VOA慢速英语2019 为什么美国工人压力大?

Why US Workers Are Stressed

More than half of American workers say they are stressed because their employers¹ do not give them the information they need to do their jobs.

超过一半的美国工人表示他们很有压力，因为他们的雇主没向他们提供完成工作所需的信息。

This information comes from a company called Dynamic² Signal. It sells communications systems that enable³ businesses to send messages to workers’ mobile⁴ devices⁵.

这些信息来自一家名为动态信号的公司。该公司销售的通信系统让企业能够向员工的移动设备发送信息。

The Dynamic Signal study involved 1,001 people who work in the United States. They answered a series of questions online at the beginning of 2019.

动态信号公司的这项研究涉及了1001名美国工人，这些工人于2019年初在网上回答了一系列问题。

The study found that 80 percent of the workers reported feeling stressed, or under pressure, because of poor communication by their employers.

这项研究发现，80%的工人因为雇主沟通不畅而感到压力。

The same study showed that more than 60 percent of those asked said they are ready to leave their companies.

同一项研究显示，超过60%的受访者表示他们准备离职。

And, it said the most unsatisfied workers are those who cannot look at work email regularly. They include workers in stores, hotels, restaurants, hospitals and buildings where products are stored, as well as delivery⁶ drivers. These workers are more likely to say that their companies communicate better with employees who work in offices.

研究还称，最不满意的是那些不能定时查看电子邮件的工人，他们包括商店、酒店、餐厅、医院或是仓库的工作人员以及送货司机。这些工人更可能抱怨，他们公司跟坐办公室的员工沟通更为畅通。

Russ Fradin is the head of Dynamic Signal. He says that, over time, many businesses have stayed the same, but what workers expect has changed.

弗雷丁（Russ Fradin）是动态信号公司的负责人。他说， 随着时间推移，很多企业维持现状，但是工人们的期望发生了变化。

In the past, companies communicated with employees by putting up signs in the break room or on the factory floor. Or they might have used newsletters or magazines. But today, 77 percent of Americans own smartphones, and workers are used to getting information “pushed” to them immediately.

过去，公司通过在休息室或车间设置标牌跟员工沟通，或者他们可能使用过通讯稿或杂志。但是如今77%的美国人拥有智能手机，工人们习惯于立即向他们推送信息。

Their phones can show information about bank account balances, sporting events and possible love interests from a dating service, notes Fradin. So, he says, when workers receive information they need to know for their jobs an hour late, or three days late or two weeks late, they are likely to be angry.

弗雷丁指出，他们的手机可以显示关于银行余额、体语赛事以及婚介机构可能介绍的对象的信息。他说，因此当工人们在延迟一小时、或是三天、或是一个星期之后收到他们工作所需的信息，他们可能会很生气。

“It’s really just about bringing the types of tools around your mobile phone that everyone is used to in their day-to-day life into the workplace," he adds.

他还说：“这只是把人们在日常生活中习惯使用的各种移动手机工具引入到职场当中。”

Other studies

其它研究

Other studies also show a growing dissatisfaction with how workplaces communicate to employees. A company called Staffbase produces software programs for workplace communication. It says that 74 percent of U.S. employees feel they are “missing out on company news and information.”

其它研究也表明人们越来越不满意职场和员工的沟通方式。一家名为Staffbase的公司制作职场沟通的软件程序。该公司称，74%的美国员工认为他们错过了公司的新闻和信息。

In addition, a 2017 Gallup survey found that just 13 percent of employers thought that company communications were effective.

此外，2017年盖洛普公司一项调查发现，只有13%的雇主认为公司沟通是有效的。

The Harvard Business Review also published an article about how companies can use mobile phone applications to improve employee communication.

《哈佛商业评论》还发表了一篇关于公司可以如何利用手机应用程序改善员工沟通的文章。

For example, the story said, businesses could send company announcements or information about payments⁷ and other assistance⁸ directly to workers on their phones.

文章称，例如企业可以直接向员工的手机发送公司公告或是有关发薪水以及其它支持的信息。

Improving workplace communications can be good for a company’s profit. Gallup’s 2017 State of the American Workplace Report found that companies with more engaged workers keep employees longer and bring in more money.

改善职场沟通对公司利润有利。盖洛普公司2017年美国职场现状报告发现，在员工更忙碌的公司，员工干得更长久，公司赚到的钱也更多。

I’m Kelly Jean Kelly.

Words in This Story

stressed - adj. feeling very worried or anxious

online - n. done over the Internet

regularly - adv. very often

1 employers   

雇主( employer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Employers must consider all candidates impartially and without bias. 雇主必须公平而毫无成见地考虑所有求职者。
• The onus is on employers to follow health and safety laws. 雇主有义务遵行健康安全法。

2 dynamic   

adj.有活力的，能动的；力的；动力的

参考例句：

• This is a dynamic world.这是一个不断变化的世界。
• There is a dynamic ball in the computer.在电脑里有个动态的球。

3 enable   

vt.使能够；使可以；使成为可能

参考例句：

• Only teamwork will enable us to get the job done on time.只有团结一致，我们才能按时完成这项工作。
• This will enable China to go a step further in grain production.这是中国粮食生产再上新台阶的巨大动力。

4 mobile   

adj.可移动的，易变的，机动的；n.运动物体

参考例句：

• The old lady sits on a mobile chair every morning.那位老妇人每天上午坐在一把可携带使用的椅子上。
• She's much more mobile now that she's bought a car.自从她买了汽车后，活动量就大多了。

5 devices   

n.设备；装置( device的名词复数 )；花招；（为实现某种目的的）计划；手段

参考例句：

• electrical labour-saving devices around the home 节省劳力的各种家用电器
• modern labour-saving devices such as washing machines and dishwashers 诸如洗衣机和洗碗机之类的现代化省力设备

6 delivery   

n.交付；投递；分娩；解救者；演讲的风格

参考例句：

• The strike caused a great delay in the delivery of the mail.这次罢工严重地延误了邮件的投递。
• He was employed at the local grocery store as a delivery boy.他受雇于当地杂货店当送货员。

7 payments   

n.支付，付款，缴纳，报酬( payment的名词复数 )；付出的[要付出的]款项；报答，报偿

参考例句：

• Welfare payments cease as soon as an individual starts a job. 一旦就业，即停发福利救济。
• The law can compel fathers to make regular payments for their children. 这项法律可强制父亲定期支付子女的费用。

8 assistance   

n.援助，帮助

参考例句：

• She called and called but no one came to her assistance.她叫了又叫，但没有人来帮。
• He will get the great possible assistance.他将获得尽可能大的帮助。