Part 3.

You will hear a business student called Laura talking to her tutor about
some research she is planning to do on employee absence. First you have some
time to look at questions 21 to 24.
Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 24.
Hello Laura have a seat. So I understand you're planning to investigate absence
from work for your research project.
That's right I'm going to base it on a local company called Birkok Engineering.
Is there any particular reason why you've chosen Birkok?
Well I'd originally thought of asking another company, FG Engineering, because I
did my placement there and I knew the staff there.
But the CEO wasn't very keen. But she knows the managing director at Birkok and she
spoke to him and then he got in touch with me.
Apparently absence is a major problem there so he's quite interested in having it
investigated.
Okay. So my central theme is absence but I'm thinking of concentrating on long-term
absence.
I thought that might allow me to give more helpful feedback to the company.
If I were you I wouldn't be that specific. I'd look at absence as a whole. You
might get more interesting results.
Oh okay. So what's the main thing you expect to find? Rises in absence rates over
time?
Not really. Initially I wondered if workers often take time off without real
justification but I think that'll be hard to determine.
So well I think I may find that it's something to do with what sort of job the
employee is doing.
Okay. Now have you thought how you'll get your information?
Well first of all I need access to the company records.
Yes. Obviously you'll need overall absence figures. Though it's unlikely they'll
let you have them for individual workers.
And you probably won't have access to personal information like when they were
born.
But you should be able to use anonymous details like the type of work they do or
how long they've been with the company.
Okay.
Before you hear the rest of the discussion you have some time to look at questions
25 to 30.
Now listen and answer questions 25 to 30.
So let's think a bit more about your questionnaire.
I know that it shouldn't be too long or people get bored.
No but if it's too short you don't get enough information. The trick is to get the
balance right.
I think the question should be closed questions too. I mean where people choose an
answer from a list.
But then you miss the chance of getting unexpected information. So I'd include one
or two open-ended questions too.
Okay. And I won't ask for names or addresses or anything.
No it needs to be anonymous. And after you've drafted it you need to give it to at
least one person to check there aren't any problems.
So you need to leave enough time for that and any revisions necessary.
What about the covering letter that I'll send out with the questionnaire?
I'll need to introduce myself and explain what the questionnaire is for but what
else should I include?
I'd reassure people that the survey isn't going to be used to assess them
personally otherwise they might choose not to take part.
Yes I'll make that clear. And what about when they do it? Will they be allowed to
use work time?
That's really up to their manager but you should say roughly how much time it'll
take.
Okay.
So now you need to produce a schedule with dates. For example when you'll send out
the questionnaire.
Yes okay. Once I can arrange that date with the manager I'll be able to fix the
deadline for getting the completed questionnaire's back.
And I want to use the time in between to analyse the figures that HR is going to
give me from their database.
Though they haven't said exactly when I'll get them.
And you have to submit your assignment by the end of June.
Actually I have to get it finished by the second because I've arranged a work
placement after that.
Okay.
So our next meeting is two weeks today. Is that still okay?
Yes and in the meantime I'll send you an e...
That is the end of part three. You now have 30 seconds to check your answers to
part three.
Thank you.