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BVP 01 – Human Resources: HR Manager

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Today we’re kicking off a new series of ESL business vocabulary podcasts based on people talking about their jobs. In these episodes, we’ll learn vocabulary and language that are useful across a wide range of different professions and industries.

In this podcast we’ll hear an HR manager, Greg, describe his work and responsibilities. Afterwards, we’ll study some key vocabulary. In particular we’ll be focusing on how words are collocated, or used together. Then we’ll practice what we’ve learned.

When we think about human resource managers, many of us just think of hiring and firing, but actually, as Greg explains, the job involves a lot more than that. HR handles everything from job evaluations to settling disagreements between workers and management.

Listening Questions

1) What type of employment programs does Greg develop and manage?
2) Are there several HR managers or only one in Greg’s company?
3) Greg says that HR managers play a special role in companies that are unionized. What is this role?

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BEP 74 – English Idioms: Business is War (2)

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This is the second in a two-part Business English Pod series on English idioms related to war.

Everywhere you look in business, you will find the language of war: We often think – and talk – about business competition in terms of attacking and defending, gaining and losing ground.

During the first business ESL podcast in this series, we studied many such war and military related idioms. We learned the meaning of “taking flak,” “reinforcing one’s position,” “laying low,” “making a move” and many others. In this podcast, we will continue exploring useful war idioms.

The dialog picks up where we left off at the Luminex management meeting. Jane has just explained that they need to think “strategically.” He explains that this means “laying low,” by which he means waiting to take action until the economy improves.

As you listen, pay attention to the war idioms Jane and her colleagues use. You may not understand them the first time. After you hear the debrief, go back and listen again, then things should be much clearer.

Listening Questions

1) What does Jane mean when she says their competitor, Meyers, is its own worst enemy?
2) The speakers describe their new strategy as an “ambush” that will “surround” Meyers. Why do they say this? What is the strategy?

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BEP 73 – English Idioms: Business is War (1)

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Business and war. War and business. It’s no accident that many business strategies and management techniques were first developed in the military. Actually, it’s quite natural that we think about business competition in terms of war. Companies fight each other for market share. We strategize about how to win the battle. You try to attack my market position, and I defend it. Business is full of such war idioms. Though it’s not the only way we think about business, it is certainly the main way we talk about it. Therefore, to communicate effectively in a business environment, we need to learn these war idioms.

In today’s dialog, the management at Luminex, a producer of LCD TVs, is discussing how to respond to a attack on their market position by a competitor, Meyers. Traditionally, Meyers has been strong in the premium (high value) market and Luminex has been strong in the mid-range market. Recently, however, Meyers has tried to take mid-range market share from Luminex.

Pay attention to the war idioms that the meeting participants use as you listen. Don’t worry if they don’t make sense to you the first time you listen. After you’ve heard the idioms explained in the debrief, go back and listen again, and the dialog should be much clearer.

Listening Questions

1) The first two speakers talk about “always being on the defensive” and “taking way too much flak.” What do they mean and what do they propose doing?
2) How does Jane’s point of view differ from the first two speakers?

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BEP 58 – Water Cooler Chitchat: Sports Idioms (2)

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Sports Idioms 2, is part of a series that focuses on informal conversation or small talk – water cooler chitchat. We’re continuing where we left off last time in BEP 57. Jan and Jen, employees of major American telecommunications company Ambient, are chatting about a recent event in the industry: Accent, a European telecom company, has taken over TelStar, one of Ambient’s American competitors.

Last time, Jen had just discussed how she was surprised that TelStar decided to play ball, that is cooperate, with Accent because the shareholders had been “stalling for time,” or delaying, for months. How does Jan respond?

Listening Questions

1) Who is McConnel and what do Jan and Jen think of him?
2) What do Jen and Jan say about Accent’s future in American market?

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BEP 57 – Water Cooler Chitchat: Sports Idioms (1)

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This Business English Podcast lesson is the first in an ongoing series where we’ll listen in on some typical chitchat around the office water cooler. You’ll find a water cooler in offices around the world – usually in the break room where employees gather to drink a cup of coffee or tea and take a rest from work.

And during these breaks, you might meet with a colleague and exchange words about life, your jobs, your company, sports, politics or whatever. So “water cooler chichat” has come to refer to all types of informal communication that take place at the office.

We’ll be listening in on Jan and Jen, who work in the same office of Ambient, an American telecoms company, gossiping around the water cooler. They are discussing the latest industry news: Accent, a major European player in the market, has just announced the takeover or buy out of Ambient’s main competitor,TelStar.

Listening Questions

1) Do Jan and Jen think Accent’s takeover of TelStar was a good idea?
2) Why was there a delay in the takeover?

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