Rough Translation’s spring season focuses on our changing relationship to work

Rough Translation debuted its new season, titled “@Work,” which will explore workplaces around the world and what change abroad can tell us about our own work lives.

Hosted by Gregory Warner and featuring a diverse slate of NPR’s international correspondents and contributors, “@Work” will look at what happens when we try to work less, from a mysterious criminal who inspired a “slacker revolution” in China, to the odd backstory of the French ban on employees eating lunch at their desks. The season will ask how work shapes who we are, from an American trans woman trucker rewriting the rules of the road, to a Nigerian-British writer seeking advice on how to adopt a new persona to make it in Nigeria. And we’ll meet Ukrainians whose work-selves have been altered in surprising ways by war.

The trailer is available here, and the first episode is available here. New episodes will air every Wednesday.

“It’s surprising what people reveal when you interview them about their workplace,” said Warner. “You dig down into someone’s exhaustion at work, they start talking about the burden of filial loyalty. You ask them about their toxic relationship with their boss, they unpack lessons in obedience that were drilled into them in primary school. These interviews have been a process of discovery, for us and for our correspondents, about all the non-work stuff we bring to our jobs. But that’s the stuff we have to pay attention to if we’re really going to change the culture of work.”

“This season of Rough Translation highlights the power of our newsroom and our international correspondents to engage with important global issues in a way that opens our minds and hearts,” said Anya Grundmann, Senior Vice President for Programming and Audience Development. “In a time of increased division and conflict, Rough Translation reminds us of our shared humanity, and how interconnected we all are.”

About Rough Translation

How are the things we’re talking about being talked about somewhere else in the world? Gregory Warner tells stories that follow familiar conversations into unfamiliar territory. At a time when the world seems small but it’s as hard as ever to escape our echo chambers, Rough Translation takes you places.

About NPR

NPR’s rigorous reporting and unsurpassed storytelling connect with millions of Americans every day — on the air, online, and in person. NPR strives to create a more informed public — one challenged and invigorated by a deeper understanding and appreciation of events, ideas, and cultures. With a nationwide network of award-winning journalists and 17 international bureaus, NPR and its Member Stations are never far from where a story is unfolding. Listeners can find NPR by tuning in to their local Member stations (npr.org/stations), and now it’s easy to listen to our stories on smart speaker devices. Ask your smart speaker to, “Play NPR,” and you’ll be tuned into your local Member station’s live stream. Your speaker can also access NPR podcasts, NPR One, NPR News Now, and the Visual Newscast is available for screened speakers. Get more information at npr.org/about and by following NPR Extra on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.