Tag: Work and Workplace

The Crazy Starbucks Order

B2 – Upper Intermediate

You are a regular at this cafe. All you want is your customized drink from your favorite cafe. So you order it. 

You are a barista at this coffee shop. All you want is to come in to work and have a normal day.

Watch the video and see the story of the 13-ingredient order at Starbucks that got a barista fired from his job. Be ready to answer the questions that follow.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of the barista posting something like that?
  2. What are your thoughts on getting fired for your social media posts about things related to work?
  3. What do you think about the customer’s order and stand that his order is okay as long as he tips generously?
  4. What are usual reasons people would want to quit their jobs?
  5. At restaurants or cafes, what kind of customer are you?

Professionals Want To Go Back To the Office

B2 – Upper Intermediate

COVID-19 has lead to more and more employees working from home. 98% of people surveyed said they would like the option to work remotely for the rest of their careers. With workers finding some challenges in this new work setup, not everything is positive.

Let’s read the article to find out what these 6 professionals shared about their experiences working from home and why they want to go back to working in the office again.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/return-to-office-work_l_60818168e4b01e14f06eb30a

Discussion Questions:

  1. Are you currently working from home? What’s your daily routine like for working?
  2. What’s your biggest struggle with working remotely?
  3. How can companies with remote workforce benefit from implementing flexible/remote working?
  4. What do you do when taking breaks and to recharge throughout the day?
  5. Are remote workers happier than office employees? Explain your point.

Payday Loans

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Life is tough and it is even tougher for people who are short of cash.

Payday loans are a form of cash advance to help people cover their expenses until their next paycheck comes in. For some, it is an easy way to have a temporary solution to their money problems.

Listen to the audio and read the transcript about payday loans.

Payday loans

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the idiom “Give it to me straight.” mean? “What do you mean complicated? Give it to me straight. Where did you get a loan?” Use it in your own sentence and give a synonym or similar expression.
  2. What does “to run someone dry” mean? “Exactly, because they can run you dry.” Use it in your own sentence and give a synonym or similar expression.
  3. What does “quicksand” mean here? “And then people like you get locked into a vicious loan cycle that is almost impossible to escape. Like quicksand.” Use it in your own sentence and give a synonym or similar expression.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How do you react/feel when someone tries to borrow money from you?
  2. Are payday loans a help to people or not? Explain your thoughts about it.
  3. Are payday loans common in your country? What is your opinion about their high interest rates?

Digital Nomad Work Visa in Caribbean Islands

B1 – Intermediate

Digital nomads are workers who often work remotely from places to places. They do not have a permanent base. Because of technology and globalization, this kind of work style and lifestyle has become more popular. 

One problem that digital nomads have is sometimes, they can’t stay for as long as they want in one place because of visa restrictions.

But, in some Caribbean Islands, this won’t be a problem anymore. They have a new visa program for digital nomads.

Know more about it from the article below.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2010/201004-digital-nomad-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What can you say about this work visa for digital nomads in the Caribbean?
  2. What are the benefits of countries from giving digital nomads a visa to stay long-term?
  3. What do you think are the good and hard things about being a digital nomad?
  4. One of the requirements for the digital nomad visa is a minimum annual income of $50,000. Do you think this amount is high or low? Share your thoughts.
  5. Would you like to try the digital nomad life? Why or why not?

Ways Companies Can Support Grieving Employees

B2 – Upper Intermediate

We all have different means on how to cope up with pain and grief. Some would use their work to get back up while living with their anguish. It’s called productive destruction as work itself can restore one’s purpose after dealing with loss.

Watch as Tilak Mandadi talks about the importance of culture of empathy in the workplace and how it can support grieving employees.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Discuss the 3 tips on the video. How can they be helpful for grieving employees?
  2. What was the most painful thing you had experienced? Who helped you get through it?
  3. How do you deal with grief and pain?
  4. What can you say about your work environment?
  5. What are the things that your company offers to mourning employees?

Healthcare Clowns Help Patients Laugh and Recover

B1 – Intermediate

As the old saying goes, “Laughter is the best medicine.” Laughing reduces stress, increases energy, and it makes us feel good.

Hospital clowning continues to grow around the world because they help patients focus on something other than their illness.

Let’s read the article below about healthcare clowns.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2012/201217-healthcare-clowns-4.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of the idea of healthcare clowns? Elaborate.
  2. Do you think “Laughter is the best medicine.“? Why / Why not?
  3. What helps reduce your stress or anxiety when you are or one of your loved ones is sick?
  4. What other things could clowns do to help society?
  5. Do you think clowns are scary? Why / Why not?
  6. How has humor help you pass difficult situations in your life?

No More Bosses

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Holacracy is a method of removing job titles and hierarchy. In this system, decision-making is distributed among self-managing teams. In this method, certain positions in the business hierarchy such as managers are dissolved.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the benefits of having a boss/manager? Can you think of any disadvantages in the absence of one?
  2. Do you agree with holacracy? Are there companies in your country that practice holacracy?
  3. Describe your relationship with your former and current bosses. How helpful were they to you?

French Health Workers’ Pay Rise

B1 – Intermediate

They are clearly the heroes during this extremely difficult times. They are the health workers including doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. With all the work that they do for us, how do we repay them?

There will be an increase in its health workers’ salary in France. The pay rise is a reward for the hard work of health workers during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Read this lesson on health workers’ salary.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2007/200716-health-workers-1.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “applaud” mean here, “During the outbreak, millions of French people applauded nurses and doctors.“? Use it in your own sentence.
  2. What does “protest” mean, “Unions asked them to stay away as a protest.” Use it in your own sentence.
  3. What does the word “staff” mean, “The unions said the government had to do more to protect staff and keep them safe.“? Use it in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you think health workers deserved this pay rise? Why or why not?
  2. Talk about salaries and benefits of health workers in your country. Do you think they are properly compensated?
  3. How were health workers’ hard work recognized or how were they rewarded during the pandemic in your country? 

Twitter Employees Can Work at Home Forever

B1 – Intermediate

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey emailed all his employees that most of them can continue working from home for as long as they want.

A Twitter spokesperson said, “Opening offices will be our decision. When and if our employees come back, will be theirs.” Even after the coronavirus pandemic, the employees can still have the freedom to choose where they want to work.

Twitter is an online company so almost all of the employees can just converse on chats and video calls. The past few months have proven that working online is possible.

Let’s read the article below to learn more about Twitter’s decision to let their employees work at their homes forever.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2005/200515-working-at-home-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What was your reaction towards Twitter letting their employees work from home forever?
  2. Do you think that this set up of working from home can still be productive for workers and the company?
  3. What are the advantages of working form home for the employees and the company?
  4. What are the disadvantages of working form home for the employees and the company?
  5. Given a chance, would you want to work from home for the rest of your life? Why?

Switching Careers

B2 – Upper Intermediate

A career transition can be challenging. Why do people change careers? Is it boredom, uncertainty, benefits, or goals that make people question their career choices? When can be the best time to change careers?

Let’s read the article about when an employee considers a career change in their life.

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/08/success/switching-careers-pandemic/index.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What might be the challenges of making a sudden and big change in one’s career?
  2. What is your opinion on this statement, “The job market is a mess, but you can still switch careers.“?
  3. When is the best time to change careers? Why do you think so?
  4. What job skills are the most in demand for a career change?
  5. What could make you change your current job for another one?