LearnEnglishProfessionals

COMPLAININGAUDIOSCRIPT

ListentoaconversationbetweentheHumanResourcesManagerandMrJohnson,anemployeewhois
unhappywiththewayheistreatedbyhisboss.

Optionalexercise Listentotheconversationanddecidewhetherthefollowingstatementsaretrueorfalse

1. MrJohnsondoesntdoanypaperwork.
2. MrJohnsonhastriedtoapproachTimabouttheproblem.
3. Hisbossneverlistenstohisemployees.
4. Hisbossalwaysasksemployeesiftheycandothework.
5. TheHRofficersuggeststhatifhetakeshisproblemdirectlytohisbossitcouldbemorepositiveforhim.
6. TheHRofficertellshimtoarrangeameetingbyphone.

HRO GoodMorningMrJohnson,howcanIhelpyou?

MrJ WellIdliketotalktoyouaboutTimBond,thedepartmentmanager.

HRO Whatseemstobetheproblem?

MrJ WelleversinceSandraleftthedepartmentIfeellikeIvebeentargetedtodoallherwork,aswellas
mine.TimhasmademeworkovertimeImexpectedtoattendtoomanymeetingsandIseemtobespendinga
lotofmytimedoingunnecessarypaperwork.

HRO Imsorrytohearthat.

MrJ Andontopofthat,IdspecificallyaskedifIcouldleaveearlylastFriday,asIddonealotofovertime
duringtheweek.ButwehadadeadlineonFridayafternoonandeventhoughIdfinishedmyspecificworkIwas
expectedtohelpothercolleaguesfinishtheirworktoo.

HRO ButsurelythatisapositivesignshowingthatMrBondhasalotoftrustinyou,ingettingyoutohelpother
colleagues.

MrJ Yes,butIfeellikeImbeingsingledout!Othercolleaguesgettoleaveearly,andtheydonthavesucha
lotofworktodo.

HRO Soyoufeelhesbeenmakingunrealisticdemandsonyou?

MrJ Yes,absolutely.

HRO DoyouthinkitsbecauseMrBondisunawareofwhatyou'redoing.

MrJ Wellheneverseemstoaskustodoajob.Hejustdelegates,andthatsanotherthing,heneverlistens!

HRO Right.[pause]HaveyouapproachedMrBondaboutthisparticularproblem?

MrJ IvetriedtoapproachhimbutwheneverIgotohisofficeheiseitherinmeetings,orheisneverthere.It
seemslikehejusthasnotimeforus.

HRO Wellatthisstageitwouldbebetterifyouapproachedhimdirectly.Ifnothingelse,showingthatyouve
triedtosolvetheproblemyourself,beforeyoutakeitfurther,makesitclearthatyourenotjustacomplainerand
canboostyourcredibility.Whydontyousendanemailrequestingameetingwithhiminprivate?

MrJ Hmmm,Idbeabitworriedabouthisreaction.Iwouldntknowwhattosay!

HRO Wellfirstly,youllneedtoplanwhatyouaregoingtotalkaboutbeforegoingaheadwithameeting.You
canalwaystakenotestowhichyoucanrefer.Thisshowsthatyouhaveconsideredwhatyouneedtodiscuss.

MrJ Ok.

www.britishcouncil.org/professionals.htm
TheBritishCouncil,2008

TheUnitedKingdomsinternationalorganisationforeducationalopportunitiesandculturalrelations. WeareregisteredinEnglandasacharity.
 LearnEnglishProfessionals
COMPLAININGAUDIOSCRIPT

HRO Thisisobviouslyadelicatesituationsobeverycarefulnottocriticiseasthiscouldbringonadefensive
reaction.Youneedtobediplomaticwhenyouspeaktohim.

Ifafteryouhavespokentohiminarationalway,youstillfindheisbeingunreasonablecomeandspeaktous
andwecanarrangeameetingbetweenthethreeofus.Butdorememberyouneedtohaveevidenceforustobe
abletotakefurtheraction.

MrJ OK,Illsendhimanemailnowtorequestameeting,andwellseewhathappensfromthere.Thanksfor
youradvice.

HRO Goodluckandletusknowtheoutcome.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Answers: 1F,2T,3T,4F,5T,6F

www.britishcouncil.org/professionals.htm
TheBritishCouncil,2008

TheUnitedKingdomsinternationalorganisationforeducationalopportunitiesandculturalrelations. WeareregisteredinEnglandasacharity.