的做法。

let off steam  释放精力；发泄怒气；宣泄感情

（英文释义：to get rid of your energy, anger or strong emotions by doing sth active or noisy）

【例】The children ran around the playground, letting off steam. 

孩子们在操场上到处奔跑, 宣泄过剩的精力.

【拓展】steam相关的一些表达：

1. run out of steam  没有动力；精疲力尽；泄气

【例】The economy was running out of steam. 

经济正在衰退.

2. pick up steam  逐渐加速；渐成气候

【例】His election campaign is beginning to get up steam. 

他的竞选活动逐渐形成声势。

课后练习

• One possible reason for exit interview is to ____.

  A. evaluate employees’ loyalty to the firm

  B. cover up the firm’s managerial faults

  C. find out the reason of resignation

  D. negotiate a deal of compensation

• Why is it important to deal with resignation properly?

  A. Because demand exceeds supply in labor market.

  B. Because loss of talent is a huge cost for companies.

  C. Because poaching should be prevented in any industry.

  D. Because satisfying former employees strengthens cohesion.

• According to the text, it is advisable for firms to ____.

  A. conduct regular conversations with all of the staff

  B. retain departing employees by offering a pay rise

  C. keep the exit interview impersonal and objective

  D. collect information on resignation at the right time

• It can be inferred from the text that departing employees should ____.

  A. take legal action against their employers

  B. withhold their thoughts and give no comment

  C. release their discontent without any constraint

  D. adopt a calm and reasonable approach to resignation