3. Read and translate the text.

PEOPLE AND WORKPLACES

People who work for a company, all the people on its payroll, are its employees, personnel, staff, workers or workforce. But these words can mean just the people carrying out the work of a company, rather than those leading it and organizing it: the management.

A company’s activities may be spread over different sites. A company’s most senior managers usually work in its head office or headquarters (HQ). Some managers have their own individual offices, but in many businesses, most employees work in open-plan offices: large areas where many people work together. Administration or, informally, admin, the everyday work supporting a company’s activities, is often done in offices like these by administrative staff or support staff. For example, those giving technical help to buyers of the company’s products are in technical support.

Jobs: Accountants – More than Bean Counters. Wherever money is made or lost, accountants are needed to manage the books. Accountants are found in every industry – from the government to manufacturing and corporations. They are not bean counters or bookkeepers, but manage money, finances, and taxes and give valuable business advice. Accountants perform audits and prepare, analyze, and verify financial reports and taxes for many clients. They also give advice to corporate executives and help them make business decisions. All accountants should be analytical, creative self-starters with strong communication and computer skills.

Administrative Assistant – A Respected Career. Administrative assistants do more than answer telephones, type, and get coffee - the field is becoming a highly specialized and quickly growing career opportunity for people of all backgrounds. With corporate downsizing, administrative assistants are taking on more responsibilities and contributing more to the success of a company. They are not just doing “grunt” work; in fact some are relied upon for their computer and financial skills, and are responsible for hiring and managing people.

Human Resources – The Personal Touch. The human resources professional is an important part of a successful company. They have a wide variety of responsibilities, including hiring new employees, dealing with labor disputes, and training employees – just to name a few! They also act as counselors, offering assistance to employees dealing with personal issues, so they need to have a personal touch as well. Human resources professionals do more than hire people – they are responsible for continuing education, training and certification of employees, staffing needs, performance appraisals and reviews, compensation and benefits programs, and union and labor relations.

Market Research Analyst – In the Know. How do companies know if a new package will boost product sales? How does a state choose the advertising that will bring in the most tourists? How does a company get an idea of consumer response to a new product before it’s officially released? How do they do it? They call a market research analyst. Market research analysts collect, analyze and interpret data which companies use in marketing their products.

Stockbroker – Buy Low, Sell High! Does anyone really know what the stock market will do next? Since even the experts don’t agree, most people with money to invest want some advice before they decide where to put their savings. They call a stockbroker. Stockbrokers act for clients in the buying and selling of stocks. Most brokers also deal with bonds, shares in mutual funds, certificates of deposit, insurance annuities, and other financial products, so the term “securities sales representative” is really more accurate.

Ways of working can differ:

- I’m an office worker in an insurance company. It’s a nine-to-five job with regular working hours. The work isn’t very interesting, but I like to be able to go home at a reasonable time. We all have to clock in and clock out every day. In this company, even the managers have to, which is unusual!

Note: You also say clock on and clock off.

- I’m in computer programmer. There’s a system of flexitime in my company, which means we can work when we want, within certain limits. We can start at any time before eleven, and finish as early as three, as long as we do enough hours each month. It’s ideal for me as I have two young children.

- I work in a car plant. I work in shifts. I may be on the day shift one week and the night shift the next week. It’s difficult changing from one shift to another. When I change shifts, I have problems changing to a new routine for sleeping and eating.

- I’m a commercial artist in an advertising agency.

- I work in a big city, but I prefer living in the country, so I commute to work every day, like thousands of other commuters. Working from home using a computer and the Internet is becoming more and more popular, and the agency is introducing this: it’s called teleworking or telecommuting. But I like going into the office and working with other people around me.