I recently received a question from a reader who wanted to know what she could say to her boss in a particular situation. She started, "Sir,..." which made me wonder where she was working. "Sir" was used quite widely up to about 30 years ago in the UK, but it's now much more common to address your boss by his / her first name, or (in more hierarchical companies) by Mr / Mrs + surname.
It's not much fun to be a London commuter. Railway and underground trains are generally packed, and getting a seat is practically impossible at rush hour.
June 11th 2009 |
Business culture
If you don't, you're in good company, as a
recent article points out.
May 29th 2009 |
Business culture
Imagine you buy something that doesn't work properly, or you pay for something which you didn't get. For example you pay for 5-star accommodation on holiday but the hotel is only 3-star. In both these situations, writing a complaint is a good way of getting your money back.
May 21st 2009 |
Writing skills
The British parliament is in crisis over the expenses scandal, involving many MPs from the two main parties. MPs have claimed for items as diverse as pet food to a chocolate snack from a hotel mini-bar, and taxpayers are furious as MPs are seen to have "bent the rules" for personal gain.
May 15th 2009 |
Business culture
It's no shame in most working environments to confess that you don't have enough money for the little luxuries in life. So many people are "feeling the pinch" in this recession that holidays, new cars etc are out of reach for many people. If one of your colleagues says that he / she can't afford something, show you sympathise with one of these expressions:
If you're desperately trying to get everything done ahead of tomorrow's bank holiday (May 1st is "Labour Day" in many countries), here are some phrases that may describe your working style today:
Don't be surprised to hear people talking about the "Britain's Got Talent" TV show and the
surprise performance of Susan Boyle.
There are certain occasions when you need to ask your boss for time off, such as for medical or personal reasons. If you're in the middle of an important project, you'll probably need to give the reason why you need to take time off. Here are some expressions you can use:
April 16th 2009 |
Speaking skills
If any of you do business with Italian colleagues - particularly if they are in the Abruzzo region affected by Sunday night's earthquake, you might want to send them an email to show support. It can be difficult to know what to write to colleagues and clients when there's a major disaster, but showing that you are "human" and that you care is a gesture which is always appreciated.
April 8th 2009 |
Writing skills
