B2 – Upper Intermediate
After the isolation we had to go through during the pandemic, some employees had difficulties reconnecting. This brings a new problem that plagues the workplace — employees feeling disconnected from their company, their jobs, and their coworkers.
Not surprisingly though, the kind of relationship we have with the people we work with every single day is proportionally linked to our success at work.
Watch this TED video on ways to help you connect better with your colleagues.
Be ready to answer the questions that follow.
Vocabulary Questions:
- What does the adjective “disconnected” mean here, “People feel pretty disconnected at work right now – disconnected from their organizations, from their jobs, and especially from their colleagues.”? Give 2 synonyms or similar expressions and use the word ‘disconnected’ in your own sentence.
- What does ”social butterfly” mean, ”I have a few tips and you don’t have to be a social butterfly to give them a try.”? Give 2 synonyms or similar expressions and use the idiom ‘social butterfly’ in your own sentence.
- What does “to open up” mean? “Build trust by opening up.” Give 2 synonyms or similar expressions and use the phrasal verb ‘to open up’ in your own sentence.
Discussion Questions:
- What might be reasons “people feel pretty disconnected at work”?
- “Our relationships with our coworkers play a huge role in determining how successful, innovative, and happy we’ll be at work.” What are your thoughts on this statement?
- Explain the ‘vulnerability loop’. Share some personal insights on/personal experiences with this concept.
- What are your thoughts on Mark T. Rivera’s “T-shirt experiment” during onboarding? Would this work in your team/company?
- Do you agree or disagree? Share your opinion. “People who had many weak ties that connected different groups in a large organization were more likely to have high performance scores, more likely to be promoted, and even more likely to say they were a part of a creative breakthrough.”
- How do you make meaningful connections with your coworkers?