Tag: work

Preventing “Cyberloafing” in the Workplace

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Do you work hard in the office, or do you instead watch internet videos, browse through your social media feeds or shop online?

Read the article and find out how companies might put into effect policies to help stop this behavior in the workplace.

https://www.ehstoday.com/safety/get-back-work-how-prevent-cyberloafing-workplace

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are ways to prevent cyberloafing? Any ideas you have on how to fend off cyberloafing in your own workplace?
  2. Do you cyberloaf? If yes, when and why do you normally do it? If not, why is that?
  3. What are other things that make employees lose time during work hours?
  4. How do you manage your time at work?
  5. Do you consider it acceptable to spend work time on social media sites, managing finances, etc.?

The Best Companies to Work For

B1 – Intermediate

A new report ranked companies to find out the best places to work in. It considered workers’ satisfaction with their jobs. Google was on top of this list.

Read more about pay and benefits in companies.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1405/140527-pay-benefit-package-1.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of the benefits of Google employees?
  2. What are the best companies to work for in your country?
  3. If you were happy working for a company, would you go on holiday less?
  4. What are the important benefits you want to receive from the company you are working for?
  5. What are the good and bad things about your company?

Mental Health in the Workplace

B2 – Upper Intermediate

A large number of workers suffer from mental health issues at work. Life becomes very complicated for those who struggle with mental health problems.

Listen to the podcast and find out more about the topic of mental health and learn some things people can do to help and cause change.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-191114

Discussion Questions:

  1. What can be done to raise awareness of mental health issues in the workplace?
  2. What are the effects of it on people’s lives?
  3. How is mental health treated in your workplace?
  4. What are things your company is doing to address its employees’ mental health needs?
  5. What are your thoughts on mental health leaves?

Glasses Ban for Women at Work

B2 – Upper Intermediate

In Japan, news of several companies banning the wearing of glasses among female employees made rounds recently.

This has become a controversial issue in the country as reports say that female employees have been told by their employers to stop wearing them.

Read the article to find out more about this eyewear ban among women in Japan.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-50342714

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on forbidding women to wear glasses at their workplace?
  2. Do you think this ban is sexist? Why or why not?
  3. What might good things about wearing and not wearing glasses?

Internship – Exploitation or Experience?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

College students need to find the balance between work, friends, family, and academic deadlines. With all these overwhelming tasks and pressure, the significance of having a substantial internship experience can be overlooked.

Let’s listen to the podcast and find out more about internship, its significance, and the issues surrounding it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-191017

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is an internship? Did you have an internship as a college student?
  2. How important is an internship?
  3. What is your opinion on the unpaid nature of internship programs? Do you think it is fair to work for free?

Importance of Diversity in the Workplace

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Diversity in the workplace can create a better company. It shows what employees from different backgrounds can actually do and its impact on the company in both financial and cultural aspects. They have the opportunity to learn from one another to have a more effective workplace.

Watch the video explaining the importance of diversity in the workplace.

Discussion Questions :

  1. What is the importance of diversity at work?
  2. What is your opinion about different backgrounds and cultures at work?
  3. How is a greater diversity of workers has been impacting businesses?
  4. What conflicts or problems might arise in working with different cultures in the office?
  5. How can working with people from different cultures be applied to a situation in your past/present work?

Little Things That Affect Our Work Relationships

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The workplace is a professional environment so no matter who you work with, you want to maintain a certain level of professionalism.

Coworker relationships involve a series of “micromoves” which are “small actions or behaviors that seem inconsequential at the moment but affect how we relate to one another”.

In this article, we look at how we can preserve our working relationship.

The Little Things That Affect Our Work Relationships

Discussion Questions:

  1. Describe your relationships at work.
  2. How do you fix a bad working relationship?
  3. What are the factors to having good relationships at work?

How Does an Interpreter Juggle Two Languages

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Being an interpreter is a demanding job as they consecutively think and speak in different languages. A slight nuance may actually be catastrophic. Despite the complexities of language and cultural exchanges, how are miscommunications prevented?

Watch the video and learn more about

 

 

Discussion Questions:

1. How do interpreters master their skills?

2. How are interpreters appreciated in your country?

3. How do interpreters prevent miscommunications?

4. What is your impression about this job? Given a chance, would you like to be an interpreter?

5. What are your thoughts on this statement: “War is what happens when language fails”?

What is Employability?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

‘To be employed is to be at risk, to be employable is to be secure.’

Skills, understandings and personal attributes are all important for anyone to have in today’s job market.

Watch the video to know what employers exactly look for an applicant.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Based on the employers’ answers in the video, give employability skills one should have.
  2. What are the benefits of having employability skills?
  3. What makes you employable?
  4. How have people from your country’s perspectives about employability changed through the years?

Why Appraisals Are Pointless?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

In so many ways, whether the company would thrive or fail relies on employee quality. Hence, many companies resort to appraisals in order to sort the good apples from the bad ones.

Read the full article and discover why the dreaded appraisals just don’t work and what might be the better way to boost employee productivity.

http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20190501-why-appraisals-are-pointless-for-most-people

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the pros and cons of employee performance ratings?
  2. What are your thoughts on performance reviews?
  3. Talk about the performance review process of your company.