Learning English For Work

When should you apologise at work, and what's the best way to do it? In this episode of Office English, Pippa and Phil talk about the language of workplace apologies and if it's ever wrong to apologise at work.

When do rules need to be followed and when are they just guidelines? In this episode of Office English, Pippa and Phil talk about the language of rules at work and how to tell how serious a rule is from the way people talk about it.

Have you ever been to a meeting that felt like a waste of time? In this episode of Office English, Pippa and Phil talk about how to keep a meeting on track at work. 

Do you use small talk at work? In this episode of Office English, Pippa and Phil talk about which topics to use at work with people you don't know well, when to use small talk and what not to talk about. 

Have you received a scam text or email? Do you know how to keep information safe at work? There have been lots of stories about cyber crime in the news. But what can we do to keep cyber safe? In this episode, Pippa and Phil talk about the threat of cyber crime at work, with Joe Tidy, BBC journalist who reports on cyber crime.

Do you get on with people from different generations at work? There are lots of stereotypes about different generations. But are older and younger workers really that different? In this episode, Pippa and Phil talk about generations in the workplace, with Grace Lordan, director of the Inclusion Initiative at the London School of Economics.

Would you like to work fewer hours? Some companies now allow employees to work flexible hours, such as starting and finishing later, or doing five days' work in four days. In this episode, Pippa and Phil talk about flexible work and whether it benefits employees, with Heejung Chung, professor of work and employment at King's College Business School in London.

Do you work in your own office? Or is your office open plan. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the way we use the office is changing. In this episode, Pippa and Phil talk about office design and how it impacts work, with Kerstin Sailer, professor in the sociology of architecture at University College London.

Some people believe Artificial Intelligence will one day be able to do our jobs for us. But how likely is this? In the meantime, how is AI impacting work today? In this episode, Pippa and Phil talk about how AI might change the world of work, with Martin Ford, author of Rise of the Robots, a book about how technology might change work.

Work can take up many hours in our lives. So if work makes us feel unwell or unhappy, it can have a big impact. In this episode, Phil and Pippa talk about how the way you feel affects the way you work, with Zofia Bajorek from the institute for Employment Studies.

In the past, networking involved attending conferences and work events. Now, lots of people do it on social media platforms such as LinkedIn, X and Instagram. In this episode, Phil and Pippa talk about networking online with marketing and communications consultant Adam Driver.

In recent years, more people have been working from home, or splitting their time between the office and home. In this episode, Pippa and Phil talk about hybrid work with Nick Bloom, professor of economics at Stanford University.

The world of work is changing. In our Work in the Future series, we'll speak with experts to understand how work is changing.

Do you ever have to pitch ideas at work? Is it stressful? In this episode of Office English, Pippa and Phil talk about sharing your ideas.

How do you deal with customers and clients at work? In this episode of Office English, Pippa and Phil talk about keeping customers happy.

Are you organised at work? In this episode of Office English, Pippa and Phil talk about setting deadlines, working with other people and organising things in English.

How do you ask for help at work? In this episode of Office English, Pippa and Phil talk about asking for and offering to help at work.

Do you know how to talk about other people's work politely? In this episode of Office English, Pippa and Phil talk about giving and receiving feedback at work in a constructive and professional way.

Do you ever have to call or email people you don't know at work? In this episode of Office English, Pippa and Phil talk about cold calling and building relationships with new people at work.

What do you do if you don't understand something at work? In this episode of Office English, Pippa and Phil talk about miscommunication and how to check you understand your colleagues, and that they understand you.