(しゅうきゅうみっかせい)

four-day work week system (three days off per week)

(どうにゅう)

introduction (of a system); 導入する = to introduce

(きぎょう)

company; enterprise

(ふえる)

to increase; to grow

(しゅう)

week

(みっか)

three days; the third day

(やすむ)

to rest; to take a break

(すこしずつ)

little by little

(ひとでぶそく)

labour shortage; shortage of workers

(しんこく)

serious, grave

(なか)

inside

(はたらきかた)

way of working

(せんたくし)

options, choices

(ひろげる)

to expand; to spread; to broaden

(ゆうしゅう)

excellent, outstanding

(じんざい)

human resources, talented people

(かくほ)

securing, ensuring

(ねらい)

aim, objective

(おおて)

major (company), leading firm

(きぼう)

hope; wish

(しゃいん)

company employee

(よっか)

four days; the fourth day

(きんむ)

work, service, duty

(えらぶ)

To choose; to select

(せいど)

system; institution

(はじめる)

to begin, start

(いちにち)

one day

(あたり)

per, apiece (per unit)

(ろうどうじかん)

working hours

(のばす)

to postpone, to extend

(やすみ)

holiday, rest

(ふやす)

to increase (something)

(しくみ)

structure, system, mechanism

(りよう)

use; utilization

(かぞく)

family

(すごす)

to spend (time)

(じかん)

time

(こえ)

voice

(あがる)

to rise / to go up

(いっぽう)

on the other hand / meanwhile

(かだい)

issue, problem, challenge

(のこる)

to remain / to stay behind

(にんずう)

number of people; headcount

(かぎる)

to limit; to restrict

(しょくば)

workplace

(とる)

to take

(ぶん)

portion; share; amount

(しごと)

work, job

(だれ)

who

(になう)

to shoulder, to take on (a burden)

(もんだい)

problem

(せんもんか)

expert, specialist

(つくる)

to make

(ぎょうむ)

business operations, duties, the work itself

(そのもの)

itself, the very thing

(みなおす)

to review, to reconsider

(ひつよう)

necessary / needed

(してき)

pointing out, indication

is doing, has been doing (ongoing state/action)

Expresses a continuing action or resulting state. Formed with て-form + いる. Can describe an action in progress or a state resulting from a past change.

to become

Expresses a change of state; Kawai became the new commissioner of the Sports Agency.

By doing; through the act of

Indicates that the preceding action serves as a means or cause for what follows. 'アメリカとウクライナが一緒に開発することで' means 'by developing together'.

instead of; in place of

Indicates a replacement or substitute.

called/named ~

Used to introduce or name something. In this article, 「鳥貴族」という店 means 'a store called Torikizoku'.

passive voice: was/were ~ed

Passive form indicating that the subject receives the action. '食べられて' means 'were eaten'. Central grammar of this article about tulips being eaten by deer.

(question marker)

Embedded/indirect question marker. Here used to express not knowing what kind of person.

Not only ~ but also

Expresses that something is not limited to one thing. Not only Tokyo and Kyoto, but various other places too.

週休三日制を導入する企業が増える

More companies are adopting a four-day work week

週に三日休む「週休三日制」を導入する企業が、少しずつ増えている。

The number of companies introducing a "four-day work week" — taking three days off per week — is gradually increasing.

人手不足が深刻になる中、働き方の選択肢を広げることで、優秀な人材を確保する狙いがある。

Amid a worsening labour shortage, the aim is to secure excellent staff by broadening the range of working styles on offer.

ある大手企業では、希望する社員が週四日勤務を選べる制度を始めた。

One major company has launched a scheme under which employees who want it can choose a four-day working week.

一日あたりの労働時間を延ばす代わりに、休みを一日増やす仕組みだ。

It is an arrangement in which the working hours per day are made longer in exchange for one extra day off.

利用した社員からは「家族と過ごす時間が増えた」という声が上がっている。

Employees who have used it are raising voices such as, "I now have more time to spend with my family."

一方、課題も残る。

On the other hand, challenges remain.

人数が限られた職場では、休みを取る社員の分の仕事を誰が担うのかが問題になる。

In workplaces with a limited number of staff, the question of who takes on the work of the employee who is off becomes a problem.

専門家は「制度を作るだけでなく、業務そのものを見直す必要がある」と指摘している。

Experts point out that "it is not enough just to create a system; the work itself needs to be reviewed."