VOCABULARY FOR WRITING TASK 2
productivity = the ability of people to produce useful results at work.
to subsidise = to pay part of the cost of something, usually in order to help people.
output = the amount of work or goods produced.
work/life balance = the ability to work hard but also enjoy a good quality family and social life
to motivate people = to give them positive reasons for working hard
pay increments = pay rises/increases
perks = reward from an employer which are not financial (eg free lunches, a car etc)
financial rewards = any form of money payment (salary, commission, pension etc)
bonuses = money given in addition to salary, usually in return for achieving targets Apparently some
incentives = any reward that makes people work harder
job satisfaction = enjoyment of a job for non-financial reasons
target-related = dependent on hitting a target
on the job training = training while working, not by leaving work to go to college etc
ongoing training = training throughout your time in a job, not just at the start
day release programmes = programmes of training or education when employees can spend entire days out of work
career progression = the ability to advance your career
job prospects = the possibility of promotion or higher level work in future
to measure = to assess the dimensions of something
superficial = not addressing deep or important issues
performance reviews/appraisals = meeting at which an employer gives feedback to a worker on their work over a fixed period.
redundancy = a situation where a worker loses their job because of changes in the company (not because of personal mistakes) (verb = to make someone redundant)
to restructure = to change the organisation of a company, usually in order to make it more effective or to save money.
to downsize = to make an organisation smaller and employ fewer people
to outsource = to stop doing work inside the company and send it to other companies or other countries, usually to save money
the workforce = the total number of people working in an organisation, company or country The workforce in
Human Resources (or HR) = the department in a company which manages recruitment, employment and training
Some employers offer their employees subsidised membership of gyms and sports clubs, believing that this will make their staff healthier and thus more effective at work. Other employers see no benefit in doing so.
Consider the arguments from both aspects of this possible debate, and reach a conclusion.
Employers are always seeking ways to enhance their employees’ productivity, and subsidising healthy pursuits may be one way of achieving this. There are arguments on both sides, however, which we will discuss here.
On the one hand, it might be said that if workers are fitter and less stressed, their working time will be more efficient, leading to higher levels of output and service. Furthermore, the work/life balance of the staff will hopefully be improved, because their leisure time will be more fulfilling.
This may even be more motivating than pay increments, perks, or financial rewards such as bonuses or incentives which may be hard to attain. Finally, feeling healthier may lead to better job satisfaction which is in itself a motivating factor.
Conversely, the problem with such leisure-based subsidies is that their efficacy is virtually impossible to quantify. For example, with target-related payments, employers can at least see whether the objectives are reached or not. It might also be said that, if this budget was spent on (for instance) on the job training or day release programmes, the employees would achieve better career progression and have better job prospects. These matters are all easier to measure, especially in performance reviews and appraisals, and may even help to reduce the risk of redundancy if the company restructures, downsizes or outsources its workforce.
Overall, it seems that, while health-related subsidies are superficially attractive, the lack of measurability is a substantial drawback. Spending funds on ongoing training would appear to be a better use of company or Human Resources budgets.
impossible to quantify. For example, with target-related payments, employers can at least see whether the objectives are reached or not. It might also be said that, if this budget was spent on (for instance) on the job training or day release programmes, the employees would achieve better career progression and have better job prospects. These matters are all easier to measure, especially in performance reviews and appraisals, and may even help to reduce the risk of redundancy if the company restructures, downsizes or outsources its workforce.
Overall, it seems that, while health-related subsidies are superficially attractive, the lack of measurability is a substantial drawback. Spending funds on ongoing training would appear to be a better use of company or Human Resources budgets.
