実践ビジネス英語 ディクテーション (12/28,29ほか)

こんにちは。NHKラジオ「実践ビジネス英語」”Talk the Talk”のディクテーションです。

Lesson 18のテーマは、‘Office Perks’（給与以外の特典）でした。Vignetteでは、企業が優れた人材を引き付けてつなぎとめるために提供する、給与以外のさまざまな特典が話題になりました。ペット保険や不妊治療給付金などについても触れられています。

“Talk the Talk”では、Heatherさんがあったらいいと思うoffice perks について熱く語られています。今回も4分近くの長いtalkになっています。

★英文の終わりに語注をつけました。

Office Perks

（S: 杉田敏先生　H: Heather Howardさん）

S: Our current vignette talks about the various office perks that companies are using to attract top talent.

Two of the benefits appear quite progressive－helping employees pay for costly IVF and other assisted-reproduction treatments, and offering pet insurance to cover the soaring costs of vet care.

Now, what kind of perks would entice you to join a company, Heather?

H: Let’s see…a full-service onsite spa, in-house movie theater, just kidding.

Let’s see…I would love an in-house gym－forgive me, that too is in the realm of fantasy.

But wouldn’t it be great if a company had a facility onsite, where employees could get in some time on a treadmill or lift weights－or maybe take an exercise class.

Even if it was just one room, it would be like the in-house clinic at my company, which lets the employees access medical services quickly and easily.

How does the office perk situation in the United States compare with that in Japan?

S: In the U. S., benefits like stock ownership plans, gym memberships and flexible scheduling, including remote work setups, are probably more prevalent than in Japan.

Student loan assistance and education reimbursement are most welcomed by employees, as student loan balances have reached epidemic proportions.

H: Oh yes, I would have liked that.

I didn’t have nearly as much debt when I graduated as many people do now－only about $10,000－but even so, it would’ve been nice not to have to repay it.

S: Transportation allowances, on the other hand, are a standard benefit with Japanese companies, but they don’t seem that prevalent in America.

Japanese companies are ahead of U.S. companies when it comes to parental leave benefits, but American companies are vying to offer better packages, regardless of gender and beyond what’s legally required, to attract and retain top-level employees.

H: I’m glad to hear that U.S. companies are stepping up in that regard.

In the past, American friends of mine have been shocked and envious to hear how long Japanese employees can take off from work for childbirth and childrearing and with partial pay no less.

Likewise, I wish longer hospital stays were the norm for American mothers after they give birth.

I needed every bit of the rest and care I got after giving birth at a Tokyo hospital.

And I was still exhausted and sore when I did go home after five days.

I couldn’t imagine leaving the hospital after only one or two.

S: Now, what other perks would you like to have?

H: Flexible scheduling and unlimited holidays would be a pretty powerful draw.

Some people might think that unrestrained vacation time would be subject to a lot of abuse, but I doubt it.

Employees would realize that they can’t go hog wild with that sort of thing.

They can’t disappear for a week or two every month, for example.

Not only would it get them a bad reputation, they’d never get their work done.

But it would be great to know that you didn’t have to worry about getting time off for an emergency because you’d already used it up on your summer vacation.

Or that you could take a small break if you found yourself really worn out.

Maybe take a three-or-four-day trip once in a while to recharge your batteries.

And for working parents, flexible scheduling would be a godsend.

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Words and Expressions

IVF : 人工授精

vet care: 獣医療

prevalent: 普及している

reach epidemic proportions:（流行病並みに）広がる、急増する

vie to: 競って～する

go hog wild: 《米略式》したい放題のことをする

お疲れさまでした。お読みくださり、ありがとうございます♪