第2848期:The four-day week

Back in March 2018, an insurance company from New Zealand started a landmark trial with its company staff. It decided to trial a four-day working week. Almost 250 staff at Perpetual Guardian took part.早在 2018 年 3 月，新西兰一家保险公司开始对员工进行一项具有里程碑意义的试验：他们决定试行每周四天工作制。大约有 250 名来自 Perpetual Guardian 的员工参与了这项试验。We're looking at the pros and cons of working a four-day week. Right, Jackie. So that New Zealand company, what was the result of their trial? The employees completed surveys before they did the trial and after they did the trial.我们现在要讨论每周四天工作制的利与弊。好的，Jackie。那么那家新西兰公司，他们的试验结果如何？员工们在试验前和试验后都填写了问卷调查。And it was upon reading the results that the company declared it was a great success and decided to adopt the new schedule full-time.在看到调查结果后，公司宣布试验非常成功，并决定永久采用这一新的工作安排。OK. So why was it such a great success then? Well, there were three factors that they looked at.好的。那么它为何如此成功？他们主要从三个因素进行评估。And overall, staff reported lower stress levels, higher levels of job satisfaction. Interesting. And also an improved sense of work-life balance.总体而言，员工表示压力降低、工作满意度提高——很有趣——而且工作与生活的平衡感也有所提升。OK. That sounds obvious. The employees loved it. What did the firm get out of it?好的，这听起来很合理。员工很喜欢。那么公司从中获得了什么呢？Actually, because there was less stress, productivity increased. People who enjoy their job at the end of the day work better. Fantastic.实际上，由于压力减少，生产力反而提高了。喜欢自己工作的人最终会做得更好。太棒了。But actually, the four-day week, it's nothing new, is it? No, they've had it in America for some time. Richard, the difference is, in America, you still work 40 hours, right? But you just do it over four days.不过事实上，每周四天工作制并不新鲜，对吧？对，美国很早以前就有了。Richard，不同之处在于，美国人仍然工作 40 小时，只是把这 40 小时压缩在四天内完成。So you still do the same number of hours as you did in five days, but you do it in the four days.也就是说，你工作时长一样，只是从五天集中到四天中。Exactly. You're working a 10-hour day instead. The important thing here was that people worked fewer hours got paid the same.没错，你每天工作 10 小时。这里重要的是，人们工作更少的时间，却拿同样的薪水。They worked for four days but got paid for five. Exactly.他们只工作四天，但拿五天的工资。没错。So a four-day week then, it can't all be good then, surely?所以每周四天工作制肯定也不是全都是好处吧？Well, I suppose there is a possibility that if you're working harder for four days, you could actually come the fourth day, become less productive.嗯，我想有一种可能是，如果你在四天内更拼命工作，到了第四天你的效率可能反而下降。And also those on a four-day week, they may feel some pressure to come into meetings on that fifth day when they're not there. Or work from home.此外，实行四天工作制的人，可能会感到压力必须在他们本不应该上班的第五天参加会议，或在家工作。OK, it was a great success then, this four-day week. But why did the company actually go for it in the first place?好的，这个四天工作制非常成功。但是，公司当初为什么会尝试这样的制度？Yeah, new technology, Richard. I mean, you know, the use of computers.嗯，是因为新科技，Richard。比如电脑的使用。People always thought, didn't they, that in the future, it wasn't that long ago, they said in the future, people will be working more from home and having a more relaxed work-life balance.人们一直认为——直到不久前还这样说——未来大家会更多在家工作，拥有更轻松的工作与生活平衡。Yeah, they always said people will be working less in the future, didn't they? But it appears that people are actually working more.是啊，他们总说未来人们会工作得更少，对吧？但事实似乎是人们现在反而工作得更多。Exactly. You can't get away from the office nowadays, can you, with emails and phone calls, etc.没错，如今你完全无法远离办公室邮件、电话等。No. It's created a culture where workers are required to be constantly available to work.是的，这创造了一种文化：员工必须随时待命。You see that all the time, Richard. And with our friends, they're on the phone or answering emails at the weekend.你经常能看到这样的情况，Richard。我们的朋友们在周末也在打电话或回邮件。Now that company in New Zealand did one thing. But they've been trying something else in France, haven't they?那家新西兰公司采取了一种方式。但法国采取了另一种方式，对吧？Yeah, France realised that work was spilling into after hours. So they tried a different approach.是的，法国意识到工作不断侵入下班时间，于是他们尝试不同的方式。And this was getting companies to make regulations that stopped employees responding to emails, answering phones after a certain time.他们让公司制定规定，禁止员工在特定时间后回复邮件或接电话。But I wonder, it's interesting, the four-day week. It works for some companies. I wonder if it's the future.不过我很好奇，四天工作制很有趣。它对一些公司有效。我想知道这是否会成为未来趋势。Yes, I think it depends on the company itself, doesn't it? Some companies can lend their ways to four days where it might be impossible for others.是的，我想这取决于公司本身。有些公司可以适应四天工作制，而另一些公司则完全无法实行。Anyway, do you work for a company who does a four-day working week? Or would you like to see it introduced to your company? 总之，你的公司实行四天工作制吗？或者你希望公司引入这样的制度吗？