** Swedish workers trial 'friendship hour' to combat loneliness **
Staff at a major Swedish pharmacy chain are being given paid time off to spend with friends, as Sweden's government calls on businesses to help play a role in tackling loneliness.
Yasmine Lindberg, 45, is one of 11 participants taking part in the pilot “friendcare” scheme for the pharmacy group Apotek Hjärtat.
She works shifts at the company’s outlet at a retail park in Kalmar, a small seaside city in southern Sweden.
“I’m really tired when I go home.
I don’t have time or energy to meet my friends, “ she explains, before restocking a shelf of paracetamol.
Now, thanks to the Apotek Hjärtat pilot scheme, which started in April, she’s granted 15 minutes a week, or an hour a month during working hours to focus on strengthening her friendships or making new connections.
She can use this allotted friendcare time to chat on the phone, make plans over text, or meet up with someone in person.
“I wanted to make it better for myself … like, kick myself in the back to do stuff, “ says Yasmine.
Monica Magnusson, Apotek Hjärtat’s CEO, says the inspiration for the company’s friendcare project comes partly from a previous collaboration with the mental health charity Mind.
She says that helped demonstrate how short meaningful conversations between pharmacists and customers could help the latter group feel less isolated.
The project’s title, Friendcare, refers to a benefit already offered by many Swedish businesses, which give employees a tax-free annual wellness allowance to spend on fitness activities or massages.
Some Swedish companies also offer staff a weekly wellness hour.
“This is a reflection on that, but targeting loneliness and relationships instead, “ explains Ms Magnusson.
带着问题听讲解
如何理解 play a role 这个词？
根据文章，员工在试点计划中的具体福利是什么？
“友谊关怀”项目灵感部分来自此哪？
讲解
** 瑞典试点带薪“友谊时间”，应对员工孤独感 **
Staff at a major Swedish pharmacy chain are being given paid time off to spend with friends, as Sweden's government calls on businesses to help play a role in tackling loneliness.
She works shifts at the company's outlet at a retail park in Kalmar, a small seaside city in southern Sweden.
她在公司位于卡尔马某零售商业区的一家门店轮班工作。卡尔马是瑞典南部的一座小型海滨城市。
"I'm really tired when I go home. I don't have time or energy to meet my friends," she explains, before restocking a shelf of paracetamol.
“我回到家时真的很累，没有时间，也没有精力去见朋友，”说这话时，她正准备往货架上补充扑热息痛。
Now, thanks to the Apotek Hjärtat pilot scheme, which started in April, she's granted 15 minutes a week, or an hour a month during working hours to focus on strengthening her friendships or making new connections.
She can use this allotted friendcare time to chat on the phone, make plans over text, or meet up with someone in person.
她可以利用这段分配到的“友谊关怀”时间打电话聊天、通过短信制定计划，或与他人当面见面。
"I wanted to make it better for myself … like, kick myself in the back to do stuff," says Yasmine.
“我想让自己的情况变得更好……就像是，踢自己一脚，逼自己去行动，”雅斯敏说。
Monica Magnusson, Apotek Hjärtat's CEO, says the inspiration for the company's friendcare project comes partly from a previous collaboration with the mental health charity Mind. She says that helped demonstrate how short meaningful conversations between pharmacists and customers could help the latter group feel less isolated.
Apotek Hjärtat 首席执行官莫妮卡·马格努松（Monica Magnusson）表示，该公司的“友谊关怀”项目灵感部分来自此前与心理健康慈善机构 Mind 的合作。她说，那次合作帮助证明，药剂师与顾客之间简短而有意义的对话，能够帮助后者减少孤立感。
The project's title, Friendcare, refers to a benefit already offered by many Swedish businesses, which give employees a tax-free annual wellness allowance to spend on fitness activities or massages. Some Swedish companies also offer staff a weekly wellness hour.
