Module 3: Working with Foreign Colleagues

Table of Contents

Language Focus

Language Focus 2: Useful vocabulary and phrases

Audio ClipHere are some sentences from the dialog:

 

 

“I wanted to ask a favour.”
“Well can’t you book some time off?”
“No, no, just show him around Bangkok and help him book the trip.”
These can be adapted to use in many workplace conversations.
ask/grant a favour (favor Am.E) = ask someone’s help/give someone help
overseas adv. = a foreign country (abroad) usually travelled to by sea or air
book time off = give advance notice of not attending work
leave allocation = the number of days off that one is usually given in a salaried job
book the trip = buy a ticket in advance (for travel)
a week on … (Wednesday) = seven days in advance of the day specified

                                                 (not this coming … but the one after)
workload n. = the given amount of work/tasks an employee has been allocated
up to date = current with the situation or the demand
outstanding adj. = not yet done/behind schedule
in hand = on time/ahead of schedule
work extra = do overtime
volunteer v. = offer to work (for free)
… value your work = an employee who does good work and is attentive to duties

Discussion

So, is your supervisor an easy-going type of person?
When you request an hour off to run an errand for a personal emergency, is he/she more than likely to grant it you? Or is he/she more like a strict type of person?
If you make such requests, they are rejected, disregarded; emergency or not.
If you were Sita’s boss, do you think you would have granted her three days?

So, it’s not good being a ‘hard’ boss, and it’s not good being a ‘soft’ boss.
What makes a good boss?
Perhaps you could make some suggestions with your friends or colleagues.