Tag: work

Safety of Doctors

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Doctors treat our illnesses and at times, even save our lives when we are confronted with a life-threatening medical condition. An increasing number of Korean doctors are growing more worried about their safety while at work.

Read the article below and find out one of the reasons why a huge number of doctors in Korea want to work abroad.

http://m.koreatimes.co.kr/pages/article.asp?newsIdx=261424

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is the reason Korean doctors worry about their safety?
  2. State ways on how to solve this problem.
  3. What other work-related perils do doctors face?
  4. What challenges do doctors in your country have to deal with?

Working Many Hours

B1 – Intermediate

Tesla founder Elon Musk believes people should work more than the typical 35-40 hours a week in order to change the world. In fact, many CEOs of multi-billion-dollar companies work about 70 hours per week.

Read the article and be ready to talk about working very long hours.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1811/181129-working-week-1.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “workaholic” mean? “He is a workaholic but he loves working.” Use this word in your own sentence.
  2. What is a “founder“? “He is the founder, CEO, and lead designer of SpaceX.” Use this word in your own sentence.
  3. What is a “co-founder“? “He is the co-founder of PayPal.” Use this word in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion on Mr. Musk’s idea?
  2. What might be the good and bad things about being a workaholic?
  3. Talk about your own experience working long hours.

The Pecking Order

B2 – Upper Intermediate

By definition, hierarchy is a way of organizing people, in which people or groups are ranked one above the other according to status or authority. When is hierarchy bad and when is it not?

Let’s listen to know the answer and learn how chickens’ pecking order work as well.

Discussion Questions:
1. What did you learn from the chickens’ pecking order?
2. According to the audio, what is the best hierarchy? (Do you agree?)
3. When is hierarchy bad?
4. Talk about your workplace pecking order.

Samsung Pays After Worker Deaths

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Samsung is one of the world’s largest producers of electronic devices. In the latest news, the company has agreed to compensate  workers who had fallen ill and died from on-the-job chemical exposure at its South Korean factories after protests at various Samsung sites to pressure the company into the deal.

Click the link to read more about the article:

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-46060376

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you think Samsung will stand by its promise to compensate its employees?

2. What are the health effects of chemical exposure?

3. What safety measures should companies have for their employees who are working in a hazardous environment?

4. How can companies replace hazardous chemicals to safer alternatives?

5. Name some companies which has workplace hazards. How can they improve?

 

Give All Tips to Staff

B1 – Intermediate

Waiting tables is one of those jobs that pay too little. A lot of waiters who work in restaurants depend on tips for more salary.

However, not all restaurants give the full amount of tips collected to their waiters.

Read the article below about a new law that obliges restaurant owners to give all the tips to their waiting staff.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1810/181004-tipping-1.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “tip” mean, “UK restaurants will soon have to give all tips to their staff.”? Give a synonym and use the word ‘tip’ in a sentence.
  2. What does “staff” mean, “Many waiting staff are happy with the new law.”? Give a synonym and use the word ‘staff’ in a sentence.
  3. What does “to be fed up with sb/sth” mean, “They are fed up with chain restaurants keeping their tips.”? Use this expression in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you agree with this new law? Do you think it is necessary to have this law?
2. What is your opinion on restaurants not giving the tips to their staff?
3. Do you need to tip waiters in your country? Why or why not?
4. What are some low-paying jobs in your country?
5. How can we make sure all workers are treated fairly by their employers?

Here’s Who You Call When an Earthquake Strikes

B2 – Upper intermediate

Disasters can strike without warning. And loss of life and property can be devastating. In Mexico, a group of brave volunteers formed a rescue team in order to save lives trapped beneath collapsed structures.

Meet the “Topos” or “Moles”. Learn about them in this short but inspiring video.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Who are the moles? Why were they formed? What do they do?
  2. Talk about disaster rescue teams in your area/country.
  3. Have you ever been in a disaster? Talk about your experience.

Prepare Kids for the Future in the Workplace

B2- Upper Intermediate

Having successful children is what most parents aspire for. As much as we should let kids be kids, we should also think about how to raise them in order for them to be workplace-ready.

How do we prepare our children to excel in the workplace in the future?

https://www.inc.com/video/jt-odonnell/how-to-raise-kids-who-will-succeed-in-the-workplace.html

Discussion Questions:

1. What advice did the speaker share? Do you agree or disagree?

2. What are ways to raise successful children?

3. Should children be raised always thinking they should constantly strive for success?

4. How did you prepare for joining the workforce?

5. Talk about a challenge you had at work and how you overcame it.

The Art of the Business Lunch

B2 – Upper Intermediate

In the business arena, having a business lunch is important as offers can be made, partnerships can be formed and deals can be closed. How much do you know about having successful lunch meetings?

Let’s learn some tips and be ready to share what you know.

Discussion Questions:
1. What did you learn from the video?
2. Who should order and what should you order? What’s meant by “not scratch-made”?
3. What other business lunch etiquette do you know?
4. Is it good or bad idea to bring a small gift for the host/hostess?
5. Is being punctual important? Why or why not?

The Gender Pay Gap

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Data show that the majority of medium and large companies pay higher wage rates to men than to women. In spite of all these records, skeptics still do not believe in the existence of the idea. See how the video debunks myths about the gender pay gap.

Discussion Questions:

1. Discuss the six myths about the gender pay gap.
2. Do you experience the pay gap in your company?
3. How can we resolve issues about the pay gap?
4. In what other phenomena are men considered to be more privileged than women?
5. In what events are women thought to be more advantaged than men?

The Worst Things about Working at Google

C1 – Advanced

I bet a lot of, if not all, people perceive working at Google as THE dream job. On the contrary, according to some people who have worked in this tech giant, sometimes, it’s not all “rainbows and ponies”.

Click on the link to read more on Googlers’ least favorite things about being employed at Google.

https://www.businessinsider.com/google-employees-worst-things-about-working-at-google-2016-12#its-hard-to-be-honest-with-your-colleagues-2

Discussion Questions:

1. Talk about some complaints Googlers have about working at Google.
2. What are your thoughts on these confessions?
3. What’s the best and worst thing about working in your company?
4. What comes to your mind when you hear “Google”?
5. What are important things you look for in a company you will work for?