Check your knowledge of vocabulary

1. a flexible overtime system;

2. a lobby;

3. a memo;

4. a proposal for smth.;

5. allow doing something;

6. an arrangement;

7. an initiative;

8. an interdepartmental meeting;

9. an objective;

10. be alert and rested;

11. be available for;

12. be compulsory for smth./smb.;

13. be responsible for;

14. clarify the roles;

15. compete in smth.;

16. current;

17. dangerous;

18. deal with smth./smb.;

19. dress code;

20. employees;

21. encourage somebody to do something;

22. existing office rules;

23. flexible working hours;

24. general appearance;

25. handle complaints and queries;

26. hold a meeting;

27. however;

28. make and receive calls;

29. paid time off;

30. provide smb. with smth.;

31. regulations;

32. report directly to somebody;

33. represent proposals;

34. responsibilities;

35. shop-floor staff;

36. switch off;

37. take new posts;

38. timekeeping;

39. welfare policy;

40. working environment.

U NIT 7

Working hours part 1 reading

1. What do you think is a reasonable number of hours per week to work, if you are in a full time job?

2. What pressures might force people to work very long hours?

3. What job would you like to have?

1. a full-time job/ a part-time job;

2. a nine-to-five job/ to work nine-to-five;

3. to do shift work/to work in shifts;

4. to work flexi-time/ to be on flexi-time;

5. to work overtime/ to do overtime/ to work extra hours.

4. Quickly read the text through, ignoring the gaps. According to the writer, why are so many people suffering from overwork? What types of problems are caused by heavy workloads?

MANAGERS UNDER FIRE

James Sullivan leaves home at 7 a.m. for his office in the City of London and returns every night just after 9 p.m. He is in his early forties (1)___________. He fears that if he does not work so hard he will lose his £90.000 a year job. But if he continues to put these hours in, he may lose his wife and children. He is an unhappy and unwilling workaholic and knows that these long hours threaten a happy family life.

Experts have warned that heavy workloads are pushing marriages towards divorce (2)___________. Research has shown that British managers work an average of 55 hours a week, in blatant disregard of their contracts, which specify between 35 and 40 hours. A survey of two hundred directors last year showed that nearly half started work before 8 a.m. (3)___________. About two-thirds work at least one weekend in four, (4)_________.

Most middle managers have taken on new tasks because layers of management have disappeared (5)_________. In many companies there are half the number of managers as before, paid twice as much (6)___________. It leads to stress. When a man gets home, he feels very stressed and has little left to give. He is often too tired to talk to his wife. What makes matters worse is that more than two-thirds of managers have wives who work. (7)_________.

5. Read again and fill in the gaps:

A and there are fewer people to do the work;

B and has led to much higher profits for companies;

C and the day may have been equally stressful for them;

D and turning the offspring of wealthy parents into deprived children;

E and a quarter were still working after 6.30 p.m.;

F and more than half found that they could not take their full holidays;

G and expected to be three times as productive;

H and discriminates against female managers;

I and there will then be more women in management;

J and has three children aged eight, six and two.

6. Discuss these questions:

1. How does the situation in the text compare with your country?

2. Can you suggest any solutions?