23年高考英语外刊阅读训练——阅读理解：CEO们会容许混合办公制继续存在吗？（含答案）

23年高考英语外刊阅读训练———阅读理解：CEO们会容许混合办公制继续存在吗？ ———改编自Have CEOs lost patience with hybrid working As the pendulum swings back from remote working, with the return of hybrid and in-person work, employers are taking a tougher line on white-collar workers. High-profile bosses such as Elon Musk, Bob Iger, and Amazon have implemented office mandates, motivating employees to either embrace high-intensity long hours or quit. However, there is little clear evidence whether hybrid work practices affect productivity positively or negatively. One professor suggests that the shift towards in-person working may be more about power dynamics among managers who want to maintain control over their teams. Despite this change in tone, researchers suggest that there is a gradual drift back to the office rather than a sudden clampdown on flexible work, particularly outside of the tech sector that tested wholly remote work the most. At present, approximately 15% of the US labor force works solely from home, yet this group is often invisible since they operate off-panies are increasingly enforcing policies around hybrid work, but for graduate workers, this does not create a mismatch between employer and employee preferences. In the US, the proportion of days worked from home has settled at around 30%, while globally, graduates work from home one or two days a week, with Fridays often considered sacrosanct. The consistency of these hours reflects an employee preference, especially among those aged 30-40 who still juggle work and family duties. While HR directors are often proponents of hybrid work, managers remain sceptical due to concerns over potential harm to corporate culture, collaboration and integration of new starters. Some worry that employees' newfound freedoms could disappear if redundancies spread, and a recession erodes their bargaining power, however, in a tight labour market, it can be easier to offer flexibility instead of a big pay rise, leading some to value splitting their time between home and office roughly equal to an 8% pay rise. Overall, while companies have tolerated hybrid working, many have not made the changes required to boost productivity. Despite the current tough economic climate, employers must pay attention to employee needs, as staff remain a company’s biggest asset in the knowledge economy. Balancing the demands of staff and business requirements may mean finding innovative solutions to ensure flexibility is maintained while corporate culture and collaboration are also prioritized. 【重点词汇】 1. pendulum ['p ndj l m] n.钟摆（文章开头出现） 2. remote [r 'm t] adj.远程的 3. hybrid ['ha br d] adj.混合的，复合的 4. in-person [ np s n] adj.亲自到场的 5. tougher ['t f ] adj.更严格的 6. white-collar ['wa tk l (r)] adj.白领的 7. boss [b s] n.老板 8. mandate ['m nde t] n.命令 9. motivate ['m t ve t] v.激励 10. embrace [ m'bre s] v.拥抱，接受 11. high-intensity ['ha ' ntens ti] adj.高强度的 12. quit [kw t] v. ... ...