英語学習

英語ニュース教材：Swedish workers trial ‘friendship hour’ to combat loneliness（Intermediate レベル）

 

Contents

🎧 Audio

📖 Script

In Sweden, a new initiative called ‘friendship hour’ is being tested to help workers feel less lonely. Many people in Sweden have reported feeling isolated, especially those who work from home or in small teams. To address this issue, some companies are encouraging their employees to spend time with friends during work hours. This innovative pilot project not only promotes social interaction but also provides financial support. Employees receive a small sum of money to use for activities with their friends, such as having coffee, going to the cinema, or participating in a hobby.

The idea behind the ‘friendship hour’ is that socializing can improve mental health and increase productivity. Studies have shown that people who have strong social connections often experience less stress and are generally happier. By fostering these connections, companies hope to create a more supportive and collaborative work environment.

While the project is still in its early stages, initial feedback from participants has been positive. Employees have reported feeling more motivated and engaged. Some have even formed new friendships, which have expanded their social networks and made them feel more connected to their colleagues and communities.

If the pilot project proves successful, it may be adopted by more companies in Sweden and possibly in other countries. This could lead to a shift in how workplaces view the importance of social connections and employee well-being.

📝 Vocabulary

  • initiative: a new plan or process to achieve something
    例文: “The company launched an initiative to reduce waste.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • launch an initiative
    • support an initiative
    • government initiative
    新しい計画、取り組み
  • isolated: feeling alone or separated from others
    例文: “Working remotely can sometimes make people feel isolated.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • feel isolated
    • isolated area
    • become isolated
    孤立した
  • innovative: introducing new ideas or methods
    例文: “The team came up with an innovative solution to the problem.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • innovative approach
    • innovative design
    • innovative technology
    革新的な
  • productivity: the effectiveness of productive effort
    例文: “Improving productivity is a key goal for the management team.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • increase productivity
    • boost productivity
    • productivity gains
    生産性
  • foster: to encourage the development of something
    例文: “The program aims to foster creativity among students.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • foster relationships
    • foster growth
    • foster innovation
    育成する、促進する

✏️ Grammar Point

Present Perfect Tense – “Many people in Sweden have reported feeling isolated…”

文法の日本語補足を見る
過去の出来事が現在に影響を与えていることを表す構文

💡 使用場面

過去から現在に至るまでの経験や結果を表すときに使います。

📝 使用例文

“例: In a business meeting, you might say: ‘If we cut costs now, we can increase our profit margin next quarter.’”

❓ Listening Questions

  1. True/False: The ‘friendship hour’ initiative provides employees with free money to spend on activities with their friends.
  2. MCQ:
    a) The initiative is designed to improve worker productivity.
    b) It is aimed at increasing company profits.
    c) It focuses on reducing working hours.
    d) It intends to cut company costs.
  3. MCQ:
    a) Employees are required to socialize only during lunch breaks.
    b) The pilot project has received mostly positive feedback.
    c) The initiative is only for people who work in large teams.
    d) Employees are not allowed to participate in this project.
🔑 Listening Answersを見る
  1. True
  2. a) The initiative is designed to improve worker productivity.
  3. b) The pilot project has received mostly positive feedback.

📚 Reading Questions

  1. What is the main goal of the ‘friendship hour’ initiative?
  2. Why might companies want to foster social connections among employees?
  3. What does the word ‘initiative’ mean in the context of the script?
🔑 Reading Answersを見る
  1. The main goal of the ‘friendship hour’ initiative is to help workers feel less lonely and improve their mental health.
  2. Companies might want to foster social connections among employees to create a supportive work environment, increase productivity, and enhance employee well-being.
  3. In the context of the script, ‘initiative’ means a new plan or process to achieve something.

🇯🇵 日本語での経済ニュース解説

スウェーデンで試験的に導入された「フレンドシップアワー」は、従業員の孤独感を軽減し、メンタルヘルスを改善する取り組みです。特に在宅勤務者や小規模チームで働く人々に孤立を感じる人が多いことが背景にあります。このプロジェクトは、企業が従業員に友人と過ごす時間を奨励し、社会的なつながりを強化することを目的としています。もしこの取り組みが成功すれば、他の国や地域でも採用され、職場の在り方に変化をもたらす可能性があります。

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g5ry7749po?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss

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