COMPREHENSION
1.Number the paragraphs in the correct order. Two summaries are not used. a) Companies need to change, as healthy foods here to stay.
b) Coke needs to inform customers about its whole product range.
c) Unfortunately, if companies do not change, they will find it very difficult to survive.
d) If customers fail to recognise Coke’s whole range of products, the company will face financial problems.
e) Advertisements for healthy products are very popular.
f) The campaign is well timed, as people want healthier products? g) Many companies are benefiting from a bigger market share.
2.Match the terms (1–8) to their definitions (a–e).
1. tactics |
a) seen or believed to be |
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2. slogan |
b) Make someone understand something |
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3. ditching |
|
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4. |
Perceived as |
c) Change or modify something |
5. |
Impress upon |
d) the centre or heart of something |
6. adapt |
e) a saying to catch your attention in an ad |
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7. core |
|
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8. suffering |
f) doing badly, failing |
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g)dropping or rejecting
h)approach
3.Translate the article in writing.
4.Make a review of the article.
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UNIT 4
EMPLOYMENT AND STAFF MOTIVATION
Do you agree with the statements. Why / Why not? Choose two of them and give your answer in writing.
1.It is best to work for as few companies as possible.
2.Everybody should retire at 70.
3.At work appearance is more important than performance.
4.People change a lot during their working lives.
5.You should keep your private life totally separate from your work.
VOCABULARY
The recruitment process
1. Complete the text using the following words or word combinations: employer, psychometric test, curriculum vitae (CV), probationary period, interview, application form, covering letter, job, vacancy, reasoning skills
These days many applicants submit their …(a)… speculatively to companies they would like to work for. In other words, they do not apply for an advertised …(b)… but hope the …(c)… will be interested enough to keep their CV on file and contact them when they have a …(d)… When replying to an advertisement, candidates fill in a / an …(e) … and write a / an …(f)… The employer will then invite the best candidates to attend a / an …(g)… Sometimes candidates will take a / an …(h)… before the interview to assess their mental ability and …(i)… These days it is normal for successful candidates to have to work a / an …(j)… in a company. This is usually three or six months, after that they are offered a permanent post.
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2. Match the verbs (1 to 6 ) to the nouns (a to f) to make word partnerships.
1. to train |
a) a vacancy / post |
2. to shortlist |
b) an interview panel |
3. to advertise |
c) the candidates |
4. to assemble |
d) references |
5. to make |
e) new staff |
6. to check |
f) a job offer |
READING
Read the article from the Financial Times.
MOTIVATING HIGH-CALIBRE STAFF
By Michael Douglas
An organization’s capacity to identify, attract and retain high-quality, highperforming people who can develop winning strategies has become decisive in ensuring competitive advantage.
High performers are easier to define than to find. They are people with apparently limitless energy and enthusiasm, qualities that shine through even on their bad days. They are full of ideas and get things done quickly and effectively. They inspire others not just by pep talks but also through the sheer force of their example. Such people can push their organisations to greater and greater heights.
The problem is that people of this quality are very attractive to rival companies and are likely to be headhunted. The financial impact of such people leaving is great and includes the costs of expensive training and lost productivity and inspiration.
However, not all high performers are stolen, some are lost. High performers generally leave because organisations do not know how to keep them. Too many employers are blind or indifferent to the agenda of would be high performers, especially those who are young.
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Organisations should consider how such people are likely to regard important motivating factors. Money remains an important motivator but organisations should not imagine that it is the only one that matters. In practice, high performer stand to take for granted that they will get a good financial package. They seek motivation from other sources. Empowerment is a particularly important motivating force for new talent. A high performer will seek to feel that he or she «owns» a project in a creative sense. Wise employers offer this opportunity. The challenge of the job is another essential motivator for high performers. Such people easily become demotivated if they sense that their organization has little or no sense of where it is going. A platform for self-development should be provided. High performers are very keen to develop their skills and their curriculum vitae. Offering time for regeneration is another crucial way for organisations to retain high performers. Work needs to be varied and time should be available for creative thinking and mastering new skills. The provision of a coach or mentor signals that the organization has a commitment to fast-tracking an individual’s development.
Individuals do well in an environment where they can depend on good administrative support. They will not want to feel that the success they are winning for the organisation is lost because of the inefficiency of others or by weaknesses in support areas.
Above all, high performers – especially if they young – want to feel that the organisation they work for regards them as special. If they find that it is not interested in them as people but only as high-performing commodities, it is hardly be surprising if their loyalty be minimal. On the other hand, if an organisaton does invest in its people, it is much more likely to win loyalty from them and to create a community of talent and high performance that will worry competitors.
From the Financial Times
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COMPREHENTION
1. Answer the questions in writing.
1.How can high performers be defined?
2.What qualities of high performers are mentioned in the article?
3.What are the problems of losing high performers?
4.What motivates high performing people to staywith their companies?
5.Why do high performers lose motivation?
2.Are the following sentences true or false? Explain your answer. a) High performers are really easy to find.
b) High performing people leave their companies mainly because they easily get demotivated.
c) Money is the most important motivator for high performers.
d) Young high performers want their organisations to regard them as special.
3.Use the words or phrases from the article to answer the questions below:
pep talk, headhunting, financial package, fast-tracking, CV, mentor
Which word or phrase:
a)is British English for the American English resume?
b)refers to stealing employees from companies?
c)do you often find in job advertisements referring to money and benefits?
d)refers to an older, more experienced person who helps you?
e)usually leads to quick promotion?
f)means a short chat to motivates staff?
VOCABULARY
1. Make word partnerships (there is one extra word that you don’t have to use).
covering |
agency |
employment |
references |
application |
test |
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