1、Unit 11 Intel does it. So does Microsoft, Motorola, W. L. Gore & Associates, Southwest Airlines, Ben & Jerrys Homemade, Hewlett-Packard, Lincoln Electric, and Starbucks. What is it? These companies pursue “people-first” strategies.英特尔公司奉行它。微软、摩托罗拉、戈尔、西南航空公司、班杰瑞、惠普、林肯电气以及星巴克也都奉行它。它是什么？它就是这些公司所奉行的“以人为
2、本” 的策略。(Para. 2a) There is an increasing amount of evidence that successful organizations put people first. Why? Astute managers have come to learn that their organizations employees are its only true competitive advantage. Competitors can match most organizations products, processes, locations, dis
3、tribution channels, and the like.越来越多的例子证明，成功的组织都是以人为本的。为什么？因为精明的经理人们已经认识到他们企业的员工才是它们唯一真正的竞争优势。竞争者可以在产品、工艺、选址、销售渠道等诸多方面与其不相上下，(Para. 2b)But whats far more difficult to emulate is a workforce made up of highly knowledgeable and motivated people. The characteristic that differentiates successful compa
4、nies from their less successful counterparts in almost every industry is the quality of the people theyre able to get and keep.但却很难效仿的是拥有一支由专业素质高和工作动机强的人组成的劳动力队伍。几乎在所有的行业，那些成功的公司之所以超越它们的对手们，主要的区别就在于他们所能够得到和留住想要的人。(Para. 3a) What kind of practices differentiate people-first organizations? We can list
5、 at least four: (1) They value cultural diversity. They actively seek a diverse workforce based on age, gender, and race. (2) They are family friendly. They help employees balance work and personal responsibilities through programs such as flexible work schedules and on-site child care facilities.哪些
6、做法才能区分以人为本的公司呢？我们至少可以列出四条：第一，它们重视文化的多样性。它们根据年龄、性别和种族积极寻求一支多元化的员工队伍。第二，它们具有家庭氛围。公司通过为其员工提供灵活的工作时间以及现场托儿服务设施等帮助员工平衡工作和个人职责之间的关系。(Para. 3b)(3) They invest in employee training. These organizations spend heavily to make sure employee skill levels are kept current. This not only ensures that employees ca
7、n handle the latest technologies and processes for the organization but that employees will be marketable to other employers. (4) People-first organizations empower their employees. They push authority and responsibility down to the lowest levels.第三，它们对员工培训进行投资。这些公司花费巨资以确保员工的技能水平始终保持最新状态。这不仅确保员工可以处理
8、该公司的最新技术和工艺，而且还使这样的员工极具市场竞争力。第四，以人为本的公司将权力下放给员工。它们将权力和义务下放到公司的最底层。(Para. 4) Organizations that put people first have a more dedicated and committed workforce. This, in turn, translates into higher employee productivity and satisfaction. 那些奉行以人为本的组织拥有一支更敬业、更忠诚的工作团队。因而这样的团队精神转化成了高生产率和工作满意度。These emplo
9、yees are willing to put forth the extra effort to do whatever is necessary to see that their jobs are done properly and completely. Lets take a look at one of those successful organizations that pursue “people-first” strategies: Starbucks. 这些员工会愿意做出更大的努力为了准确彻底地完成他们的工作，他们会全力以赴。我们来看一看其中的一个因奉行“以人为本” 而取
10、得成功的公司：星巴克。(Para. 5a)Wake up and smell the coffee Starbucks is everywhere. The worlds number one specialty coffee retailer, Starbucks operates and licenses more than 8,000 coffee shops in more than 30 countries. The shops offer a variety of coffee drinks and food items as well as coffee and coffee a
11、ccessories. 让你在咖啡中醒来！星巴克无处不在。作为世界首屈一指的专业咖啡零售商，星巴克在世界上 30 多个国家开设和授权开设了 8000 多家咖啡店。这些咖啡店销售各种各样的咖啡饮品、食物、咖啡及咖啡用品。(Para. 5b)Starbucks operates more than 4,700 of its shops in five countries, while licensees operate more than 2,800 units. In addition, Starbucks markets its coffee through grocery stores an
12、d licenses its brand for other food and beverage products. 星巴克在五个国家拥有超过 4700 家店面，同时，它的授权经销商们还经营着2800 多家店面。另外，星巴克还通过杂货店销售它的产品并且授权其它食品和饮料产品使用它的品牌。(Para. 6) From its modest beginnings in 1971, Starbucks Coffee Companys reach today extends across the U.S. to Canada, Europe, Asia, and beyond, bringing th
13、e Starbucks coffee experience to the customer almost anywhere. 从 1971 年成立之初至今，星巴克咖啡公司的经营已从美国蔓延至加拿大、欧洲、亚洲甚至更远，并让几乎每一个地方的顾客都享受到星巴克的咖啡体验。(Para. 7a)Central to the companys growth and success has been a constant dedication to offering Starbucks customers the highest quality products. While the companys s
14、uccess was built upon the core product, coffee, Starbucks has become much more than coffee. 该公司不断壮大和成功的核心在于坚持不懈地为顾客提供最佳品质的产品。公司的成功曾建立在它的核心产品，即咖啡上，但如今的星巴克已不仅仅只是出售咖啡。(Para. 7b) It is a total coffee experience which encompasses everything from the decor of the retail locations and the music played with
15、in to the attitude of the Starbucks employees (known as “partners”), and even to the companys desire to give back to the communities it serves. 而是一种完整的咖啡经验，包括零售站的装潢、背景音乐的播放、星巴克员工的态度、以及公司渴望对它所服务的社会做出的回馈。(Para. 8a) Since its inception, it has been the Starbucks employees who have helped drive the succ
16、ess of the company. But it was probably Howard Schultz who started the ignition.从公司创建伊始到现在，星巴克的员工一直都是公司成功的主要推动者。然而，是霍华德舒尔茨，真正地开启了它。(Para. 8b)Schultz joined the company in 1982, more than a decade after the companys first retail bean store opened in Seattles Pike Place Market. As director of retail o
17、perations and marketing he was influential in the move to provide Starbucks coffee to fine restaurants and espresso bars throughout Seattle. 从公司创建伊始到现在，星巴克的员工一直都是公司成功的主要推动者。然而，是霍华德舒尔茨，真正地开启了它。星巴克最初在西雅图派克市场成立第一家店，经营咖啡豆，十几年后，即 1982 年，舒尔茨加入星巴克。作为零售及市场总监，他开始向西雅图的餐馆和咖啡店销售星巴克咖啡，他的这一决定意义重大。(Para. 9a) A yea
18、r after he joined the company a visit to Milan, Italy inspired Schultz to bring the Italian coffee-bar concept back to Seattle and put it into action in a new Starbucks location. It was a new foray for the company which previously had only provided freshly roasted beans for sale. 舒尔茨加入公司一年后去米兰出差。意大利
19、给了舒尔茨以启发，他将意大利咖啡吧的概念带回西雅图，并付诸实践开了一家新的咖啡店。这对于之前只销售新鲜的烘焙咖啡豆的公司来说是一个新的冲击。(Para. 9b) However, the overwhelming success of the espresso bar concept led Schultz to found Il Giornale, an espresso bar which offered brewed coffee and espresso beverages made using Starbucks coffee beans. A few months later, t
20、he continued success of the Il Giornale concept led to Il Giornale acquiring the assets of Starbucks in 1987 with the backing of local investors. The new company changed its name to Starbucks Corporation. 然而，舒尔茨的咖啡吧理念大获成功，他建立了每日咖啡厅，专门经营用星巴克咖啡豆煮出的咖啡和浓缩咖啡。几个月后，每日咖啡厅再次成功，并在当地投资者资金的支持下，于 1987 年买下了星巴克的全部
21、股份。这家新的公司正式改名为星巴克公司。(Para. 10) At that time, Starbucks operated 17 stores and had begun to expand beyond Seattle to cities such as Chicago and Vancouver. For the next decade and beyond, the company experienced tremendous growth bringing specialty coffee to the everyday consumer, and in the process h
22、elped create and define the specialty coffee industry. 当时，星巴克开设了 17 家店面并已经开始向西雅图之外的城市，如芝加哥和温哥华发展。在接下来的十年以及后来，公司发展迅猛，它将别具风味的咖啡带给大众消费者，并在这中间开创形成了独有的咖啡产业。(Para. 11) While the success of the company often is attributed to the persistence and vision of the companys current CEO, Howard Schultz, it is also
23、 the employees, from management down to store level, who are at the heart of the companys success尽管该公司的成功往往要归功于其现任首席执行官霍华德舒尔茨的坚持不懈和卓越远见，但公司上下的员工也是促使公司成功的关键因素。(Para. 12) At the store level, Starbucks has been successful in bucking the norm at most retail service environments where employee turnover i
24、s high and competence or enthusiasm is waning. “When we first started our business, our attitude from the beginning was that the employees on the front line really have the most to do with our success,” said John Richards, Starbucks president, retail North America. 在店面层次，星巴克成功地抑制了在多数零售店普遍存在的员工流动率高、工
25、作能力低或工作热情弱等问题。 “自公司成立之初，我们就一直认为第一线的员工的确对我们公司的成功与否最为关键， ”星巴克北美零售总裁约翰理查德说道。Para. 13) The challenges of a retail and food service environment have been overcome through a strong employee base. “Were fortunate that the turnover of managers and hourly employees is probably one of the best in the industry
26、,” explained Richards. 正是借助强大的员工基础，我们克服了来自零售和餐饮业的挑战。 “非常幸运，我们的管理人员和钟点工的流动量可能是业内最好的， ”理查德解释道。(Para. 14)Richards takes this employee loyalty as a compliment, but attributes it to the companys dedication to each employees needs. Investment in “partners” has helped build their loyalty to the company, to
27、 coffee, to customer service, and to each other. 理查德非常赞赏这种员工的忠诚，但又将其归功于公司为满足每一位员工的需求所做的努力。对“ 合作伙伴 ”的投资有助于使他们形成对公司、对咖啡、对顾客服务及对彼此的忠诚。(Para. 15)The heart of the Starbucks experience begins with employee training. For retail partners, the training program focuses on coffee knowledge, product expertise,
28、customer service, and interpersonal skills all necessary to understand the product they provide to customers on a daily basis in order to create the Starbucks experience. 星巴克经验的核心源自于员工培训。对于零售合作伙伴来说，培训项目主要是关于咖啡的知识，产品的专业技术知识，对顾客所提供的服务以及人际交往的技巧他们有必要了解这些，从而明白每天向顾客提供什么样的产品来创造星巴克经验。(Para. 16)New store-lev
29、el partners are welcomed into the Starbucks community with a week-long indoctrination into the cultural aspects of the company. The technical aspects of the job those that relate to beverage preparation, for instance are covered. From there, it is the managers responsibility to follow up with in-sto
30、re modules for ongoing training in specific areas. 新店面的店员会被送到星巴克社区接受为期一周的有关公司企业文化方面的教育。包括工作技术方面的知识，例如，饮品的准备。接着，各个区域的经理再根据店面的模式情况对其进行不间断的后续培训。(Para. 17a) All full-and part-time partners who work at least 20 hours a week are offered a full slate of generous benefits. Among the benefits are full health
31、 and dental coverage, vacation, and participation in the company-wide stock option plan called Bean Stock. 所有的全职或兼职合作伙伴，只要一周工作满 20 小时，就可以享受一整套优厚的福利待遇。这些福利包括全额医疗及牙科保险、度假以及参与咖啡豆股票的认购，这是一项全公司范围的职工优先认股计划。(Para. 17b)Loyalty and a sense of belonging are further emphasized in open forums where employees, r
32、egardless of position, are encouraged to bring their suggestions or concerns to the attention of corporate management. Often it is the barista who is the impetus for a change simply because he or she is the one on the front line dealing with customers on a daily basis. 员工对公司的忠诚度和归属感通过公开论坛得到了进一步加强，在论
33、坛中员工无论职位高低都可以发表他们各自对公司管理的建议和关注。通常咖啡师都是创新的主力军，因为他/她每天在第一线与顾客们打交道。(Para. 18a) Since most partners are also owners, they are very interested in getting access to company information. To accommodate this desire, senior management conducts quarterly open forums in the companys different sales regions. Pa
34、rtners are encouraged to share their ideas and suggestions with senior management at these forums. 由于大多数合作伙伴也是公司的所有人，因此他们对了解公司的信息非常感兴趣。为了满足这一愿望，每个季度高层管理人员都会在公司不同的销售区域举办论坛。这些论坛鼓励所有的合作伙伴提出各自的想法和建议并与高级管理层分享。(Para. 18b)Starbucks also distributes annual Bean Stock reports to all partners and the company
35、publishes Pinnacle, a newsletter that spotlights company performance as well as the activities of individual partners company wide. Starbucks is also taking advantage of videos and teleconferencing to reach out to its partners. 星巴克还将每年的咖啡豆股票报告发给所有的合伙人，并出版一本名为尖峰的新闻通讯，它会对公司的运营和业绩以及全公司每一个合伙人的表现进行特别报导。星
36、巴克现在还利用视频和电话会议的形式与它的合伙人们进行联络。(Para. 19a)Being on the front line requires communication, be it communication in training employees to perform their job properly, or communication with customers.“Starbucks partners are always on the go. Customer flow is quite steady, and they have to perform tasks req
37、uiring a bit of knowledge,” Richards explained。沟通对于销售第一线来说非常必要，正是沟通才使员工通过培训后能够准确无误地完成他们的工作，或者是与顾客的沟通。 “星巴克的合作伙伴一直都是忙忙碌碌。顾客流动量非常稳定，他们要完成一些任务，必须要具备一定的知识， ”理查德解释道，(Para. 19b) “Because of the way the service line is set up, partners must interact with each other to complete a task, creating a sense of t
38、eamwork. Customers shift from station to station, coming into contact with several employees during one transaction. Therefore, communication is an essential part of our success. “因为服务台设计的方式，这些合作伙伴必须相互合作才能完成一个任务，这样就会形成一种团队合作感。顾客从一个台子到另一个台子，在消费过程中他们会接触几位员工。因此，沟通是我们取得成功的重要组成部分。(Para. 19c) The positive
39、 customer experience is based on the communication between partners and their customers.” Human interaction is essential and constant in the Starbucks environment and Richards believes that this constant interaction is the reason employees dont get bored with their job. “Theyre always challenged,” h
40、e said. 最有价值的顾客经验就是建立在合伙人与顾客之间的沟通之上的。 ”人与人之间的互动是至关重要的，并始终贯穿于星巴克的每一个角落，理查德相信，正是这种不断的互动使星巴克的员工对工作不厌其烦。 “他们觉得到处都是挑战， ”他说。 (Para. 20) Starbucks also uses self-managed work teams at its coffee bean roasting plants. Although plant managers and supervisors are responsible for the initial organization of th
41、e teams, partners are encouraged to take over the day-to-day workings of the teams including decision-making. Cross-functional teams of partners and supervisors are used to make hiring decisions. 在咖啡豆的烘焙厂里，星巴克还采用自我管理的工作团队。尽管烘焙厂的经理和总监们会负责最初工作团队的组建，但他们会鼓励合伙人负责团队的日常工作，包括决策在内。由合伙人和总监组成的跨职能工作团队已经习惯了自已决定员
42、工的招募事宜。(Para. 21)Starbucks is a living model of employee learning, ownership, involvement, and communication. The result is a superior product,coupled with customer service that is truly caring and responsive. The icing on the cake is sales growth of 65 percent a year over the last years while net i
43、ncome skyrockets by 70 to 100 percent a year. 星巴克是企业中员工学习、员工所有、员工参与和沟通的楷模。结果是上乘的产品，加上真正体贴入微、有求必应的顾客服务。令人欣慰的是，它的年销售量每年增加百分之六十五，净收入每年增涨百分之七十到百分之百。(Para. 22)All in all, Starbucks offers an amazingly diverse range of opportunities and benefits to its partners. Its little wonder that new stores continue to open at the rate of three to five every week, and employees are making careers at Starbucks instead of dropping out. 总之，星巴克为它的合作伙伴提供各种不同的机会和福利。难怪新的店面继续以每周 3 至 5 个的速度不断涌现，同时它的员工也选择在星巴克成就他们的事业而不是离开。
