在宅勤務は広がるべきか
Some people say that companies should allow employees to work from home more often. Do you agree with this opinion?
こう聞かれることもある
- Should more companies allow their employees to work remotely?
- Some people think working from home reduces productivity. Do you agree or disagree?
- What are the benefits and drawbacks of remote work for both companies and employees?
賛成で使える論点
通勤時間の解消時間
Remote work eliminates the time and stress of commuting, giving employees more time for work and rest.
使える表現
- eliminate the daily commute
- reduce stress caused by crowded trains
- free up time for family or rest
満員電車での往復2時間がなくなり、その分を仕事や家族との時間に使えるという具体例
An employee who used to spend two hours a day on a crowded train can now use that time to start work earlier or spend it with family.
企業のオフィスコスト削減お金
Companies can reduce the cost of renting and maintaining large office spaces when employees work remotely.
使える表現
- reduce office rental costs
- cut down on utility expenses
- operate with a smaller office
オフィスの規模を縮小し、浮いた費用を社員の給与や設備投資に回せるという具体例
Some companies have reduced their office space significantly and redirected the money saved into employee salaries or new equipment.
多様な人材の確保公平さ
Remote work makes it possible for people who cannot commute, such as parents or people with disabilities, to keep working.
使える表現
- stay in the workforce
- accommodate different life situations
- provide equal opportunities regardless of location
小さな子どもがいる親や、体力的に長時間の通勤が難しい人も働き続けられるという具体例
A parent who needs to be near their child, or a person for whom a long commute is physically difficult, can continue their career through remote work.
居住地選択の自由自由
Remote work allows employees to choose where they live, rather than being limited to areas near the office.
使える表現
- choose where to live
- move away from expensive cities
- live closer to family
家賃の高い都心を離れ、実家の近くや地方で暮らしながら同じ仕事を続けられるという具体例
An employee can move to a less expensive area or closer to their family while keeping the same job and salary.
反対で使える論点
コミュニケーション不足人とのつながり
Working remotely makes it harder for colleagues to communicate spontaneously and build strong working relationships.
使える表現
- communicate spontaneously
- build trust among colleagues
- miss out on casual conversations
廊下でのちょっとした相談や雑談が減り、チームの連携が弱くなるという具体例
A quick question that would normally be asked across a desk often gets delayed or forgotten when everyone is working from a different location.
新人教育の難しさ効率
It is more difficult to train new employees remotely, since much learning happens by observing experienced colleagues directly.
使える表現
- learn by observing colleagues
- struggle to train new employees
- miss informal mentoring opportunities
新入社員が先輩の仕事ぶりを間近で見て学ぶ機会が、リモートでは失われるという具体例
A new employee who could once learn simply by watching a senior colleague handle a phone call now has far fewer chances to observe that kind of informal training.
仕事と私生活の境界が曖昧になる健康
Without a clear separation between home and office, employees may end up working longer hours and feeling more stressed.
使える表現
- blur the line between work and home
- work longer hours than before
- struggle to switch off from work
通勤という区切りがなくなり、つい夜遅くまでパソコンを開いてしまうという具体例
Without the commute that used to mark the end of the workday, some employees find themselves checking email late into the evening.
成果の評価が難しい公平さ
Managers may find it harder to fairly evaluate employees they cannot observe working in person.
使える表現
- fairly evaluate employee performance
- judge effort without direct observation
- risk unconscious bias in evaluation
オフィスにいる社員の頑張りは見えやすく、在宅勤務の社員が正当に評価されにくいという具体例
A manager may unconsciously give more credit to employees who are visibly present in the office than to those working just as hard from home.
どの2つを選ぶか
賛成なら「通勤時間の解消」と「居住地選択の自由」——どちらも従業員本人の生活の質という同じ軸で書けるので一貫性が出る。反対なら「コミュニケーション不足」と「新人教育の難しさ」——どちらも対面でしか伝わらないものという共通の論理でつながる。
やりがちな失敗
- 在宅勤務を「楽そう」という印象だけで語り、企業側・同僚側への影響を考えない
- 自分の理想の働き方（願望）を、一般的な議論であるかのように書いてしまう
- すべての職種に当てはまる話として書く（工場勤務や接客業では在宅勤務が成立しない、という反例を無視する）
- work from home と work remotely を使い分けず不自然に反復する
モデル解答
英検準1級版を見る（141 words）
I agree that companies should allow employees to work from home more often, provided that this suits the nature of their job. To begin with, remote work eliminates the time and stress of commuting, allowing employees to use that time for work or rest instead; an employee who once spent two hours a day on a crowded train can now start the workday feeling less exhausted. In addition, remote work makes it easier for people such as parents or those with health limitations to remain in the workforce, since they are not required to be physically present in an office. Admittedly, working remotely can make communication between colleagues less spontaneous. However, this can be managed through regular video meetings and clear communication tools, rather than requiring everyone to return to the office. For these reasons, companies should expand remote work options.
なぜこの構成になるか
- 「provided that ～」で条件付き賛成にし、単純な賛成より説得力を上げる
- 理由1「通勤時間の解消」→ allowing ～ で効果を言い切ってから具体例で裏づける
- 理由2「多様な人材の確保」→ since ～ で理由の理由（なぜそうなるか）まで一段深く書く
- "Admittedly, ～. However, ～"の譲歩構文で反対意見を先に処理する
- 最終文はFor these reasonsで簡潔にまとめ、新しい情報を追加しない
次の一手
ここで作った論点は、まだ「材料」です。実際にこの言葉を使って120〜150語の英文を書いたら、 AI添削ツールや先生に見せて、文法・語彙・語数を仕上げてください。理由が思いつかずに手が止まっていた人ほど、材料さえあれば添削は驚くほどスムーズに進みます。
