在一些用人單位，每年給員工定期加薪是常態。另外一些單位，會用獎金來感謝員工的辛勤工作，或獎勵完成工作目標的員工。但是對于有些人來說，必須得要求加薪——如果你不要求，你就得不到。“隨身英語” 討論為什么很多英國人近來很難找到加薪的理由，以及如果你想要求加薪，應該怎么做。

Vocabulary: work 詞匯：工作

Being an employee at a company has many challenges – you want job satisfaction, a work-life balance and opportunities for promotion. But most of us want a decent financial reward. We aim to get a good salary to pay for the essential things in life plus a few luxuries. But when that’s not enough, we have to do the hardest thing in the world – ask our boss for a pay rise!

In some companies, a regular annual pay rise is the norm – all staff get a fixed increase in their monthly pay packet. In other firms, workers might get a bonus to reward them for their efforts or for meeting a target. But for some people, a pay increase is something you have to ask for – and if you don’t ask, you don’t get!

Wage increases have been a sensitive issue in recent years. Due to the global economic recession, businesses had to tighten their belts. Most public sector pay in the UK, for example, was frozen for two years in 2010, and after that rises were capped at 1% - below the rate of inflation. But last month the government awarded them a pay rise above the 2% inflation rate so that teachers, for example, will get a 2.75% salary boost. That's the equivalent to ￡1,000 extra a year for those on an average salary.

But not everyone is happy at being given a fixed pay rise – they feel they’re worth more and that they deserve more money. It’s not something we should fear “asking for”, says Pip Jamieson, founder of the professional networking site, The Dots. She’s told the BBC “No one ever got fired for asking for a pay rise. In fact, rather the opposite - asking for more money shows ambition and shows you want to stay with the company.”

It’s something BBC Business Reporter Jamie Robertson has been looking into. He’s found that you need to do your research and find out what kind of pay your job should be getting, perhaps by talking to your Human Resources department. You’ll need to give good reasons for wanting more money and you’ll still have to keep your increase within your pay grade. Ask for an exact sum and be prepared for some negotiation. Of course, if you can’t get more cash then there are other perks you could ask for, such as flexible working or more time off. But if that gets you nowhere and your boss won’t budge, maybe it’s time to quit and find a new job?

詞匯表

employee 員工，雇員
job satisfaction 工作滿足感
work-life balance 工作與生活的平衡
promotion 晉升
financial reward 經濟回報
pay rise 漲工資，加薪
pay packet 工資
bonus 獎金
if you don’t ask, you don’t get 如果你不要求，你就得不到
wage 工錢，報酬
tighten one’s belt 勒緊褲腰帶，省吃儉用
public sector 公營部門
capped 規定了上限
rate of inflation 通貨膨脹率
salary 薪金
a fixed pay rise 固定的工資增長
Human Resources 人事部，人力資源部
pay grade 工資等級
perk （工資外的）補貼，津貼
flexible working 彈性工作時間

測驗與練習

1. 閱讀課文并回答問題。

1. According to the article, why might a bonus be paid to someone?

2. What caused most public sector pay to be frozen back in 2010?

3. True or false? The UK government has given public sector workers a 2% pay increase.

4. According to Pip Jamieson, can you lose your job by asking for a pay rise?

5. Which word used in the article, means ‘have a right to something because of the way you have behaved’?

2. 請在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。

1. I wanted a better _______ so I’ve cut my working hours to spend more time with the kids.

worked-life balance         work-life balance         life-work balance        work-life balanced

2. Because of the _______, I regret we are going to have to close some positions at the company.

flexible working               employees                   recession                   rate of inflation

3. After much _______, we have agreed a new pay deal which gives all staff a minimum pay rise of 2.5%.

ambition                           promotion                    capped                       negotiation

4. After paying for a holiday and a new car, I think it’s time to _______.

tighten our belts              tight our belts                tighten the belt           tighter our belts

5. Poor John. He got _______ because he arrived late for work three times this week.

quit                                  bonus                           fired                            flexible working

答案

1.  閱讀課文并回答問題。

1. According to the article, why might a bonus be paid to someone?
Someone might be paid a bonus to reward them for their efforts (hard work) or meeting a target.

2. What caused most public sector pay to be frozen back in 2010?
The global economic recession caused public sector pay to be frozen for two years in 2010.

3. True or false? The UK government has given public sector workers a 2% pay increase.
False. Last month the government awarded them a pay rise above the 2% inflation rate.

4. According to Pip Jamieson, can you lose your job by asking for a pay rise?
No. She said “No one ever got fired for asking for a pay rise. In fact rather the opposite - asking for more money shows ambition and shows you want to stay with the company.”

5. Which word used in the article, means ‘have a right to something because of the way you have behaved’?
Deserve. “But not everyone is happy at being given a fixed pay rise – they feel they’re worth more and that they deserve more money.” 

2. 請在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。

1. I wanted a better work-life balance so I’ve cut my working hours to spend more time with the kids.

2. Because of the recession, I regret we are going to have to close some positions at the company.

3. After much negotiation, we have agreed a new pay deal which gives all staff a minimum pay rise of 2.5%.

4. After paying for a holiday and a new car, I think it’s time to tighten our belts.

5. Poor John. He got fired because he arrived late for work three times this week.