HEAAADERLOGORIGHT

BUSINESS ENGLISH · BUSINESS ISSUES · PRE-INTERMEDIATE (A2-B1)

ATTRACTING
EMPLOYEES BACK
TO THE OFFICE

QrrkoD Scan to review worksheet

Expemo code:
1DEA-57DB-665U

1 Warm up

In pairs, discuss the following questions.

1. Did you stay at home to work during the pandemic? What did you think about it?
2. Can you do your job more easily at home? Why/why not?
3. Do you enjoy going into the workplace? Why/why not?

2 Scanning for vocabulary

Find the following vocabulary in the article on page two and complete the words with the missing
vowels (a,e,i,o,u).

1. _ x _ c _ t _ v _ (n, para. A) - a person who has a job in senior management in a company

2. pr _ d _ ct _ v _ ty (n, para. A) - the speed that a worker or company produces products compared
with how much time and money is needed

3. r _ r _ (adj., para. B) - not happening very often

4. _ n _ t _ _ t _ v _ (n, para. B) - a new plan to deal with a particular problem

5. p _ rk (n, para. B) - a benefit you get from your job that isn’t money

6. hybr _ d (adj., para. C) - a mix of two or more things

7. c _ ns _ st _ ntly (adv., para. C) - never changing

8. _ ng _ g _ (v, para. C) - be successful in keeping someone’s interest and focus

FOOOOTERRIGHT Learn without forgetting! 1/7

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Sarah Bray's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
PRE-INTERMEDIATE (A2-B1)

ATTRACTING EMPLOYEES BACK TO THE OFFICE

Bring them back

How firms are encouraging workers back to the office

A. During the pandemic, there was a rise in the number of people buying dogs to keep them company during
lockdowns. When people were able to leave their homes again, this presented a problem for dog owners who
were being asked to return to the office. Marketing agency, Rise at Seven has found an answer by allowing staff to
bring dogs with them to the office. Toby Griffin brings Jessie and Oscar, his two pet dogs with him on the days that
he goes in. He talks of how great it has been. "They (the dogs) get to meet new people, have new experiences, and
I get to spend more time at work with my colleagues. It’s a complete win-win situation as far as I’m concerned."
Mia King, an executive at the company says of the decision, "having dogs at work has actually made staff work
harder because they make everyone happy ... not only do dogs bring comfort within your home, but they also
help increase productivity within the workplace."

B. It’s likely that bringing dogs into the workplace will remain rare, but it shows how companies are looking at
changing the rules to make the office a more attractive place for workers. With the pandemic forcing many people
to work from home, many companies have found it difficult to convince workers to come back, leading to new
initiatives. Financial planning company, First Wealth, are offering free gym sessions to employees. Zoe Raynsford,
an employee of the company says that a workout before the workday helps her to clear her mind and helps her to
feel positive and full of energy at the beginning of her day. The company has created a plan for employees since
the pandemic that allows them to choose different perks, such as help with their careers, relationships, or mental
health. Other companies are taking measures such as offering beauty treatments during the workday.

C. Larry Gadea, CEO of Envoy - an app aimed at helping firms to manage hybrid workers, says that perks are
important, but shouldn’t be everything. He says that employees want to be able to connect with their co-workers
face-to-face and get out of the house. He suggests that companies should consider fixing days when everyone
has to be in so that it increases the sense of community. "We know that when people are consistently together,
a workplace is good," he says. "Working in an office, we’re more engaged in the work we do and with each other."

Sources: BBC, The Guardian

FOOOOTERLEFT Learn without forgetting! 2/7

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Sarah Bray's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
PRE-INTERMEDIATE (A2-B1)

ATTRACTING EMPLOYEES BACK TO THE OFFICE

3 Reading for gist

Complete the table by ticking the correct box to answer the question. There may be more than one
person you can tick for each question.

Who... Toby Griffin Mia King Zoe Raynsford Larry Gadea

1. has an
important job in
their company?

2. brings pets to
work?

3. exercises
before work
sometimes?

4. works at Rise
at Seven?

5. works in
finance?

4 Reading comprehension

Part A: Decide if the following statements are true (T) or false (F).

1. There were more dogs sold during the pandemic.

2. Mia King doesn’t think having dogs in the office is a good idea.

3. First Wealth offers career advice to its staff if they want it.

4. Larry Gadea thinks that employees should only work from home.

FOOOOTERRIGHT Learn without forgetting! 3/7

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Sarah Bray's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
PRE-INTERMEDIATE (A2-B1)

ATTRACTING EMPLOYEES BACK TO THE OFFICE

Part B: Choose the correct answer to the following questions.

1. If dogs ‘keep you company’ what do they do?

a. help you work

b. stop you from feeling lonely

c. make you exercise

2. What is a ‘win-win situation’?

a. a situation where one side wins everything

b. a situation where no one wins anything

c. a situation where both sides benefit

3. If something ‘brings comfort’ what does it do?

a. makes you feel happier

b. makes life easier

c. helps you work

4. If you ‘clear your mind’, what do you do?

a. forget everything you know

b. stop feeling tired

c. feel able to focus

5. If a company is ‘taking measures’ what is it doing?

a. finding answers to problems

b. moving to a new office

c. finding more employees

6. If you talk to someone ‘face-to-face’ what are you doing?

a. talking on video

b. talking in person

c. talking on the phone

FOOOOTERLEFT Learn without forgetting! 4/7

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Sarah Bray's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
PRE-INTERMEDIATE (A2-B1)

ATTRACTING EMPLOYEES BACK TO THE OFFICE

5 Focus on vocabulary

Part A: Match the vocabulary to the definitions.

1. incentive (n) a. a person who can talk to people about their problems and help
them
2. adapt (v) b. a situation where two or more things are equal

3. commute (v) c. separate something into different parts

4. advisor (n) d. change to deal with a new situation in a better way

5. balance (n) e. a reason to do something

6. divide (v) f. relax

7. chill (v) g. the things you own

8. belongings (n) h. travel to and from a place of work

Part B: Complete the following sentences with vocabulary from Part A.

1. It’s very important to find a between your professional and personal life.

2. My manager allows us to leave early on Friday if we’ve finished our work as an

to work quickly during the week.

3. I was going to go out tonight, but I’m really tired. I think I might just stay at home and .

4. I’m glad I moved to Spain. I love it here, but I’m finding it difficult to to the heat.

5. I’m a hybrid worker, so I stay at home three days a week and to the office the
other two.

6. I’m moving house next week. Can you help me pack my into boxes?

7. I think we all ate and drank the same things, so why don’t we just the bill into
three?

8. I want to invest some money so I’m going to the bank to talk to an tomorrow.

Part C: In pairs, discuss the following questions.

1. In which situation have you had to adapt to a change?

2. What do you do when you want to chill?
3. What is a good incentive for you to work hard?
4. Do you think you have a good balance between your personal and your professional life? Why/why
not?

FOOOOTERRIGHT Learn without forgetting! 5/7

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Sarah Bray's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
PRE-INTERMEDIATE (A2-B1)

ATTRACTING EMPLOYEES BACK TO THE OFFICE

6 Listening for details

Listen to the people talking about the perks of their jobs and how they feel about remote working.
Write down the job that each of the speakers does.

1. Speaker 1:

2. Speaker 2:

3. Speaker 3:

7 Listening comprehension

Answer the following questions by writing Speaker 1, Speaker 2, or Speaker 3.

1. Who prefers going into the office every day?

2. Who doesn’t think they need to go into the office to do their job?

3. Who likes to go into the office sometimes and stay at home other times?

4. Who gets quite physically tired doing their job?

5. Who likes to exercise?

6. Who likes to discuss work in the office?

7. Who finds it less expensive to eat at work than outside?

8 Talking point

In pairs, discuss the following questions.

1. Do you prefer to work at home, work in the workplace or do hybrid working? Why?
2. What perks does your company offer?
3. Do you think bringing dogs to the office is a good idea? Why/why not?
4. What do you think your company could do to improve the working environment?

FOOOOTERLEFT Learn without forgetting! 6/7

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Sarah Bray's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
PRE-INTERMEDIATE (A2-B1)

ATTRACTING EMPLOYEES BACK TO THE OFFICE

9 Extended activity/Homework

Write a description of your ideal working situation.

Consider the following questions:

• What would you like your workplace to look like?

• What perks would you like to have in your workplace?
• What effect do you think those perks would have on your work?
• Do you prefer to come to the workplace every day or just some days? If so, which days would you
prefer?

You should:

• Write at least 150 words

• Check your grammar, spelling and punctuation.

FOOOOTERRIGHT Learn without forgetting! 7/7

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Sarah Bray's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
TEACHER MATERIALS · PRE-INTERMEDIATE (A2-B1)

ATTRACTING EMPLOYEES BACK TO THE OFFICE

Transcripts

6. Listening for details

Speaker 1: My company has started offering free nail treatments as an incentive for us to come
back to the office. It’s nice, I’ll admit. It’s very relaxing to be able to get a pedicure during
lunchtime, especially because I’m on my feet a lot during the day and running up and
down stairs in my job as a personal assistant. But it feels like a false reason to go into the
office. We can all do our jobs from home perfectly well with no need to be in the same
building. We didn’t have any problems adapting to remote working during the pandemic.
I think they are just trying to have a reason for renting the big office that we have. I think
eventually, they will give up and give us all money to help us set up our home offices. I’ll
miss the pedicures if that happens, but not the commute!

Speaker 2: Our company has been offering us gym membership as well as access to a mental health
advisor as a perk to coming into the office. I really like it, honestly. As a designer, I
can work quite happily on my own which I do when I’m at work, but on Tuesdays and
Thursdays when I go into the office, it’s a really good chance to get together with other
designers about any problems that come up. Also, I’m ready to be around people after
spending time on my own. So, I think it’s a really nice balance. Now I get to keep fit, talk
about my problems and work with people and alone. I don’t think I’ve ever been happier.

Speaker 3: I’ve been happily going into the office every day since everything opened up again. I
understand why people like to work from home, but for me, I like to be able to divide
my personal and professional life. When I was working at home, it felt like I was always
doing something, either for work or with my house and never really got to just chill. I
work as a writer for an advertising agency, so I’m happy to just quietly work on what I
need to do. My company provides cheap lunches as a perk which works really well for
me. On most days, I get to have my choice of what to eat as there aren’t many other
people around. I can go in, get my work done, and have a good lunch for less than it
would cost me at home, then I go home and watch a film or meet friends without my
work belongings everywhere.

FOOOOTERAPPENDIXRIGHT
Learn without forgetting! i
Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Sarah Bray's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
TEACHER MATERIALS · PRE-INTERMEDIATE (A2-B1)

ATTRACTING EMPLOYEES BACK TO THE OFFICE

Key

1. Warm up

5 mins.
This opens the lesson with asking students to think about their work situation during and since the pandemic.
Keep the conversation general at this stage as there will be more chance to discuss in greater detail later.

2. Scanning for vocabulary

5 mins.
This provides students with the definitions for higher-level vocabulary while encouraging them to find the words
in context and focus on the details of the spelling.

1. executive 2. productivity 3. rare 4. initiative

5. perk 6. hybrid 7. consistently 8. engage
Sources:
www.bbc.com/news/business-62912862
www.theguardian.com/business/2021/jun/18/office-hybrid-or-home-businesses-ponder-future-of-work

3. Reading for gist

5 mins.
You may want to set a time limit on this task to encourage students to scan for the answers.

Answers to the table:

1 → Mia King, Larry Gadea; 2 → Toby Griffin; 3 → Zoe Raynsford; 4 → Toby Griffin, Mia King; 5 → Zoe Raynsford

4. Reading comprehension

10 mins.
Parts A & B. For Part A, ask students to underline where they find the answer. For Part B, ask them to find the
language in context and infer the meaning.

1. True. "...there was a rise in the number of people buying dogs to keep them company during lockdowns."
2. False. "having dogs at work has actually made staff work harder because they make everyone happy ..."
3. True. "The company has created a plan for employees since the pandemic that allows them to choose different
perks, such as help with their career..."
4. False. "He says that employees want to be able to connect with their co-workers face-to-face and get out of
the house."

Part B

1. b. 2. c. 3. a. 4. c. 5. a. 6. b.

FOOOOTERAPPENDIXLEFT
Learn without forgetting! ii
Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Sarah Bray's lessons.
 HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
TEACHER MATERIALS · PRE-INTERMEDIATE (A2-B1)

ATTRACTING EMPLOYEES BACK TO THE OFFICE

5. Focus on vocabulary

Part A
5 mins.
Be sure that students can correctly pronounce the target language. Ask students to do the task unaided in the
first instance, but allow them to use a reference later if needed.
You may need to elicit or tell them the following vocabulary.
pedicure (n) - a treatment for the feet and toenails to make them more attractive

1. → e. 2. → d. 3. → h. 4. → a. 5. → b. 6. → c. 7. → f. 8. → g.

Part B
10 mins.
Ask students to decide which parts of speech can fill the gaps ahead of completing the exercise. When they have
finished, ask them to discuss the questions to practise using the language.

1. balance 2. incentive 3. chill 4. adapt

5. commute 6. belongings 7. divide 8. advisor

6. Listening for details

5 mins.
This allows students to listen to the audio ahead of the main comprehension and listen for the gist of what is being
said.

1. Personal assistant 2. Designer 3. Writer

7. Listening comprehension

5 mins.
Ask students to do their best to answer the questions after the first listening, and then listen again to check their
answers.

1. Speaker 3 2. Speaker 1 3. Speaker 2 4. Speaker 1

5. Speaker 2 6. Speaker 2 7. Speaker 3

8. Talking point

10 mins.
Ask students to discuss the questions in pairs or small groups. Circulate and help as needed.

9. Extended activity/Homework

20 mins+.
Ask the students to spend some time thinking about their ideal workplace keeping in mind the discussion of perks
in the article and the listening task. Ask them to write their descriptions using the questions as a guide and they
should feel free to add any other details that they want to. Be sure to give them feedback on their work.

FOOOOTERAPPENDIXRIGHT
Learn without forgetting! iii
Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Sarah Bray's lessons.