商務禮節美語第194期:Outsourcing 外包業務(下)

公司執行總裁Dave召集董事會成員Helen和Pete開會，討論業務外包和公司重組。

H: I guess one of the biggest questions here is how the general public might perceive these moves. Will we face a backlash for cutting some local jobs and moving some operations abroad?

P: Yes, it's entirely possible that we will get some negative press over this decision. We will need to do some damage

control and try to explain as best as possible the reasoning behind our decision.

D: I'll have a chat with our public relations people and brief them on how to respond to media inquires.

Helen擔心公司業務外包，裁減員工，會引起社會反響，face a backlash。Pete也表示，媒體很可能會有負面報道，negative press, 因此要儘量控制不良影響，do some damage control。執行總裁 Dave表示，會和公關部門討論，告訴他們如何回答媒體的問詢。

P: The logic is pretty simple; either we make some needed cuts or the company risks going under and even more jobs will be lost.

D: We also want to be responsible players here. Let's offer job counseling and let's be reasonably generous with severance packages.

H: The companies that we plan on contracting to work for us have all been vetted by an independent auditor, right?

D: Yes, and they all passed with flying colors.

Pete表示，公司重組理由很簡單，不裁員公司就可能破產，the company risks going under。Dave建議爲遣散員工提供就業諮詢，job counseling，遣散費也多給點，be generous with severance packages. Severance packages是遣散員工時給的補貼。Helen問，外包公司是否都已經通過了獨立審計單位的審查，vet，是審查的意思。Dave表示，審查結果非常好，to pass with flying colors，意思是成功通過考查。

D: The law says sub-contracted firms must follow some basic guidelines such as no child labor, equal pay for men and women, etc. If they're not up to snuff, they have a certain number of days to rectify the situation. Otherwise, we have to find another firm.

H: So it's decided then. All in favor of outsourcing accounting and web maintenance please raise your hand.

P: Looks like it's a unanimous decision.

D: Thank you all for understanding. I'll write up a memo explaining this decision to everyone and send it out in a couple of days.

H and P: Sounds good.

D: All right, then. This meeting is adjourned.

Dave表示，法律規定，如果分包公司達不到基本要求，if they're not up to snuff, 必須在特定時間內改正to rectify the situation。Up to snuff, snuff, 意思是合格的，符合標準的。

最後三人舉手表決，同意將財會和網站管理業務外包。It's a unanimous decision. 決定一致通過。Dave準備寫一份備忘錄，幾天後宣佈。