Tag: Work and Workplace

B2 – Upper Intermediate

We all need to upskill because nowadays, recruiters pay attention not only to our hard skills, but also our soft skills.

Read the article to know the top skills you’ll need to get your desired job and to know the differences between hard and soft skills.

https://www.siliconrepublic.com/careers/skills-for-2021-hard-soft-zety 

Vocabulary Questions:

1. Explain the meaning of the idiom “to place one’s bet on someone/something“. “What are the hard and soft skills to place your bets on this year?” Use it in a sentence.
2. What is the meaning of the word “upheaval“? “Again, these soft skills have become crucial to working life in the upheaval of 2020.” Use it in a sentence.
3. Differentiate “soft skills” and “hard skills”. “Recruiters and hiring managers showed a preference for soft skills over hard skills, with 61pc of respondents saying they were more important.” Use them in sentences.

Discussion Questions:

1. What are your top 3 hard and soft skills that you most often use at work?
2. What are some hard and soft skills that you lack? How do you intend to gain them?
3. What is one skill you have that sets you apart from others?
4. Recruiters and hiring managers think soft skills are more important and they prefer people with better soft skills than with a lot of hard skills. What are your thoughts on this?
5. Why are soft skills important in one’s career?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Digital workplaces such as Google Workplace or Slack have become even more sought-after workplaces since the pandemic due to their digital workstyle nature.

Chat messages are often hard to decipher because you don’t know the tone of the sender. Reading a chat without context may cause you to overthink or be anxious. Subtle nuances in the digital workplace can have a significant influence on the overall atmosphere and dynamics. One such nuanced behavior is “Hey hanging”.

Read this article to learn about how “Hey hanging” induces anxiety in the workplace.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/hey-hanging-work-chat_l_64c9387ae4b0fd06594dd491

Vocabulary Questions:

1. Define “right off the bat”. “To avoid any awkward pauses, it’s better just to explain what you need right off the bat.” Use this phrase in a sentence.
2. What does “out of the blue” mean? “If you’ve never chatted with the person before, a “hey” out of the blue can leave you second-guessing yourself, too.” Make a sentence with this phrase.
3. What does “tailspin” mean? “When a colleague replies to a paragraph-long question with a one-letter “k” on Slack, it can send us into an anxious tailspin, worried the sender is mad at us.” Use this word in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

1. What are your thoughts on “Hey hanging”?
2. What impact does a “hey” message without a follow-up or with a pause have on individuals, particularly when it comes from a manager?
3. Have you personally experienced a situation where a sudden “hey” message in a digital workspace led to misinterpretation or heightened anxiety? How did you handle it?
4. Can you provide alternative greetings or messages for a positive digital tone and reduced anxiety?
5. How do clarity and context ease concerns with short messages like “hey” in digital work settings?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Hustle culture has been quite popular among the working class. However, some believe that this long-glorified culture may be coming to an end. This kind of culture has a huge impact on people’s work-life balance and mental well-being. As the world becomes more competitive, the pressure to constantly hustle intensifies.

Read this article to learn more about hustle culture.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20230417-hustle-culture-is-this-the-end-of-rise-and-grind

Vocabulary Questions:

1. What is a “go-getter“? “…this is the way go-getters get what they want.” Use this in a sentence.
2. What does “fair shot” mean? “Everyone has a fair shot at success.” Make a sentence with this phrase.
3. Define “coupled with“. “And because that time was coupled with the stress of financial uncertainty, experts say some people came to find hustle culture more exhausting than empowering.” Use this phrase in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

1. What are your thoughts on hustle culture?
2. How does hustle culture impact work-life balance and individuals’ well-being?
3. Have you ever experienced burnout or exhaustion due to adopting a “rise and grind” mentality?
4. How do you prioritize work-life balance while still striving for success in your career?
5. Have you ever felt pressure to conform to hustle culture from your peers or workplace?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The idea of working for oneself has become more and more fashionable in recent years due to the fact that it gives individuals the independence, flexibility, and the potential to embark on what interests them.

While working for yourself can be rewarding, there are obstacles to overcome. Despite the frequently idealized perception of being one’s own boss, many self-employed people carry a quiet guilt.

Explore the multifaceted emotions that freelance employees experience, the causes of their guilt, and any possible impacts on their overall health by clicking the link.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20230614-the-quiet-guilt-of-self-employment

Vocabulary Questions:

1. What does “it’s much easier said than done” mean in the sentence, “Unfortunately for the self-employed, some of these workers report it’s much easier said than done – and can be a catalyst for burnout.”? Use this expression in your own sentence.
2. What does “billable hours” mean in the sentence, “It’s also turned me into a workaholic, who squeezes in billable hours on the weekends, and pushes my bedtime to cross one more thing off the to-do list.”? Use this in your own sentence.
3. What does “ to be pronounced” mean in the sentence, “A 35-year-old self-employed graphic designer in the US state of North Carolina, says the guilt is most pronounced when she’s doing something enjoyable.”? Use this in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

1. What are some effective strategies for managing and overcoming the guilt associated with self-employment? Tell me more.
2. How can self-employed individuals combat the feelings of isolation and loneliness that often accompany their chosen career path? Please share.
3. What are the biggest advantages and disadvantages you have experienced in your self-employment journey?
4. Have you faced any specific societal or cultural challenges or judgments as a self-employed person, and how have you navigated them? Please share.
5. What advice would you give to someone considering self-employment as a career path?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

With climate change getting worse, people from many countries in the Northern Hemisphere have been experiencing heat waves. Although a lot of us can find comfort by using an air conditioner at our own homes and in the office or taking a dip in the neighborhood swimming pool, there are those who cannot afford to do so because their work mainly requires them to be out there in the sun.

Listen to the audio and read the transcript to learn more about these work practices in the U.S. that could threaten the health of outdoor laborers.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/07/14/heat-workers-osha-protections/

Vocabulary Questions:

1. Define the word “bevy”. “The result, experts say, is that workers in a bevy of industries — from farmworkers to roofers and delivery drivers to sanitation professionals — are left to defend themselves under the scorching sun.” Use it in a sentence and give two synonyms.
2. What is the meaning of the word “strafe“? “July 4 was Earth’s hottest day on record as a heat dome smothered parts of Texas and conditions from El Niño, the infamous climate pattern that provokes stifling heat and harsh rains, began to strafe the West Coast.” Use it in your own sentence.
3. What does the word “catchall” mean? “Extreme heat risk falls under the OSHA’s “general duty” clause, a catchall for job-site hazards without specific guidelines.” Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

1. Share your thoughts on forcing people to work in deadly heat being legal.
2. What jobs are mostly affected by extreme weather conditions?
3. In your opinion, how does extreme heat affect the productivity of workers?
4. How is the summer weather in your country? Is it tolerable? If not, how do you deal with this extreme summer weather?
5. What are the workers’ legal protections related to extreme heat conditions in your country?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Traveling and working in different locations at the same time seems ideal. This working setup feels like a dream for most employees. However, people who have been doing it have found that it is different from what they imagined.

Read the article to learn more about people quitting digital nomadism.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20230531-the-workers-quitting-digital-nomadism

Vocabulary Questions:

1. What does “ebb” mean, “After five years, however, the excitement of the nomadic lifestyle across the world began to ebb.“? Give two synonyms of this word and use them in sentences.
2. What does “pin down” mean, “It’s difficult to pin down the exact number of these types of workers.“? Use this phrase in a sentence.
3. What is an “untethered worker“? “In other countries where data is less available, resources abound to help untethered workers make their way across the globe.” Use this phrase in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

1. What is your opinion on digital nomadism?
2. Name some challenges or drawbacks associated with being a digital nomad.
3. What are some of the reasons cited by workers for leaving the digital nomad lifestyle?
4. Would you like to experience being a digital nomad? Why or why not?
5. How do you think being a digital nomad could impact your personal relationships and social life? Do you see it as an advantage or a challenge?