Anglais

Initiation à la Langue de
Spécialité
Licence 1 LEA
–
Droit-LEA
Semestre 1
2023-24

BROCHURE

 Organisation: company structure and job positions

 Working conditions and job satisfaction

 Management styles

 Annexes

 Revisions and additional exercises

 Organisation: company structure and job positions

Topic 1: Building your vocabulary

A. Warming up: Match the words and phrases to their definitions, then translate them into French.

1. Subsidiary a. an office where people answer questions and

make sales over the phone

2. Factory/plant b. a building from which goods or supplies are sent to

factories, shops or customers

3. Call centre c. a place through which products are sold

4. Service centre d. a place where faulty products are mended

5. Headquarters e. a company which is at least half-owned by another

company

6. Distribution centre f. the main office or building of a company

7. Warehouse g. a building for storing goods in large quantities

8. Outlet h. a large building or group of buildings where goods

are made (using machinery)

B. Listen to the comments from different places in the organisation and write them down.
Then match them to the places listed in exercise a. (Market Leader, CD1.21)

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C. Complete the sentences below with the following words and phrases:
share price, workforce, profit, turnover, subsidiary, market share, head office

1. The amount of money a company receives from sales in a particular period is

called _________________________________
2. The money a company makes after taking away its costs is its _______________________
3. A company which is more than 50% owned by a parent company is called
_______________________________
4. The employees in a particular country or business are called the __________________
5. The percentage of sales a company has in a particular market is its ________________
6. The main building or location of a large organization is its _________________________
7. The cost of a company’s shares is its

D. Complete the extract from a company report with appropriate words or phrases from the box
inthe previous exercise. Then translate the text into French.

Financial performance

I am pleased to say the company has continued its excellent performance. We are changing, growing
and doing well at a difficult time for the industry.1. ______________________________is
€57.2 million, an increase of 15% onlast year, and 2. ____________________rose by 5% to
€6.4 million. We are a highly competitivebusiness. We have increased our 3.___ ___
to 20%. Consequently, our 4. has risen and is now at an all-time high
of €9.6. Increased production and strong demand have had a positive effect on our cash flow, so we
are able to finance a number of new projects. We have successfully moved to our new 5. ___
in central London. We are now planning to start full production at therecently opened Spanish 6.
______________________ in October. Finally, thanks once again to our loyal and dedicated
7.___________________________ Our employees will always be our most valuable asset.

E. Grammar recap: Present tenses

It is important to know the difference between the present simple (he writes) and the present
continuous (he is writing).
 The present simple is used for things which are permanent / always true.
He speaks Russian.
The company has three main branches.
Remember that it is necessary to use an “s” with the third person singular (he/she/it etc.) when using
the present singular. There is no “s” with a plural subject (they, the books etc.)

 The present continuous is used for things which are temporary / happening at the moment.
He is speaking to the boss about the customer complaint.
The company is having financial problems.

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Some adverbs or expressions are commonly used with one of these two tenses. Put the following into
the correct column.
Right now – currently – always – never – nowadays – often – at the moment – sometimes - usually -
every day - twice a month

Present simple Present continuous

Choose the correct tense to complete the following sentences:

1) She usually _____________ (work) in the Florida office but this month she _____________
(work) in New York to train the new deputy manager.
2) The boss always ______________ (organise) meetings in the late afternoon.
3) Can you help me? I_________ (write) the financial report for the CEO.
4) Hurry up – the new suppliers ___________ (wait) for you in the conference room.
5) Today, I ____________ (try) to contact potential new customers.
6) When I’m not in the office, my assistant ____________ (answer) my phone calls.
7) The office canteen _______________ (provide) free snacks.
8) We __________ (learn) to use the new IT system.

Translate the following sentences in French:

a) They speak Portuguese.
b) They are speaking Portuguese.
c) She has trouble speaking politely to angry customers.
d) She’s having trouble speaking politely to the angry customers.

Make sure you remember how to use these tenses in negative and question forms.
1) She works in the logistics department.
Negative:
Question:
2) She is working on an urgent project.
Negative:
Question:
3) We offer excellent wages.
Negative:
Question:
4) We are trying to attract new staff.
Negative:
Question:

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Translate the following into English
1) Elle commence sa journée à 8h30 et termine tard le soir.

2) Commence-t-il à se sentir à l’aise dans son poste ?

3) Nos actionnaires s’attendent à d’excellents résultats cette année.

4) Connaissez-vous la responsable informatique ?

5) Notre société recrute actuellement un directeur des ventes.

6) Un sous-traitant s'occupe-t-il du recrutement ?
7) Elle est responsable Marketing dans une filiale d'une société qui fabrique des produits de
luxe.
8) Elle met en place des campagnes de publicité et organise des événements afin de sensibiliser
les clients aux produits.
9) La société ne va pas très bien en ce moment à cause de la crise financière.
10) Nous faisons un sondage pour mieux connaître les attentes des consommateurs.

Topic 2: Departments in a company

A. What do the following departments do?

Ex: In R&D, people research and develop new products

1. Customer services 6. Administration

2. Human resources 7. Legal

3. Sales and marketing 8. Logistics

4. Production 9. Public relations

5. Finance 10. IT

B. Listen to three people talking about their work. Which department do they work
in? Choose from the departments in exercise e. (Market Leader, CD1.22)

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 C. Underline the correct word in italics.
1. The Purchasing Department is responsible for buying parts and raw materials / making the final
product.

2. If you have a complaint, please contact Consumer Services / Customer Services.

3. All recruitment and selection is done by our Human Relations / Human Resources Department.

4. Innovation is the key to our success and we have recently expanded the Research and Design /
Research and Development Department.

5. In the Legal Department we have three lawyers / advocates trained in commercial law.

6. The Sales Department has to liaise / liaison closely with Marketing.

7. She is part of / makes part of a team of designers.

Topic 3: Types of companies

A. What different types of companies do you know? Match the following words to their definitions:
1 a family-owned a The shares of the company are privately owned, usually by a small number of people
business
2 a sole trader b A company that is in the first stage of its operations
3 a public c A company that has factories, offices, and business activities in many different
company countries
4 a private d A fairly small company that is usually based in one place and owned by one person or
company a small group of people
5 a limited e A one-person business. The person may describe themselves as “self-employed”
company (e.g. the ownerof a small shop),or as a “freelancer ”if they are a professional who
works for different clients (e.g. a photographer)
6 a multinational f A business in which two or more family members are involved and the majority of
ownership or control lies within a family
7 a startup g A company which is listed on the stock exchange. Anyone can buy its shares.
8 an SME h A private company where individual shareholders lose only the value of their shares if
the company goes bankrupt (their liability is limited; they would not lose any property
they own)

B. Underline the correct word in italics.

1. My brother is a plumber. He’s autonomous / self-employed.

2. The people who own a private company might include the founder of the company, some family
members,and perhaps a few business associates / companions.

3. In a public company anybody can buy the actions / shares.

4. A public company is listed / posted on a stock exchange.

5. Our railways were recently privatized. I think the service was better before, when they were a public
company / state-owned enterprise.
C. Reading comprehension:

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What type of company should you work for?
https://hk.jobsdb.com/en-hk/articles/what-type-of-company-should-you-work-for/ (adapted)
§1 Diving head first into the working world is no easy feat. First you need to figure out your strengths
and find that place where they are most needed, but you also need to take into consideration your
personality to make sure you’ll fit in. Your interests and lifestyle may also play a role in your decision.
§2 Each different type of company has its pros and cons to help you decide which one’s the right match
for you. Here, let us help you find the perfect workplace to get you started:

1. Startups
§3 Independent, go-getters would fit right in a startup setting. Startups’ ever-evolving nature can be a
great launching pad for fresh grads to learn their craft, while experienced employees interested in
taking on mentorship roles can thrive in such type of an environment. You’d better be ready to take
on various roles owing to the small staff size, so longer work hours are to be expected. But those eager
to call the shots and build an emerging company from the ground up are well suited here. Don’t forget
that a lot of the industry’s biggest players started out as startups, so there’s a lot at stake if you choose
to grow your career in this set-up.
§4 Things to look out for:

 A nontraditional, flexible structure

 Typically staffed by young professionals
 Self-starters, with an entrepreneurial spirit
 More autonomy than bigger and more established companies

2. Small and medium-sized enterprises

§5 Small and medium-sized enterprises or SMEs bridge the gap between startups and large
corporations. You might even say that SMEs enjoy the best of both worlds. Typically, an SME has
surpassed the early, perhaps rocky stages of a startup, so there’s more stability here, but it’s still small
enough that you still get to feel that your voice will be heard. Work schedules may be a lot more stable
too than startups, as more people are now involved in the work process. New graduates and more
seasoned employees alike who want a more balanced workplace may gravitate towards this set-up.
§6 Things to look out for:
 A more structured environment
 More options in the marketplace (SMEs dominate the job market)
 Promotions may be easier to come by (smaller workforce, less competition)
 Stability breeds a more tight-knit workplace

3. Large corporations
§7 For those seeking out name recognition and company reputation, large corporations are still the
place to be. These are the big-time companies, known around the nation and even the world over.
Those craving for structure and a wealth of resources would view working in a large corporation as an
attractive possibility, however there’s a tendency to feel like a ‘small fish in a big pond’ here. Job roles
may be pretty rigid, but the perks and benefits that come with it can’t be beaten. While it may seem
that more experienced candidates may be better suited for large corporations, new grads looking for
a more formal and structured environment may also do well with a role in the corporate world.

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§8 Things to look out for:

 More connections and more resources at your disposal

 The recognition that comes with being associated with a well-known brand (large
corporations are often the most desired companies by job seekers)
 Stronger workplace structures lead to less autonomy
 Financial stability and a clear-cut career path

4. Non-profit organisations
§9 For job seekers with a heart for service and a passion for charity, a career in a non-profit
organisation is the right way to go. These organisations are devoted to furthering a social cause, rather
than monetary gain or profit. They may also operate to promote a specific political view. Non-profits
have a wide scope of influence, from small, community-based organisations to huge entities that
impact global policies. In short, the work you do in a nonprofit will matter, whether you’re just starting
out or have been in the service for many years.
§10 Things to look out for:
 Impactful work that can affect society
 A sense of accomplishment; a feeling that the work you do matters
 Like-minded colleagues working for the same cause
 Flexible structure and job demands (though it would still vary from one organisation to
another)
§11 One of the most important decisions to make while job searching is choosing which company to
work for. Beyond finding a job that will help sustain you financially, look for one that will help you feel
fulfilled and accomplished in the long run. Remember that no single type of company is better or worse
than the other, but individual candidate preferences, personalities and work skills may dictate why one
may be a better match for a particular job seeker.

a. Register
In this online article, the author has chosen to write in semi-formal register with a number of semi-
formal or informal phrases. Those phrases would not be acceptable as such in formal business English.
1. “Startups’ ever-evolving nature can be a great launching pad for fresh grads to learn their
craft”
2. “You’d better be ready to take on various roles”
3. “These are the big-time companies, known around the nation and even the world over.”
4. “Job roles may be pretty rigid”
Place the phrases in bold in the left column (informal/semi-formal), then suggest a reformulation in
formal English for each:
Informal or semi-formal Reformulation in formal English
1
2
3
4
b. Vocabulary: Work/Job
1. Translate the following sentence into French :
Before accepting a job in a startup, you should ask yourself how much work it will require and if you

9
are willing to sacrifice some of your leisure time.
 Is there a French noun that could be the correct translation of both "work" and " job"?

 Is there a French noun that can be used to translate "work" but not "job"?

 Is there one that can translate "job" but not "work"?

 Which article did you use before your translation of "job" ? Which article did you use before
your translation of "work" ?

 Between " job" and "work", which noun can be put in a plural form without changing its
meaning ?

Fill the following text with the correct form of "work" or "job" :
Kim has left her old (a)______ in a multinational corporation to launch her own training firm: it means
a lot more (b) ________ but she does not mind because she is passionate about this project. As I was
between (c) ________, I applied, because helping people learn new skills is the type of (d) __________
I can see myself doing for a long time.

2. The text includes a number of compound nouns based on the nouns “work” and “job”
(highlighted in the text) : working world, workplace, work schedule, workforce, work skills, working
hours, job roles, job seekers, job demands, job searching
Use the correct form of the compounds in the following sentences:
 I am starting a new job, and I am quite anxious about discovering the 1. _________________,
but I am happy to be part of a very successful company’s 2. _________________
 I find working in this startup very rewarding because it offers a welcoming, supportive 3.
_______________ , and I actually enjoy having to juggle several 4. ________________________ as an
assistant, event-planner, marketer and graphic designer.
 In my firm, employees can have a very flexible 5. ________________________ , which means
I can have very long 6. _________________________ when I want to, but I can also decide to leave
work early or not come in at all when I need to rest and relax.
 I think every 7. __________________________ would agree that 8.
_________________________ can be a long and stressful process, but it is worth it when you find a
job that matches yours wishes and allows you to use all your 9. ___________________________ .
 Now that I have more experience, I am less afraid to take on a more challenging position with
high 10. _____________________ such as a heavy workload and very ambitious monthly objectives.

c. Business vocabulary
Match the terms in bold in the text with their definition.

Term from the text (in bold) Meaning

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 1. staff a. a worker
2. industry b. (for a company) to work, to do business
3. career c. companies
4. staffed d. the job or series of jobs that you do during your
working life
5. employee e. a type of product manufactured by a particular
company under a particular name
6. corporations f. to defend, to advocate a view or an opinion
7. corporate g. supplied with workers
8. brand h. a type of work, a sector
9. to operate i. (adj.) of or relating to a company
10. to promote j. a company’s workforce

d. Useful vocabulary
Match the terms underlined in the text to their French translation.

English Français
(underlined in the text)
mentorat, tutorat
tenir compte de quelque chose
équilibré
évoluer
adapté à
une série de mesures, une politique
à long terme
être impliqué dans quelque chose
bien s’intégrer, s’adapter
en jeu

e. Comprehension
1. Write several sentences contrasting how working for a startup, an SME, a larger corporation or a
non-profit differ when it comes to:
a) Work hours and schedule

b) Stability

c) Diverse tasks

d) Company structure and personal autonomy

2. In what type of company do most British job seekers want to work? Why? In what type of company
do they have a better chance of getting a job? Why?
3. Match each job seeker’s profile with the type of company that would suit them the most.
a. Rebecca: “What I look for in a job is first and foremost the sense I am making a difference. I
volunteered every summer while I was in college. To me a job is more than a paycheck: I want it to have
meaning.”

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=>
b. Dulcey: “I want people to be impressed when they hear the name of the company I work for. I would
love to have a company car, a corner office and an expenses account, along with a generous salary.”
=>
c. Sergio: “I am always up for a new adventure, and when I am excited about a project I can be quite
the workaholic. I am too young to settle for a predictable work life: I want to learn new skills every day
and be free to improvise and take initiatives.”
=>
d. Arthur: “I tend to put work-life balance first, and I want to know my coworkers well. I also want to
have the opportunity to build a career in the company I work in.”
=>

D. Speaking
Pair work - You need to decide what type of company is best suited to your partner’s personality.
Write a list of 6 questions about your partner’s personality and preferences that will help you
determine if your partner would be more suited for a job in a startup, an SME, a large corporation or
a non-profit. Based on their answers, decide what type of company would be a good match, then
discuss your opinion with your partner.

Topic 4: Company structures

A. Match these types of collaborations with their definition

Definition

a. Joint venture 1. a corporation made up of several different, independent businesses

(often subsidiaries)
b. Merger 2. A group of people/businesses who work together as equals (e.g.a firm
of lawyers or architects). They share the risks and the profits.
c. Partnership 3. When two or more companies make a joint investment in a project
while remaining separate business entities
d. Acquisition 4. Two or more companies join together to create a single larger
company
e. Conglomerate 5. When one company buys more than half the shares of another
company

B. Study the two very different company structures below (Transatlantica, Inc. and Spearhead
Electronics Ltd.). What can you say about their organisations? Which adjectives would you use to
define these structures?

12
 Transatlantica, Inc. C.E.O
Harry Wilson

Board of Management

Information Technology
Human Resources Legal Affairs Director Finance Director Communications
Director
Director Nicoles Dujour Karl-Heinz Egonolf Manager
Van Hai Wong
Sally Nielson Mary Fitzsimmons

Spearhead Electronics Ltd. Blackwells Factory

Manager

Paul Phillips

Electronic Supplies Ltd. Spearhead Electronics Global Transport SolutionsLtd.

Manager General Manager Manager

Jerry Packard Jeff Hynes Pat Barnes

Always Answers Call Centre

Manager

Jill Black

C. Look at the structures again and answer the questions:

At Transatlantica, Inc. which division or department deals with:

1. Computer programming and software?
2. Trade unions?
3. New accounting principles?
4. Patents for new products?

At Spearhead Electronics Ltd.,

5. Which company provides parts to another?
6. Which is the name of the company in the logistics sector?
7. Which company is in the services sector?
8. Who is in charge of the manufacturing company?
D. Drawing a chart
a. Correct the mistake in the following statements:
 The person in charge of sales in a company is the selling director.

13
 If you work under someone, you are that person’s boss.
 Someone in charge of a department can be referred to as its header.
 The CEO’s job is to direct the company.
 The people who make strategic decisions for the company are known collectively as the
direction.

b. Individuals within a structure. Fill in the blanks using the following words :

headquarters, Chief Financial Officer, line manager, Vice President, reports to, Chief Executive Officer,
in charge of, Director, liaises, delegates, Officer

 The ..........................1 runs the company.

 The level below CEO is Chief [X] Officer, for example.......................................................2. The CFO
is part of the senior management team. The CFO.....................................3 the CEO. The CFO
is...................................4. all the financial side of the business.
 The next level down might be country level for a large international organization, or departmental
level. A job title here might be Sales Director or Head of Sales or VP Sales (VP
=…………………...........……………………………..5).
The Sales Director for Sweden...........................................6 closely with the Chief Marketing Officer
at Head Office (also called......................................................7)
Below there are people with job titles like Manager, .........................................8, Coordinator, etc.
The words Assistant or Deputy may also occur at any level.
Ex: I’m the Business Development Officer for Sweden. My ...............................................9 (= the
person to whom I report) is the Sales ………............….........10 . He .........................................11 a lot
of the work to me.

c. Underline the correct word in italics.

1. Our Business Development Officer is responsible for / the responsible for finding new business
opportunities.
2. I can’t take that decision. It will have to be referred to higher people / more senior people.
3. That decision will have to be taken at a higher level / a more superior level.
4. In the department there are six Sales Representatives and their line director / line manager.
5. I am the Financial Controller, and I relate directly / report directly to the Finance Director.

d. Listening
Your name is Nathalie Berry and you are the Development Director of a Japanese international
company that manufactures luxury electric cars. You normally work in Australia, in a subsidiary
of this company, but you are going to work at the parent company in Japan for a month. You
meet John Atherton, a colleague from the parent company, who is going to introduce the
members of the staff from top to bottom of the hierarchy, explaining their jobs, sectors of
activity and responsibilities.

Draw the organisation chart of the company. Indicate the name and the function of each
member in a box. Remember that the people at the same level should be located on the same
horizontal line.

e. Work in pairs:

You are doing an internship at the company FakeCorp. You have met a number of people

14
within the organisation, but not everyone, and you would like to have a clearer picture of
the company’s structure and the important people within it. Talk with another intern who
is in a similar situation, to compare the information and names that you have discovered.
Both of you should end up with a completed organisation chart. Remember, it’s important
to have the correct spelling of people’s names; you don’t want to offend anyone! You could
start by asking « What is the CEO’s first name / surname ? » Try to use the vocabulary you
have recently learned.

Student A: Turn to Annex 1 for your version of the organisation chart.

Student B: Turn to Annex 3 for your version of the organisation chart.

Topic 5: Talking about your job

A. Listen to three employees of an IT distribution company called Xcel Systems describing

their jobs. Complete their profiles below. https://www.linguahouse.com/esl-lesson-
plans/business-english/company-and-job (see website for audio files)

Anthony Smart Daniel Goldman Susan Clarke

Job position

Responsibilities

Enjoys

Dislikes

B. Role play (Speaking/Writing): Ice breaker

You are a group of new hires. Your manager has organised an icebreaker so that you can get to know
your co-workers better.

15
1. Fill in the grid below to present yourself in a few words.

Welcome to Dunder Mifflin

Icebreaker : Present yourself in a few words

Name / Age:
About your job :
– Talk about the job you now occupy in the company (your job title, short description of your daily
missions, a project you are currently working on...)
– What personal qualities do you like your colleagues to have?

About yourself:
– A few words to describe yourself
– Talk about your hobbies
– Mention two things that you particularly like/ two things that you particularly dislike
– Mention one or two fun facts about yourself (a special talent you have, one thing you are unbeatable
at, something interesting about your life, ...)

2. In pairs, present yourself to your new coworker. Your colleague must take notes on your oral
presentation.

3. Use your notes to write a short text in which you present your new colleague to the rest of the team.
Remember to check your verb agreements in particular.

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 Working conditions and job satisfaction

Topic 1: Motivation at work

A. Which of these factors would motivate you to work harder? Choose your top five and rank them
in order of priority. Explain your priorities.

Bonus More responsibility Working for a successful company

Bigger salary Threat of redundancy Remote working opportunities
Commission Hard-working boss Promotion opportunities
Praise Supportive colleagues More time off
Important job title Perks More flexible working hours

B. Listen to three people talking about their motivation at work. Which of the factors in exercise 1
do they mention? Who do you agree with? (Market Leader, Upper Intermediate, CD 2.1, 2.2, 2.3)

C. Discuss these questions:

 How true do you think these statements are?
o There is no such thing as company loyalty these days.
o Only successful people can have a good work-life balance.
o Job satisfaction is about personality, not external factors.
o Improvements in technology lead to greater job satisfaction.

D. Vocabulary and translation:

Look at the sentences below. Underline the words or phrases which can be replaced with an item
from the box without changing the meaning of the sentence. Then, translate the sentences into
French.

Assessment, breakdown, empowerment, fringe benefits, red tape, remuneration, severance payment, take
industrial action.

1. If employees become too discontent, they may go on strike.

2. Most people like to have control over their work and therefore put autonomy near the top of their
list of motivating factors.

3. Dealing with bureaucracy is a very time-consuming, demotivating problem which can affect large
businesses and organizations.

4. Overwork can lead to burnout if not spotted early.

5. Many job satisfaction studies, perhaps surprisingly, have found that often a compensation package
is not the most motivating factor for many employees.

6. Offering perks rather than salary increase can be a way of retaining employees in traditionally high
staff turnover industries.

7. He received a very generous golden handshake when he left the company.

8. One way for managers to monitor and develop staff is by using appraisal interviews.
E. Grammar: gerund or past participle?

17
Complete each sentence with a gerund (-ing) or a past participle (-ed) formed from the verb on the left
(ex: INTEREST : She is very interesting when she talks about her past job experience. VS I am interested
in marketing).
Sometimes you will need to add a prefix to create an antonym.

SATISFY: a. The survey showed that staff working flexible hours were more
………………………….. with their jobs than those working fixed hours.
b. Low pay and poor working conditions create ……………………….. workers.
c. I am looking for a challenging yet highly ……………………… job.

MOTIVATE d. What are the strongest ……………………. factors in people’s lives?

e. Workers become ………………………….. if they work long hours for low pay.
f. I would be more ………………………. if I had more supportive colleagues.

FRUSTRATE g. I find talking to my line manager …………………… because he never listens.

h. I felt so ………………………… with their attitude that I decided to resign.

RECOGNISE i. Employees are more likely to change jobs if they feel their work is not
….………………………………. or that others take credit for it.
j. ……………………… your employees’ efforts can help keep them motivated.

F. Listening: Motivating staff (Market Leader, Upper Intermediate)

a. Listen to Madalyn Brooks, Director of Human Resources at Procter & Gamble (UK), and answer
these questions (CD 2.4):
1. What are the keys to a successful business?
2. What are the two main ways in which Procter & Gamble drives job satisfaction?

b. Madalyn says that job priorities have changed in three areas over the last 10 years. Listen and take
notes on what she says about: (CD 2.5)
1. Flexibility
2. The drive for personal learning and growth
3. Working for socially responsible organizations

c. Listen to Madalyn talking about what people want. Do not take notes while listening. Afterwards,
write down in one minute as many things as you can remember that people want. Compare your
answers with a partner. Who remembered the most things? (CD 2.6)

Topic 2: Jobs perks and benefits

A. Reading comprehension:

a. Read the title of the article below. What does the portmanteau word « perk-cession » mean
according to you ?

The perk-cession is here. You lose free food and laundry, but you could have
a more satisfying life.
Stefan Stern, Wed 15 Mar 2023 10.00 GMT Last modified on Wed 15 Mar 2023 10.07 GMT

§1 With fewer add-on goodies to offer staff, big firms may have to think about workplace culture
and a better work-life balance.
§2 Three-course dinners, access to wellness centres, even free dry-cleaning – for years the goodies

18
that came with a job in the elite tech sector were more than mere accessories – they symbolised
your membership of an exclusive club.

§3 Now, as some companies begin what the Wall Street Journal has called the perk-cession, is it
time for a conversation about what office workers really want from their jobs in a post-Covid
world?

§4 First, the background: amid rising interest rates and recessionary pressures, even towering tech
companies are starting to face harsh new realities. “Our management theme for 2023 is the year
of efficiency, and we’re focused on becoming a stronger and more nimble organisation,” said Mark
Zuckerberg, keen to signal to Meta’s investors last month that the party, as it were, was over.

§5 His company’s share price fell by more than 60% last year. In November, Meta announced that
11,000 jobs would go – about 13.2% of its workforce. Now the boss wanted to be clear. Costs
would be cut. Realism was in the air. And Wall Street responded positively, pushing the share price
almost a fifth higher when this “year of efficiency” was declared. (Zuckerberg meant what he said:
on Tuesday, he announced a further 10,000 jobs would go.)

§6 In truth, the belt-tightening at Meta began a year ago, when some of the famous on-site perks
at its Manhattan “campus” were cut. It was goodbye to the free laundry and dry-cleaning. And the
gratis evening meal started being served later in the day, more than half an hour after the last free
bus ride back into midtown had left. At the headquarters of Salesforce, a customer relationship
management company in San Francisco, the speciality coffee baristas have gone. In the same city,
regime change at Twitter brought in some notoriously unpleasant (“hardcore”) working practices.

§7 Some managers might object that if people are no longer coming into the office anyway, why
should there still be office perks? That is a lot of wasted free food, as the new Twitter owner, Elon
Musk, complained. “There are more people preparing breakfast than eating breakfast. They don’t
even bother serving dinner, because there is no one in the building,” he claimed on Twitter.

§8 This continuing tussle, about where and when and how we work, is an enduring symptom of
the post-Covid economy. There was a thought, when lockdowns came to an end, that free food
and other perks might help lure people back in. But any temporary pickup in attendance, and relief
at making human contact again, was often quite short-lived. People had got used to the new, work-
from-anywhere flexibility, and they liked it. City centres are still quieter, especially on Mondays
and Fridays.

§9 Edgar Schein, the great organisational theorist, who died in January at the age of 94, could have
told you that the mere visible “artefacts” of office life – furniture, dress code, free croissants – do
not necessarily tell you a great deal about the underlying values and assumptions which help to
shape the culture of an organisation.

§10 It is better to have employee benefits that are truly valued by employees. Earlier this year,
Wired magazine reported a Glassdoor analysis of 70,000 comments posted by tech workers.
Between 2019 and 2022, mentions of workplace benefits such as gym membership or free food
reduced by half. Effective hybrid working arrangements seem to be more important.

§11 The real challenge here, as usual, is for managers themselves. What sort of work environment
are you creating? If you were a twenty- or thirtysomething employee, paying high rent, still dealing
with a student loan and having to travel in for an hour or more to reach the sacred office, would
you really bother leaving the flat if you could do the job from home? It will take more than a free
croissant to get people to show up.

§12 Managing talented people was already a challenge. But in a hybrid world greater skill and

19
 sensitivity will be needed to make sure everyone can do their best work. Extrinsic motivators –
“carrots” – will not do. The organisational anthropologist John Curran suggests it might be
necessary to “wipe the slate clean”, get rid of ultimately meaningless perks and concentrate
instead on our working relationships and the workplace culture we build together. Management
just got a bit harder.

§13 Perks probably will survive, in some limited form. But we will know we are heading for tougher
and meaner times if we start getting pep talks from the boss like the one given by a character
called Blake, played by Alec Baldwin, in the movie Glengarry Glen Ross. “We’re adding a little
something to this month’s sales contest,” he tells his team of real estate salesmen. “As you all
know, first prize is a Cadillac El Dorado … Second prize is a set of steak knives. Third prize is you’re
fired.”

b. Comprehension questions:

1. According to the article, why did big tech companies tend to offer lavish perks to their employees
before? According to you, what can be the advantage of the reason given in the article for both
companies and employees? Can you think of other positive effects such job perks probably had on
companies?

2. According to the article, what are the two main reasons why big tech companies have now decided
to reduce their job perks? Explain, using your own words.

3. True or False ? Justify your answer by quoting from the text.

a. Last year, Meta stopped offering services such as free laundry and free meals to its
employees.
b. People were happy to go back to the office after the pandemic but they still preferred
teleworking.

c. Vocabulary:

Give at least one synonym for the underlined words in the following sentences taken from the text.

1. His company’s share price fell by more than 60% last year.

2. In November, Meta announced that 11,000 jobs would go – about 13.2% of its workforce.

3. At the headquarters of Salesforce, the speciality coffee baristas have gone.

4. Third prize is you’re fired.

B. Dealing with figures:

a. Read the following sentence taken from the text. What do you notice about how the
underlined figures are written? How is it different from the way figures are written in French?

Meta’s share price fell by more than 60% last year. In November, Meta announced that 11,000 jobs
would go – about 13.2% of its workforce.
b. Read the text below and underline the figures and amounts. What difference do you notice
between the first two examples and the third one? What would be different in French?

Nicole Tsai has amassed millions of views on TikTok by sharing videos of a typical day working for

20
Google. On one recent Sunday though, Tsai went viral with a starkly different video after posting “a
day in the life getting laid off at Google”. Like tens of thousands of tech workers in recent weeks, Tsai
found herself out of a job amid a brutal reckoning sweeping through the industry. The chill wind in the
sector is not just being felt in job losses, but also in that most distinctive feature of tech life: the office
perk. Elon Musk has slashed perks along with staff numbers at Twitter Inc. following his takeover that
cost 44 billion dollars in favour of what he calls a hardcore work culture.

c. Work in pairs. Student A, turn to Annex 2 and read the text aloud to Student B. Student B,
listen to Student A and correct any incorrect information based on the text below.

(Student B): Health insurance is the most commonly offered benefit at 68% .Other benefits that feature
prominently in company offerings include employee assistance initiatives (29.3%), company discounts
(21%), caregiver time off (17.5%), gym memberships (80%), and discounts on recreational activities
(14.02%). Health insurance will typically be the most expensive part of companies’ benefits plan.
According to some studies, employers pay an average of $7,198 for single and $20,567 for family
coverage annually. Naturally, the cost of a health insurance benefit can vary wildly. Still, in most cases,
companies can expect to pay between $5,315 and $13,815 annually, depending on how much
participation they ask of their employees.

C. Translation: Read the following extracts from articles about the website Glassdoor and translate
them into English.

1. Créé en 2008 aux Etats-Unis, Glassdoor recueille les avis de millions de salariés sur la façon dont ils
ontété recrutés et les salaires dans leurs entreprises.

2. Cinq mois après son arrivée en France, le site Glassdoor fait un carton. Il fournit déjà 50,000 avis
proposéspar les internautes, concernant 3200 sociétés de l’Hexagone.

3. Lors de son arrivée en France, en octobre 2014, Glassdoor avait publié une étude selon laquelle
« un tiers des salariés sont déçus par leur emploi ».

4. Dorénavant, les candidats disposent d’un outil précieux pour ne plus se tromper d’employeur.

5. Sur l’Oréal par exemple, les avis sont très positifs et se soldent par une note de 3,5 sur 5.

6. Un certain nombre de critères sont passés en revue comme le salaire, les primes, l'évolution de
carrière, leprocessus de recrutement ou les avantages sociaux. Des photos des locaux peuvent
aussi être ajoutées.

7. Il est très important de préciser que les personnes gardent l'anonymat.

8. Un contrôle est effectué pour garantir au maximum la véracité des informations et leur
pertinence.

D. Grammar: Countable / non-countable nouns

Most nouns in English are countable; they can be used as a singular or a plural.
A report – two reports – some reports – how many reports? – few reports
Some nouns are uncountable. They refer to a “mass” of something, rather than something that is
divided into units.
Some work – too much work – little work

21
If you want to be able to count the substance in units, you need to add something which allows to
measure it.
Would you like some water? Would you like a glass of water?
Many uncountable nouns are the same in English and French, but some are different. These are a
common source of mistakes, so you need to learn the ones which are most frequently used in a
business context: information – advice – work – news – research – progress – knowledge
Read the following sentences. Which ones are correct?

He gave me a very important piece of information. He gave me a very important information.

I gave her several advices. I gave her a lot of advice.
This is great news! This is a great news!
She gave me fewer advice than I expected. She gave me less advice than I expected.
I need a little information. I need a few information.
We need to do some researches on our target We need to do some research on our target market.
market.
They have made many progress. They have made a lot of progress.
I have gained so many knowledges about I have gained so much knowledge about marketing.
marketing.

E: Group work

Step 1: In groups of 2/3 students, make a list of five perks you would like as an employee. Be inventive!
Write them down on separate pieces of paper.
Step 2: The teacher collects all the ideas and mixes them up.
Step 3: Each group then picks 5 ideas from the hat and ranks them in order of preference by negotiating
within the group to reach an agreement. Now, as a group, write a short text presenting the advantages
of the top-ranked perk and the drawbacks of the bottom-ranked one. Read them to the class.

Topic 3: The 4-day workweek

A. Reading comprehension

4 countries that are embracing—or experimenting with—the 4-day workweek

CNBC - Published Friday, April 14 2023

The four-day workweek is picking up steam across the globe.

§1 Dozens of countries including Ireland, Spain and the UK have tested a 4-day workweek, with
overwhelmingly positive results: Businesses that participated in a six-month trial in the UK, which
ended in December 2022, said switching to a 4-day workweek improved productivity, morale and team
culture. On the employee side, people said having more personal time reduced burnout and boosted
life satisfaction, according to self-reporting from trial participants.
§2 Although no country has fully adopted a 4-day workweek, some countries are experimenting with
one or have policies that allow workers to request a shorter schedule. Here are four countries where
the 4-day workweek has been widely adopted, or is being tested:

22
South Africa
§3 More than 500 employees at 28 companies are participating in South Africa’s 4-day workweek trial,
which began in March and will continue until September. A second trial is planned to start in June. The
experiment is being run by 4 Day Week South Africa, which is a branch of 4 Day Week Global, the same
group that helped organize the UK trial. There are 28 companies and more than 500 employees
participating in the trial, says Karen Lowe, director of 4 Day Week South Africa.
§4 The experiment uses a 100-80-100 model: workers receive 100% of the pay for working 80% of the
time and still delivering 100% of their usual output.
Belgium
§5 In early 2022, the government announced a reform package that gives workers the right to work
four days instead of five without losing their salary. The law officially went into effect in November
2022. Under this scheme, workers are still expected to maintain the same amount of hours over four
(longer) days instead of five and would have an extra day off to compensate. Employers, however, still
have the right to turn down an employee’s request for a shortened workweek, on condition that they
submit their refusal in writing and give solid reasons for their decision.
§6 “The goal is to give people and companies more freedom to arrange their work time,” Belgium’s
Prime Minister Alexander de Croo said in February 2022, as reported by Bloomberg. “If you compare
our country with others, you’ll often see we’re far less dynamic.”
Iceland
§7 Between 2015 and 2019, Iceland led one of the largest 4-day workweek pilots to date, with close to
2,500 people participating. The trial was considered an “overwhelming success” among researchers,
with employees reporting improved well-being, work-life balance and productivity.
§8 As of 2022, workers represented by unions in Iceland — close to 90% of the workforce — have won
the right to request a shorter workweek, says Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, the global programs and
research manager for 4 Day Week Global. However, uptake of the 4-day workweek among businesses
in Iceland’s private sector “seems to be slow,” he adds, as many employers are placing the onus on
individuals to negotiate for worktime reductions instead of offering a 4-day workweek as an automatic
benefit to all employees.
Japan
§9 In 2021, the Japanese government’s annual economic policy guidelines included a recommendation
that companies let employees opt for a four-day workweek and, by extension, a 3-day weekend.
Kuniko Inoguchi, a Japanese politician from the Liberal Democratic Party and economist, spearheaded
the proposal. The recommendation to switch to a 4-day workweek is meant to improve employees’
work-life balance, giving them more time to take care of family members, further their education or
go out with friends, the Washington Post reports.
§10 There are a number of companies in Japan that have experimented with 4-day workweeks,
including Microsoft and Panasonic, which piloted 4-day workweeks for their Japan-based employees
in 2019 and 2022, respectively. Other companies in Japan have implemented the 4-day workweek
permanently, says Pang, including banking giant Mizuho and tech firm Cross River, whose CEO, Shinji
Koshikawa, has been a “vocal advocate” for a 4-day workweek.
§11 For decades, the 4-day workweek was seen as a fringe concept that wouldn’t catch on — but now,
it’s become a serious policy consideration for businesses struggling to combat burnout and retain
employees. The share of companies offering a 4-day workweek benefit reached the 10% threshold for
the first time last year, according to a recent Payscale report.
§12 “Employees are looking for flexibility,” Payscale pay equity analyst Ruth Thomas recently told
CNBC Make It, “potentially as they continue to experience a decline in real wage growth [and] seeing
themselves working longer hours, they’re seeking some level of return.”

23
Comprehension questions
1. In your own words, contrast the different ways working hours and workload are organized within
the four-day week schemes in South Africa and in Belgium.
2. Based on the text, name at least 4 advantages for companies of offering a four-day workweek.
3. In your own words, describe two ways some employers can limit the use or the scope of the four-
day workweek (based on the text).

B. Vocabulary and grammar

a. Nationalities: Complete this table with the nationalities of the countries mentioned in the
article:
Careful: adjectives of nationality always____________________________________

Country Adjectives of nationality

Japan Japanese
Ireland
Spain
The UK
South Africa
Belgium
Iceland

b. Experiment or experience?
a) Read the following sentences from the text:
 “Although no country has fully adopted a 4-day workweek, some countries are experimenting
with one” (paragraph 2)
 “as they [employees ] continue to experience a decline in real wage growth [and] seeing
themselves working longer hours, they’re seeking some level of return”. (last paragraph)
b) Based on these sentences, what do you think is the difference in meaning between “to experiment”
and “to experience”? Does the difference also apply to the nouns “an experiment” and “experience”?
Read the first paragraph again and find:
 A noun that has a similar meaning to the noun “experiment” in this context
 A verb that has a similar meaning to the verb “experiment” in this context

c. False friends: There exist numerous English terms that resemble French terms but have a
different meaning. Look at the following sentences from the text and provide the French translation
of the highlighted terms based on the context.
(South Africa) “The experiment uses a 100-80-100 model: workers receive 100% of the pay for
working 80% of the time and still delivering 100% of their usual output.”
(Iceland) “many employers are placing the onus on individuals to negotiate for worktime
reductions instead of offering a 4-day workweek as an automatic benefit to all employees.

24
 (Japan) “Shinji Koshikawa has been a “vocal advocate” for a 4-day workweek”

d. Build up your vocabulary

a) Look at the terms in bold in the text. Based on the way they are used in the sentence, try to guess
their meaning in French.

English French
Overwhelming
Output
Uptake
Guideline
Fringe
Threshold

Check in a dictionary (e.g. Cambridge or Merriam-Webster).

b) Select one or several topics you are interested in (sports, music, the arts, fashion, politics, etc), and
for each of the words above, type the term, the topic of your choice, and a source in good English
(The Guardian, the BBC, NPR…) in a search engine like Google. Select an entry you find interesting, and
copy the sentence that includes the word from the list. Make sure you select a sentence you think you
understand.
Does the term have the same meaning as in the text above? If not, guess its meaning in the sentence
you found online, and check in the dictionary.
=> Example of a search engine request: “guideline + football + NPR“

e. Fill the gaps with the correct form of the appropriate verb (underlined in the text)
1) Last year the Human Resources department __________________________ my request for more
time off, because the firm is understaffed.
2) If the company ___________________________ the new policy, many employees will ask to work
4 days a week.
3) After years of complaining about the schedule, I believe it is time for the firm to
____________________________ to a more efficient system.
4) If our employees are too tired, they will resign, and we obviously need to _______________ them.
5) I am too busy to ______________________________ the project, but I can participate.
6) Last week’s training session allowed me to _________________________ my understanding of the
accounting software.
f. Translation: Translate the following sentences from the article into French:
1) Businesses that participated in a six-month trial in the UK said switching to a 4-day workweek
improved productivity, morale and team culture.
2) Under this scheme, workers are still expected to maintain the same amount of hours.

g. “S” or no “S”: In the following text, decide which gaps need an “s” (or “es”) to be
grammatically correct.

25
For some (1) firm__, particularly (2) customer__-facing (3) business__, creating enough flexibility in
the schedule for a (4) four-day__ week (5) mean__ extra hiring (6) cost__. Alison Dunn, chief executive
of a consumer-advice (7) helpline__ invested in the equivalent of three (8) additional__ full-time
employees so 45 contact centre (9) staff__ could join the trial. “We didn’t want a situation where
someone would be excluded from the opportunity,” she (10) add__.

C. Grammar focus: Talking about the past

a. Look again at the first three sentences from the article:
The four-day workweek is picking up steam across the globe. Dozens of countries including Ireland,
Spain and the UK have tested a 4-day workweek, with overwhelmingly positive results: Businesses that
participated in a six-month trial in the UK, which ended in December 2022, said switching to a 4-day
workweek improved productivity, morale and team culture.
i. In sentence one, the present continuous (studied in the previous chapter) is used. Why?
ii. In sentence two, the present perfect is used (have + past participle: have tested). What
tense would you use in French?
iii. In sentence three, the past tense is used (participated, ended, said, improved). What tense
did you use in French in your translation above?
iv. Can you explain the use of the two different tenses in English to talk about past events?

b. Grammar recap
The past tense / preterit (I worked) and the present perfect (I have worked) can both be used
to talk about events in the past, but they are not used in the same circumstances.
 The past simple is used for things which happened at a point in time which is finished.
The trial ended in December 2022.
He worked at Google for three years (but he doesn’t work there now).
Remember that the past tense of most verbs is formed by adding -d or -ed to the verb, but
some common verbs have an irregular past tense, which you need to learn.
For the most common irregular verbs, see Annex 4.
 The present perfect is used for a past event or situation, when we are not necessarily
interested in WHEN it happened, but more on its impact on the present situation.
He has worked for Google, Netflix and Expedia (so he has some impressive work experience).
The company has had financial problems recently (so now is not a good time to make new
investments).
It is also used when the time period when the event took place is not finished or if the situation
itself is not finished but continues up to the present moment.
I have phoned several customers this morning. (NB. It is 11.30am)
We have increased our profits significantly since January.

c. Examples

26
1. Find two more examples of the past tense and two of the present perfect within the article
above.

2. Some adverbs or expressions can only be used with the past tense, while others can also be
used with the present perfect, depending on the context. Two examples are given below. Try
to think of 3 more examples of each.

Past Present perfect OR

past

Yesterday This morning

d. Choose the correct tense to complete the following sentences:

1) The assistant ___________________________ (be) late, so we started the meeting

without him.
2) Last year, the firm _____________________________ (open) two new distribution
centres.
3) So far this year, we _____________________________ (recruit) ten recent
graduates.
4) The suppliers ____________________ (increase) their prices, so we will have to
increase ours.
5) My assistant _________________ (tell) me when I arrived that the CEO ___________
(want) to speak to me urgently.
6) I _______________ (go) to Milan last year but I _______________ (never go) to
Rome.

e. Translation: Translate the following sentences in French:

a) This morning, I read several reports.

b) This morning, I have read several reports.
c) She has lived in London for several years.
d) She lived in London for several years.
e) She has lived in London since 2020.

f. Since/For
REMEMBER:
SINCE + ________________________ (eg. _______________________________________)
FOR + __________________________( eg. ______________________________________)

For more information, see Annex 5

27
 g. Make sure you know how to use these tenses in negative and question forms.

1) She started working in the logistics department last April.

Negative:
Question:
2) She has started working on an urgent project.
Negative:
Question:
3) The email from head office was very aggressive.
Negative:
Question:
4) The interns have been very enthusiastic this week.
Negative:
Question:

h. Choose the correct tense to complete the following sentences:

1) ____________________________ (the new supplies/arrive) yet?
2) I ______________________________ (not meet) the CEO, but I
___________________________________ (have dinner) with the CFO last Tuesday.
3) _____________________________________ (the secretary/ send) the email to all
shareholders early enough?
4) Mark ___________________________ (not/have) all the necessary information
when we ________________________________________ (speak ) three days ago.
5) _____________________________ (you/hear) the news? The firm’s management is
planning to introduce the four-day workweek for all staff.

i. Translate the following into English

1) Leur entreprise a été fondée en 2001.
2) Leur siège social est basé dans la Silicon Valley depuis 2004.
3) Les ventes ont augmenté de 10% l’année dernière.
4) Le gouvernement français a-t-il déjà évoqué la possibilité de lancer la semaine de
quatre jours dans les sociétés françaises ? Oui, en février 2023 un ministre a mentionné une
initiative locale.
5) Personnellement, je ne m’entendais pas mieux avec mes collègues quand je les voyais tous
les jours.
6) Les entreprises n’ont pas hésité à offrir beaucoup d’avantages à leur personnel après la
pandémie, mais maintenant c’est fini.
7) Avez-vous assisté à plusieurs séances de formation cette année ?
8) As-tu signalé ton problème de rémunération quand tu as écrit au service RH ?

28
D. Role play / debate: Work in groups of four.
Speaking: Two of you work in a company that has been testing the four-day work week, and
the other two in a company which encourages remote work. Discuss your impressions of these
two working arrangements. One of each pair has had a positive experience and the other a
more negative one.
Writing: write a short text (100 words) explaining which working arrangement you would
prefer in your future job and why.

29
 Management styles

Topic 1: Netflix’s management style

A. Starting up: Match these pairs of contrasting management styles:

1. autocratic a. collaborative
2. centralising b. controlling
3. directive c. delegating
4. empowering d. democratic
5. hands-on e. people-oriented
6. task-oriented f. laissez-faire

B. Read the title of the following article. Which of the management styles listed above do you think
is used at Netflix?

‘Company is a team, not a family.’ How Reed Hastings built a fail-proof work
culture at Netflix with ‘no rules, unlimited vacations’
www.economictimes.indiatimes.com January 23, 2023
§1 Streaming giant Netflix just witnessed the end of an era. Hastings, who was the CEO/Chairman of
the platform, formally stepped down from his role on Thursday, January 19. In his place, Ted Sarandos
and Greg Peters have been put in charge of maintaining the work culture that has gradually become a
blueprint of how to maintain productivity at the workplace.
§2 Over the years, Hastings became somewhat of a polarising figure. On the one hand, his work culture
template (the ‘Netflix Culture’ deck comprising 125 slides that have been downloaded 17 million times)
gave birth to a workforce that prized innovation and productivity. It has also come under fire for being
chaotic, mechanical, and unpredictable. In 2018, a Wall Street Journal report described the ‘Netflix
Way’ as “demoralising, dysfunctional, and ruthless.”
§3 In his book ‘No Rule Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention’, Hastings envisaged a highly
democratic work environment that focused on creative autonomy and minimal bossism. Authority was
ceded to staff on the condition that they were able to deliver results.

How Hastings Ensured ‘No Rules’ Didn’t Translate To ‘No Results’

§4 In ‘No Rules Rule’, the entrepreneur outlined his rather unorthodox and unusually transparent work
culture. In an interview with NPR, he said that his employees do not have to follow a dress code, and
can enjoy unlimited vacations. No approval is needed for expenses.
§5 However, there was a caveat to this unheard-of level of freedom. Only the creme de la creme of
employees is retained. “Adequate (though not the best) performances get a generous severance
package,” he told NPR. There is no scope for mediocrity at Netflix.

Hire & Reward Only The Best

§6 Patty McCord, the former chief talent officer of Netflix, explained what the Netflix Way was really
about in an article ‘How Netflix Reinvented HR’ published in the Harvard Business Review. She

30
explained that from the very beginning, Hastings ensured that only the best i.e. people who came with
an impeccable work ethic and had a desire for high performance would be recruited, kept, and
rewarded.

§7 They enjoyed generous pay packages and did not have to suffer micromanagement of expenses or
vacations. Employees should be treated like “adults”, she argued. As long as they remember to act in
“Netflix’s best interests”, nobody would be dictating how many leaves they take or how much they
spend.

With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility

§8 Although employees did not have to worry about their manager breathing down their necks while
making a decision (financial or otherwise) for the company, the employees had to prove they were
capable of handling such a high level of autonomy.
§9 “If you give employees more freedom instead of developing processes to prevent them from
exercising their own judgment, they will make better decisions and it’s easier to hold them
accountable. "
Know When To Let People Go
§10 In the same article, McCord underlined that instead of the routine performance reviews,
employees were subjected to 360-degree interviews where they had to point out things co-workers
should “stop, start or continue.” Employees were also expected to upskill continuously.

§11 Workers whose skill sets didn’t match the organisation’s goals were let go with an enviable
severance package. “We give adequate performers a generous severance package so that we can find
a star for that position,” revealed Hastings during an interview.

Company Is A Team, Not A Family

§12 In the ‘Culture Deck’, Hastings described the company should work towards common goals - mainly
improving the brand name and annual turnover rates - but not function like a family.

§13 In an interview, he explained, “A family is about unconditional love, despite, say, your siblings’ bad
behavior. A dream team is about pushing yourself to be the best teammate you can be, caring intensely
about your teammates, and knowing that you may not be on the team forever.”

How Effective Were Hasting’s Employee Policies?

§14 Despite the Wall Street Journal’s caustic criticism of Netflix’s organizational culture, statistics
reflected a different reality. A 2018 report by Variety magazine revealed that Netflix enjoyed a 3.7 out
of 5 Glassdoor (employee review portal) ratings which translates to being above average. Hastings
himself had an 87 per cent approval rating from employees according to Glassdoor, which is
astronomically high.

a. Comprehension

a. List the advantages for Netflix staff of the company’s management style.

b. What does Netflix gain from using this policy?

c. What aspects of working for Netflix might some staff find difficult?

d. How successful would you say the Netflix management style introduced by Reed Hastings has
been?

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 b. Vocabulary

For each of the following words or expressions taken from the article, decide which of the two
definitions is the correct one.
Fail-proof a. Something which has not been b. Something which cannot
proven fail

To step down from a. To give up a responsibility b. To be fired

A blueprint a. A plan or model b. A document printed in blue

ink

to outline a. To defend b.To describe

Expenses a. Purchasing supplies or components b. Money spent by an

necessary to produce goods employee on work-related
activities

A caveat a. A complaint or objection b. A condition or restriction

A severance package a. Compensation given when an b. A gift to reward acceptable

employment contract is ended performance

There is no scope for a. It is not punished b. It is not accepted

micromanagement a. When a manager closely observes b. When the intervention of a

and controls the work of their manager is as minimal as
subordinates possible

To breathe down a. To stand too close to someone b. To constantly watch and

someone’s neck check on someone

A performance review a. A written document to evaluate an b. An interview where a

oral presentation manager evaluates an
employee’s recent progress
and productivity

A 360-degree interview a. When an employee evaluates the b. A very detailed evaluation

performance of their colleagues, of every aspect of an
subordinates and manager employee’s work

siblings a. occasional b. brothers and sisters

c. Review / Rate / Rank

What is the difference between the words “review” and “rating” (final paragraph)? Is the word
“ranking ” a synonym of either?

Using an appropriate form of these three words, fill in the gaps below:

I did an internship in an amazing start-up in Lisbon. It was already (a) ……….. second-best Portuguese
employer on Glassdoor, but I gave it an excellent (b) …............ and (c)…………… it 5 out of 5.

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C. Language focus: Adjectives

a. Connotations
The following adjectives are all used in the text to describe either Netflix’s management style or the
behaviours of its staff. Classify them into words which have a mostly positive meaning, a negative one,
or words which can be either positive or negative, depending on the context. If you are not familiar
with the word, look at how it is used in the article and try to make a deduction.
polarising, chaotic, mechanical, unpredictable, demoralising, dysfunctional, ruthless, democratic,
creative, unorthodox, transparent, adequate, generous, impeccable, accountable, enviable

Positive Negative Depends

b. Prefixes
Some of these adjectives contain a prefix, which allows to give the opposite meaning to the same
word without the prefix, eg. un- in the word unpredictable. Which other prefixes can you find above?
Give the opposite meaning for each of these adjectives, using the following prefixes: in- (x5) / un-
(x4) / il- (x1) / dis- (x1) . There are two correct answers for one of the words.

a. considerate
b. competent
c. diplomatic
d. efficient
e. flexible
f. inspiring
g. logical
h. organised
i. decisive
j. supportive

c. From nouns to adjectives

Transform the following nouns from the article into the corresponding adjective.

Noun Adjective
Mediocrity
Innovation
Productivity
Autonomy
Authority
Power
Responsibility

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 d. Grammar reminder
Adjectives in English never take an “s”, even if they are describing a plural noun.
All my colleagues are very supportive.

Unless they are separated from the noun by a verb (see previous example), adjectives and adjective
groups are placed before the noun.
He is a very demanding and authoritarian boss.
She was the most inspiring manager I have ever worked for.

Using some adjectives from the previous exercises, write a sentence or two to describe:

a. your perfect boss

b. a nightmare colleague

c. an ideal intern

Topic 2: Perfect bosses and visionary leaders

A. Translation: Translate the following text into French.

In search of the perfect boss

After years of having to adopt a masculine identity and hide their emotions and natural behaviour in
the workplace,it seems that female bosses have become more comfortable with using their own
style. So much so that women have now become the role models for managers.
A survey published at the end of last year by Management Today magazine revealed that a majority
of those questioned - 1,000 male and female managers across the UK - believed women had a more
modern outlook on their profession and were more open-minded and considerate. By way of
contrast, a similar number believed male managers are egocentric and more likely to steal credit for
work done by others.
The UK findings tally with a survey on female bosses carried out in the US. A five-year study of 2,500
managersfrom 450 firms found that many male bosses were rated by staff of both sexes to be self-
obsessed and autocratic.
Still need convincing? A team of researchers found that female sales managers are better than men
in terms of directing, evaluating and rewarding their sales forces; that they build teams with greater
commitment than men; andthat they reduce people’s anxieties about their job by working more
closely with them. Female bosses, say the researchers, also encourage higher levels of job
satisfaction among their teams and manage their teams so that staff turnover is reduced.

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B. Listening: Visionary leaders
Listen to the interview about visionary leaders and do the following activities.

1. List the positive terms used to describe Steve Jobs or his attitude in the introduction, and the
negative ones.

Positive terms Negative terms

- -
- -
- -
- -
-

2. Give three examples of Jobs’ problematic behaviours.

3. Explain three different ways that staff might react to working with someone like Jobs.
4. Are there any positive aspects to working for a visionary leader?

C. Modal Forms (see Annex 6)

a. Grammar focus

Sometimes a modal verb can have more than one meaning, eg. He can swim (capacity) / You can sit
down(permission).

a) Which modals would you associate with the following situations?

1- Obligation/necessity 4- An impossibility
2- Advice 5- Forbidding
3- A possibility 6- ?

b) Look at the two examples using must below. How would you describe the two situations? What
modal would allow toexpress the opposite situation in each case?
- The door must be locked. (It’s important for safety.)
- The door must be locked. (It won’t open.)
Add the extra term used to describe the second situation to the list above (number 6).

c) Now study examples a-g below. Which of the six situations listed above corresponds to each one?

a- Meetings might not always be the best use of the team’s time.
b- But there must be a way to make them work.
c- They can’t all be a waste of time.
d- Team leaders should do everything they can to make sure they organise them properly.
e- An agenda must be established in advance.
f- Clear rules such as “Staff mustn’t arrive late without good reason” are helpful.
g- Indeed, companies can’t be profitable if staff are not productive.

d) Read the prompts. Use the words in brackets and a modal from above to make logical sentences.
1- She has worked non-stop from 7:00am to 9:00pm. (tired) => She ........... be very tired.

35
2- The members of her team haven’t respected the deadlines. (pleased with them) =>

3- He wants to speak to the boss tomorrow. (make an appointment) =>

4- She is not answering her phone. (in a meeting) =>

5- Tomorrow is casual Friday. (wear jeans or a t-shirt) =>

e) Find the mistakes in the following sentences. What are two important grammar rules involving use
of modals?

*A good boss should always gives clear explanations.

*To be respected by your staff, you must never to be afraid to admit your mistakes.

f) Make sentences with the opposite meaning:

You should use the conference room for meetings.

He can speak several languages.
That must be the new marketing director.
You must leave the photocopier switched on at the end of the day.
You must arrive before 9am every day.

g) Translate the new sentences you wrote into French.

b. Translation: Translate into English:

Comment être un bon patron ?

Ce n’est pas toujours drôle d’être le patron. Ça peut même être très compliqué. Pour vous faire
apprécier de vos employés, voici quelques conseils.

1. Pour être un bon patron, vous devez reconnaitre les efforts et les qualités de vos employés. Il ne
faut pas vous attribuer tout le mérite car c’est votre personnel qui accomplit la majeure partie des
tâches. Vous n’êtes que le responsable.
2. Si vous avez le sentiment que la formation que vous avez donnée à votre employé est efficace et
que cette personne fait de son mieux, permettez-lui de prendre des décisions.
Et s’il arrive que la décision soit mauvaise ou si la personne n’a pas su gérer la situation comme vous
l’auriez fait, vous pourriez voir cela comme une nouvelle opportunité de mieux former cet employé.
3. Il faut dire à vos salariés à quel point vous les appréciez. N’hésitez pas à leur faire un compliment
ou à les remercier dès que l’occasion se présente !
4. Un bon patron devrait être à l’écoute de ses employés. Vous n’êtes pas obligé d’être toujours
d’accord mais reconnaître leurs opinions est important. Cela montre que vous comprenez leurs
préoccupations.
5. Si vous faites une erreur ou vous avez le sentiment d’avoir été injuste envers l’un de vos employés,
excusez-vous. Votre équipe appréciera votre honnêteté.

36
 Annexes

Annex 1: Student A

37
Annex 2:

Student A:

Health insurance is the most commonly offered benefit at 58% .Other benefits that
feature prominently in company offerings include employee assistance initiatives
(29.3%), company discounts (21%), caregiver time off (17.4%), gym memberships
(18%), and discounts on recreational activities (14.2%). Health insurance will typically
be the most expensive part of companies’ benefits plan. According to some studies,
employers pay an average of $7,188 for single and $20,576 for family coverage
annually. Naturally, the cost of a health insurance benefit can vary wildly. Still, in most
cases, companies can expect to pay between $5,350 and $30,815 annually, depending
on how much participation they ask of their employees.

38
Annex 3: Student B

39
40
 Annex 4: List of most common irregular verbs

Infinitive Past tense/preterit Past participle French

1 to be was / were been être
2 to become became become devenir
3 to begin began begun commencer
4 to break broke broken casser
5 to bring brought brought amener
6 to buy bought bought acheter
7 to catch caught caught attraper
8 to choose chose chosen choisir
9 to come came come venir
10 to cut cut cut couper
11 to drink drank drunk boire
12 to drive drove driven conduire
13 to eat ate eaten manger
14 to fall fell fallen tomber
15 to feed fed fed donner à manger, nourrir
16 to feel felt felt sentir, éprouver
17 to fight fought fought battre, combattre
18 to find found found trouver
19 to fly flew flown voler
20 to forget forgot forgotten oublier
21 to get got got obtenir
22 to give gave given donner
23 to go went gone Aller
24 to grow grew grown cultiver, grandir
25 to have had had avoir
26 to hear heard heard entendre
27 to hit hit hit frapper, atteindre
28 to hold held held Tenir
29 to keep kept kept garder
30 to know knew known connaître, savoir
31 to leave left left quitter, laisser
32 to let let let laisser, louer
33 to lose lost lost Perdre
34 to make made made Fabriquer
35 to mean meant meant vouloir dire
36 to meet met met Rencontrer
37 to pay paid paid Payer
38 to put put put Mettre
39 to read read /rɛd/ read /rɛd/ Lire
40 to run ran run Courir

41
41 to say said said Dire
42 to see saw seen Voir
43 to sell sold sold Vendre
44 to send sent sent Envoyer
45 to set set set poser, fixer
46 to show showed shown Montrer
47 to sit sat sat s'assoir, être assis
48 to sleep slept slept Dormer
49 to speak spoke spoken Parler
50 to spend spent spent Dépenser
51 to stand stood stood être debout
52 to take took taken Prendre
54 to teach taught taught Enseigner
55 to tell told told dire, raconter
56 to think thought thought penser
57 to throw threw thrown lancer
58 to understand understood understood comprendre
59 to wear wore worn porter (habit)
60 to win won won gagner
61 to write wrote written écrire

Annex 5: For or Since

42
Annex 6: Modals

43
 Revisions and additional exercises

I. Add an “s” when necessary in the following short text:

My manager___ (1) name is Sophie Smith. She lead ___(2) a team of 15 people___ (3). She
often give___(4) me lot____(5) of important____(6) advice____(7) , which help____(8) me to
be more productive. Sophie and the CEO meet _____ (9) every Monday____ (10) to plan the
week ahead. One of her best idea____ (11) was to give her staff a generous travel___ (12)
allowance.

II. Add an "s" when necessary in the gaps.

Susan Smith work_(1) for one of the most successful firm_(2) in Europe. She is a senior manager_(3)
in the Public Relation_ (4) department. She and her team deal_(5) with question_(6) from the
media_(7) and make announcement_(8) about company news. It is important to provide
accurate_(9) information_ (10) and protect the company’s reputation, among other_(11) thing_(12).

III. Vocabulary about organisations:

Complete the gaps in the following text with words from the list below. Be careful
– some of the words do not fit into the text. :
work charge / multinational / jobseekers / PME / pay rises / applying to / workforce /
responsibilities / skills / superior / workload / strengths / senior / prospects / promotions
/ applying for / postulating to / SME / managing / survey

Would you rather work for a large company or a small/medium sized business?
It seems that most people prefer the former option, as a recent Totaljobs 1. ________revealed that many
2. _______ are not interested in working for a/an 3. ________. Why? A lack of career prospects seemed
to be among the reasons causing this disinterest. But misconceptions like this shouldn’t put you off from
4. ___________small businesses. Here
are some reasons why you should seriously think about 5. ___________ jobs with them:

- Being part of a smaller work environment and a smaller 6. __________ means you are more likely to
be well-integrated and familiar with numerous staff members and other 7.__________.

- As well as having a thorough understanding of your job, you will gain a better understanding of the
business as a whole and you will probably be given varied 8. _________, perhaps even across
departments, that will allow you to develop transferable 9. _________.

- With a varied 10. _________ and opportunities to work within different areas of the organisation,
working for small companies will certainly keep your job interesting.

These opportunities could allow you to find 11. __________ that you never knew you had.

- Working within a smaller company means that your good work is more likely to get noticed. It also
means you could potentially be working beside more 12. ________members of staff and get your ideas
listened to.
- With more opportunities to show your abilities, career prospects are better. You will be more likely to
be rewarded with 13. _________ and 14. ___________.

IV. Fill the gaps in the following text with words from the list below. You must not use
the same word more than once:
Staff – society - position – form - enterprise – companies – as - business – every -
benefits – workforce – prospects – schedules – services - employees – train – hire -
all – skills -- turnover – hired - apply – such as – tasks – postulate - employed –
perspectives – work – fire - departments

44
WHY SHOULD YOU WORK FOR AN SME?

SME is the acronym for Small and Medium-sized (1) __.The term applies to a (2) __ with no more than
250 (3) __ and a (4) __ of under £50 million in the United Kingdom.
The combined annual revenue of (5) __ UK SMEs is £2 trillion and over 16 million people are currently
(6)__ by SMEs in the UK. So although a single SME might be small, together their impact is huge! Big
firms offer some great (7) __ – but bigger doesn’t necessarily mean better. There’s plenty of opportunity
to develop your career (8) __ with an SME.
Smaller (9) __ tend to have smaller teams or (10) __ within them compared to big businesses. This
means that once an opportunity for promotion presents itself, there won’t be many internal candidates
wanting to (11) __ for the same (12) __, and the firm will probably prefer promoting one of its employees
rather than having to (13) __ an external candidate.
SMEs are often able to offer more flexible working than larger firms: they often tend to have less strict
rules on things (14) __ dress codes and (15) __. Working in an SME can often present opportunities to
develop your (16) __ thanks to being asked to carry out (17) __ not typically associated with your job.
A smaller (18) __ means that there is a need for multiple proficiencies within one role. This means SMEs
can be especially keen to (19) __ their (20) __.

V. Translate sentences 1 to 4 into English and sentences 5 to 7 into French

1. La filiale australienne cherche un nouveau PDG depuis l’année dernière.

2. Nos bénéfices ont augmenté de 7% et notre chiffre d’affaires est actuellement de 5 millions d’euros.

3. L’entreprise recrute actuellement un responsable des ventes.

4. Les syndicats rencontreront les membres du conseil d’administration la semaine prochaine pour parler
des salaires.

5. Our SME only sells fair trade products.

6. The HR Director wants to fill our two vacancies ASAP.

7. Employees working at Google can benefit from the following perks: paid time off, remote working
opportunities, sick leave and an annual bonus.

VI. Translate the following sentences into English

1. La responsable logistique travaille actuellement à l’entrepôt principal, mais en janvier elle va faire
une formation de deux semaines au siège.

2. La société mère n’aurait pas dû vendre sa filiale allemande. Elle a perdu un tiers de son chiffre
d’affaires.

VII. Translate the following paragraph into French:

In a 2021 survey, almost 30% of respondents said they would consider quitting if they were made to
return to fulltime on-site work. About half of employees who left their jobs said they had done so
because they did not have good work-life balance. Parents, particularly non-white ones, feel this the
most, and because parents make up a big share of management roles, losing them can damage a
company’s future. Moreover, women play a key role in providing the informal social bonding that keeps
organizations together. So, without flexibility, not only will it be difficult to recruit and retain talent, but
diversity efforts are doomed to fail.
(adapted from https://fortune.com)

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VIII. Translate the following sentences from French to English (1 and 2) and English to French (3
and 4).

1. Les bénéfices de la société ont augmenté de 25% depuis l’année dernière, mais les salariés n’ont pas
encore reçu d’augmentation.

2. L’année dernière, je suis allé au pays de Galles du 18 juin au 2 juillet et je suis allé voir un match de
rugby pendant mon séjour à Cardiff.

3. I am currently reporting to the Head of Marketing, but after the merger I will work under the new
company’s VP Sales.

4. The shareholders did not think the Dutch subsidiary was a good investment, but it has actually been
very successful.

IX. Give translations for the following words, studied during the semester:
Une filiale

Le chiffre d’affaires

Le responsable marketing

Le siège social

Un bulletin de salaire

Faire faillite

Le licenciement

Une fusion

X. What do the following acronyms stand for in English? Don’t translate the terms but write the
words in full in English.
1. CEO:

2. SME:

3. IT:

4. VP:

46