Motivation British English Student

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BUSINESS ENGLISH · BUSINESS ISSUES · INTERMEDIATE (B1-B2)
MOTIVATION
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1 Warm up
Look at the words below. Discuss which ideas you think are most motivating for office staff.
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INTERMEDIATE (B1-B2)
MOTIVATION
2 Vocabulary 1
Replace the underlined parts of the questions with the words and phrases from the list. Then discuss
the questions in pairs.
convenient day off nap nostalgia

perfume sincere snacks survey
1. On which occasions do you get free food at work?
2. What workplace sounds and objects give you a strong feeling of desire for things, people or
situations in the past?
3. What would you ask people in a collection of people’s opinions about motivation in the workplace?
4. If your boss asked you to give a pleasant smell to your office, what scent would you choose?
5. If you had an extra day when you are not working on a normal working day, would you feel more
motivated to work on the other days?
6. Is a(n) easy-to-use coffee machine at work an important factor for motivation?
7. Do you ever have a chance to have a short sleep at work?
8. How do you feel when you get a(n) honest compliment from your boss?
3 Reading 1
You are going to read an article about how modern companies are motivating their staff. Answer the
questions below with the ideas from Exercise 1.
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MOTIVATION
Bosses are inventing surprising ways of making us work

harder
The special devices that companies use to motivate staff (Adapted from The Independent by Gillian Orr)
1. Journalists at the UK’s ‘The Times’ newspaper received a surprise this week when the noise of old-fashioned
typewriters was heard in the newspaper’s new offices. But it’s not just nostalgia that has inspired this. It is
suggested that the extra noise will increase energy levels and help reporters to meet deadlines.
2. We shouldn’t be surprised. Offices these days are filled with little devices designed to motivate staff. Another
publication, Tatler, operates a clear-desk policy. Sure, it may look pleasing, but according to a survey by the
National Association of Professional Organisers, having more space on desks can also increase productivity by up
to 30 percent.
3. And if an office has a very pleasant smell, then it’s very possible that it’s there on purpose. Companies such as
Aroma Co regularly perfume offices in order to stimulate the workforce. And the sweet smell of success? Lavender
will relax employees, lower stress levels and reduce absenteeism.
4. In-office doctors are certainly convenient and they have also reduced the number of staff members who take days
off.
5. Treadmill desks are becoming more popular. They offer lots of health benefits and also boost job performance,
according to the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. And after all that walking, what
workers want is a good rest. In fact, research suggests that bosses should encourage them to relax. Although
it might seem like a bad idea, a short nap is an excellent way to motivate employees.
6. Silicon Valley is leading the workplace revolution. With their slides, games rooms, arcade machines and endless
free snacks (especially at Google), their workplaces look like adult theme parks.
7. But is it all just a way to attract the best applicants and make sure workers rarely leave the office? Or do these
machines and devices actually increase productivity?
8. Alison Price, a psychologist and author, believes that workers who enjoy their office environment are likely to work
harder. "It’s positive psychology. There is a lot of evidence that happy employees are more productive," Price says.
"They are also more creative, generate more sales and are less likely to take time off."
9. Of course, the tech industry has plenty of cash to spend on these things. Smaller companies should just remember
that, according to Price, a sincere "good job" from the boss is certain to boost an employee’s productivity.
1. Which idea does The Times newspaper use to motivate staff?
2. Which idea does Tatler use to increase productivity?
3. What do companies need Aroma Co for?
4. Which device motivates staff and also has health benefits?
5. What does Google offer unlimited amounts of to motivate staff?

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MOTIVATION
4 Vocabulary 2
Complete the sentences with the correct form of verbs from the article. Then say if you agree with
them.
1. It’s the manager’s responsibility to energy levels at the office. (para. 1)
2. deadlines is more important than producing quality work. (para. 1)
3. A good manager their staff by example. (para. 2)
4. If you stress levels at the office too much, the staff get lazy. (para. 3)
5. The best way to absenteeism is to make pay reductions. (para. 3)
6. Music in the office job performance. (para. 5)
7. Big companies are the best applicants because they offer more advantages. (para.
7)
8. Employees who more sales should be paid more. (para. 8)
5 Grammar
Read the Grammar box. Then complete the second sentence so that is has a similar meaning to the
first.
Grammar box: Cleft sentences
Read these sentences from the article.
But it’s not just nostalgia that has inspired this.
And after all that walking, what workers want is a good rest.
Cleft sentences (e.g. it’s ... that ... / what ... is ...) can be used to give more emphasis.
1. A good company culture really motivates employees.
2. The salary matters, not the extra things.
3. Employees want to feel safe at their jobs more than anything else.
4. The recognition of their work really makes an employee feel motivated.

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MOTIVATION
6 Video 1
Watch the video of an appraisal* between Peter and his managers. Are these sentences true or false?
*appraisal = an evaluation of an employee’s performance, usually by themselves and their managers.
1. Peter always arrives 50 minutes late. T/F
2. He ‘spaces out’ twice a day. T/F
3. He really works about 15 minutes a day. T/F
4. Peter thinks he is lazy. T/F
5. He has eight different bosses at the moment. T/F
6. Peter’s managers decide when the meeting is over. T/F
7 Speaking 1
Follow the instructions below to play Taboo.
• Form pairs.
• One student chooses a card below and explains the highlighted word without using any of the
words below it (or the word itself).
• The other student has two guesses, then it is their turn to choose a word.

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MOTIVATION
8 Speaking 2
In groups, role-play a meeting to increase staff motivation at the office.
9 Extension activity 1
Complete the text below with one word in each gap. Then listen again and check.
1
Would you walk us a typical day for you?
2 3
Yeah. Well, I generally come in at fifteen minutes late... I use
4
side door. That way Lumbergh can’t see me, and that I just sort of space out
5
about an hour...
Eeeh... ‘space out’?
6 7
Yeah, I just stare my desk. But it like I’m working. I do that for
8 9
probably another hour after too. I’d say in a week, I probably
10
only do about 15 minutes of real, work.
11 12
Peter, you be a good sport and indulge us and just tell us a
more?
13
Oh yeah, me tell you something about TPS reports...

HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
MOTIVATION
10 Extension activity 2
You are the manager of a large office and your staff need motivation. Prepare a motivational speech,
then deliver it to your classmates.


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HEAAADERLOGORIGHT

BUSINESS ENGLISH · BUSINESS ISSUES · INTERMEDIATE (B1-B2)

QrrkoD Scan to review worksheet

FOOOOTERRIGHT Learn without forgetting! 1/7

convenient day oﬀ nap nostalgia

1. On which occasions do you get free food at work?

6. Is a(n) easy-to-use coﬀee machine at work an important factor for motivation?

7. Do you ever have a chance to have a short sleep at work?

FOOOOTERLEFT Learn without forgetting! 2/7

Bosses are inventing surprising ways of making us work

1. Which idea does The Times newspaper use to motivate staﬀ?

2. Which idea does Tatler use to increase productivity?

3. What do companies need Aroma Co for?

4. Which device motivates staﬀ and also has health beneﬁts?

5. What does Google oﬀer unlimited amounts of to motivate staﬀ?

FOOOOTERRIGHT Learn without forgetting! 3/7

1. It’s the manager’s responsibility to energy levels at the oﬃce. (para. 1)

2. deadlines is more important than producing quality work. (para. 1)

3. A good manager their staﬀ by example. (para. 2)

5. The best way to absenteeism is to make pay reductions. (para. 3)

6. Music in the oﬃce job performance. (para. 5)

8. Employees who more sales should be paid more. (para. 8)

Grammar box: Cleft sentences

Read these sentences from the article.

But it’s not just nostalgia that has inspired this.

1. A good company culture really motivates employees.

2. The salary matters, not the extra things.

4. The recognition of their work really makes an employee feel motivated.

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*appraisal = an evaluation of an employee’s performance, usually by themselves and their managers.

1. Peter always arrives 50 minutes late. T/F

2. He ‘spaces out’ twice a day. T/F

3. He really works about 15 minutes a day. T/F

4. Peter thinks he is lazy. T/F

5. He has eight diﬀerent bosses at the moment. T/F

6. Peter’s managers decide when the meeting is over. T/F

Follow the instructions below to play Taboo.

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In groups, role-play a meeting to increase staﬀ motivation at the oﬃce.

Eeeh... ‘space out’?

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FOOOOTERRIGHT Learn without forgetting! 7/7

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