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Back at Work After the Pandemic: How to Handle Annoying Office Colleagues

“After two years of working from home during the pandemic, and plenty of false starts, employees are officially heading back to work…The gossip, the loud talker and the nosy colleague are all manageable with the right mind-set.”J. Dunn, The New York Times, April 24, 2022

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post with Answer Key

image The New York Times

Excerpt: Your Office Is More Annoying Than You Remembered. Here’s How to Handle It. By Jancee Dunn, The New York Times, April 24, 2022

“Roughly 60 percent of U.S. workers who could work from home were still signing in remotely as of January, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center, as the Omicron variant of the coronavirus set back [return to office] R.T.O. plans.

But now companies like Google are insisting that their workers return to the office on hybrid work schedules.

For many workers, the commuter train has already left the station. And after controlling our own environment at home, returning to work means we’ll be faced with annoying behaviors among our colleagues again: loud talkers, nosy cubicle mates, the olfactory emanations of the shared microwave.

Image: The New York Times

How do we confront these people — and how do we check our emotions, which may be in overdrive after working in relative isolation, to keep ourselves from snapping?

Consider this a fresh start for everybody, said Darian Lewis, who, with his wife, Monica, founded the Monica Lewis School of Etiquette in Houston. ‘You know all those things you wanted to change in your workplace prior to the pandemic, but you just couldn’t figure out how to do it?’ he said. “Well, seize the opportunity right now.’

Here’s how to deal quickly and effectively with some of the most irritating workplace habits.

The Loud Talker If your attention is consistently being pulled away by a colleague’s loud chatter, Mr. Lewis said, take a deep breath and approach the person, using what he calls the ‘S.E.C.’rule: smile, maintain eye contact and remain calm… The Gossip ‘Gossip is what we would call ‘harmful speech,’ said Mr. Miglioli, the Buddhist priest… The Nosy Cubicle Mate When your overly inquisitive co-worker begins to dig, ‘find a mantra, and then be a broken record,’ suggested Ms. Pollak, the workplace expert…One of the takeaways of the pandemic is that communities survive better than individuals.

Image- The New York Times

As we all return to the workplace, Mr. Miglioli said, we have two choices. ‘One way is to disconnect as soon as possible with all that has happened and get back to your life’…“The other is to embrace the pandemic as a great teacher.”

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post

NOTE: Lessons can also be used with native English speakers.

Level: Intermediate – Advanced

Language Skills: Reading, writing, and speaking. Vocabulary and grammar activities are included.

Time: Approximately 60 minutes.

Materials: Student handout (from this lesson) and access to news article.

Objective: Students will read and discuss the article with a focus on improving reading comprehension and improving oral skills. At the end of the lesson students will express their personal views on the topic through group work and writing.

I. Pre-Reading Activities

Predictions: Analyzing headings and photos

Directions: Examine the titles of the post and of the actual article. Examine any photos, then create a list of words and ideas that you and your group members think might be related to this article.

II. While Reading Activities

Word Inference

Directions: Try to infer the meanings of the words in bold taken from the article. You use a dictionary, thesaurus, and Word Chart for assistance.

Workers return to the loud talkers, nosy cubicle mates and the olfactory emanations of the shared microwave.
How do we confront these annoying people?
More importantly, how do we check our emotions, which may be in overdrive after working in isolation?
The article teaches you how to handle unpleasant situations at work.
The gossip, the loud talker and the nosy colleague are all manageable.
There are three things to keep in mind when you’re getting back in the groove.
There’s actually a big difference between responding and reaction.
That pause will give you a chance to choose your battles.
Try to exercise tolerance.
One of the takeaways of the pandemic is that communities survive better than individuals.

Grammar Focus: Word -Recognition

Directions: Students choose the correct word to complete the sentences taken from the article. They are to choose from the options presented.

For many worker/workers, the commuter train/trainshas/have already leave/left the station. And after controlling our own/owner environment in/at home, returning too/to work means/meanwe’ll/well be faced with annoy/annoying behaviors among our colleague/colleagues again: loud talkers, nosy cubicle mates, the olfactory emanations of/off the shared microwave.

Reading Comprehension

Reading Comprehension: Identify The Speakers

Directions: Read the following quotes from the speakers in the article. Then identify the speakers.

“You know all those things you wanted to change in your workplace prior to the pandemic, but you just couldn’t figure out how to do it? Well, seize the opportunity right now.”
“There are three things to keep in mind when you’re getting back in the groove. Acknowledge that we are out of shape dealing with other people. Lower your expectations and assume that you’re going to have some annoyances. And really give thought to the new habits that you want to create from Day 1, and be deliberate about making changes now.”
“There’s actually a big difference between responding and reaction. What I do is pause, breathe and connect with the present moment.”

Discussion Questions for Comprehension /Writing

Directions: Have students discuss the following questions/statements. Afterwards, students share their thoughts as a class. To reinforce the ideas, students can write an essay on one of the topics mentioned.

Have you been back to work since the pandemic ended?
Describe your reactions on the first day in the office.
If you don’t work in an office, how did you feel on your first day back at school?
What advice does author Lindsey Pollack offer for those going back to work?
What are some of the characteristics listed as being annoying? Give a brief description of each.
How does Mr. Lewis advise handling a person who talks loudly?
What is an important lesson concerning communities that we’ve learned from the pandemic?
List three new ideas that you’ve learned about the topic from the reading, two things that you did not understand in the reading, and one thing you would like to know that the article did not mention. Share your responses with your class.

ANSWER KEY

Category: Business, Culture, People, Social Issues | Tags: Handling annoying colleagues at work

Employees Are Suing Their Employers for Their Work From Home Expenses

“In the more than two years since the pandemic shut down many offices, employees across the country have been forced to set up desks in cluttered kitchens and cramped bedrooms… A rise in employee lawsuits demanding reimbursement [some as high as $5,000] for expenses incurred while working from home during the pandemic.” H. Martín, Los Angeles Times, April 12, 2022

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post with Answer Key

Getty Images

Excerpt: Workers are suing their bosses to get their work-from-home costs reimbursed By Hugo Martín, Los Angeles Times, April 12, 2022

‘We have tons of these in the pipeline,’ said Jacob Whitehead, an attorney who has filed about 20 class-action lawsuits over business expenses demanded by employees.

Home expenses such as telephone and internet fees, extra energy to heat or cool a house and office supplies can add up to $50 to $200 a month per employee, according to more than a dozen lawsuits examined by The Times.

If expenses were incurred during the entire duration of the pandemic, that could add up to as much as $5,000 for every worker. Some lawsuits are also demanding payment for the potential revenue employees could have collected had they rented out their home office instead of using it for work…

Other lawsuits, many of which are still working their way through the court system, have targeted such business giants as Wells Fargo Bank, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Visa, Oracle and Bank of America…The lawsuits highlight one of the most dramatic changes the pandemic brought to the business world: the widespread transfer of employees from business offices to home offices to help minimize the spread of the coronavirus.”

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post

NOTE: Lessons can also be used with native English speakers.

Level: Intermediate – Advanced

Language Skills: Reading, writing, and speaking. Vocabulary and grammar activities are included.

Time: Approximately 60 minutes.

Materials: Student handout (from this lesson) and access to news article.

I. Pre-Reading Activities

KWL Chart

The K-W-L chart is used to activate students’ background knowledge of a topic in order to enhance their comprehension skills.

Directions: Have students use the KWL chart to list the information they already know about people working from home during the pandemic. Next, have students list the information they would like to learnLater in the Post- Reading segment of the lesson, students can fill in what they’ve learned about the topic.

II. While Reading Activities

Word Inference

Directions: Try to infer the meanings of the words in bold taken from the article. You use a dictionary, thesaurus, and Word Chart for assistance.

It has been more than two years since the pandemic shut down many offices.
White-collar employees across the country have been forced to set up desks in cluttered kitchens and cramped bedrooms.
Another consequence of the mass relocation of office workers: A rise in employee lawsuits demanding reimbursement for expenses.
There are tons of lawsuits over business expenses demanded by employees.
If expenses were incurred during the entire duration of the pandemic, that could add up to as much as $5,000 for every worker.
Many companies paid for snacks and lunch for employees who worked in the office — perks that were eliminated when members were ordered to work from home.
Other lawsuits, many of which are still working their way through the court system, have targeted business giants.
Companies that are being sued for failing to reimburse their employees have argued that the pandemic caught them off guard and unprepared to respond.
The lawsuits highlight one of the most dramatic changes the pandemic brought to the business.
Workers said they teleworked frequently before the coronavirus outbreak.

Grammar Focus:Structure and Usage

Directions: The following groups of sentences are from the article. One of the sentences in each group contains a grammatical error. Identify the sentence (1, 2, or 3 ) from each group that contains the grammatical error.

New social codes developed between employees and employers.
This was another consequences of the mass relocation of office workers.
Home expenses such as telephone and internet fees can add up.

Seppala was laid off from Better Mortgage in December of 2021.
Better Mortgage did knot respond to emails seeking comment on the case.
The tech industry has faced strong criticism from workers after cutting perks during the pandemic.

III

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, got pushback from employees last month.
Other lawsuits have targeted such business giants as Wells Fargo Bank, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Visa, Oracle and Bank of America.
Visa declined too comment on the lawsuit.

Reading Comprehension: Identify The Speakers

Directions: Read the following quotes from the speakers in the article. Then identify the speakers.

“We have tons of these in the pipeline.”
“This is one of those pandemic-related issues that rose very suddenly.”
“As soon as we started working from home, I realized how much day-to-day money I really had because of how much went toward paying for that stuff.”
Her bosses have failed to reimburse her and other employees for a variety of business expenses since sending them to work from home in March 2020.
The cost shouldn’t be shifted to the employees…This benefits the business.”
“For equipment like laptops, webcams, microphones and a work desk, it is reasonable for an employer to pay for this…For more general costs like refurbishing a home office, improved broadband or lunch, that is less common and would depend on a case-by-case basis.”

III. Post Reading Activities

Discussion Questions for Comprehension /Writing

Did you have to work from home during the pandemic? Did you incur expenses while you worked? If so what were they?
Did you have to attend school from home? If so, do you think students should be reimbursed for expenses incurred while working on their computers? Why or why not?
What are some of the expenses incurred by employees who were forced to work from home during the pandemic?
Do you agree that employees should be reimbursed for these expenses? Why or why not?
What were some of the perks employees had while working from the office?
Why are so many well known businesses being targeted with lawsuits?
What are the reasons companies are giving for not reimbursing their employees?
Do you agree with the companies or the employees? Provide reasons for your response.
Why are some employees conflicted about suing their employers? Do you think they are correct in feeling this way?
List three new ideas that you’ve learned about the topic from the reading, two things that you did not understand in the reading, and one thing you would like to know that the article did not mention. Share your responses with your class.

ANSWER KEY

Category: Business, Culture, Economy, People | Tags: Workers sue bosses

Psychic Businesses Have Become More Popular Since Pandemic

“Things are chaotic, and our urge is to make sense of it. And for some, that includes tarot cards…The COVID-19 pandemic breathed new life into the industry of ‘alternative spirituality,’ where customers rely on readings and reiki-charged candles for guidance.” D. Kohli, The Boston Globe, April 1, 2022

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post with Answer Key

People have flocked to New Age spiritual activities, like psychic readings, tarot cards, and crystals, during the pandemic. Credit: Jonathan Wiggs, Boston Globe

Excerpt: Crystals, cards, and chakra bowls: Psychic businesses boom during the pandemic, By Diti Kohli, The Boston Globe, April 1, 2022

“Businesses sprinkled around Boston are experiencing a spike in interest and revenue that has yet to taper out.

Crowds flock to Open Doors, an eclectic Braintree storefront stuffed with chakra bowls, lion statuettes, and images of Egyptian deities. ‘Open Doors has 18 readers, who saw 25 percent more business over the past 12 months than in prepandemic days, said owner Richard Lanza.’

The 18 readers at Open Doors saw 25 percent more business this year than prepandemic, said owner Richard Lanza. Credit- Jonathan Wiggs, Boston Globe Staff

Products that can be lumped into ‘all things metaphysical’ are up 40 percent, too, as are books on Buddhism, Christianity, and the nature-based pagan religion of Wicca.

‘We’ve all gone through a period of uncertainty financially, health-wise, and career-wise,’ Lanza added. ‘People are reevaluating what their life is about, and they’re looking for answers and insight.’

Tarot and gems stones by gemselect.com

But Laura Domanico, a psychotherapist at the Whole Living Center in Cambridge, attributed the phenomenon to human nature. People instinctively search for a hand to hold in the dark, akin to the way many fall back on God and religion.

“In times of trouble, we look to things outside ourselves,” said Domanico, who incorporates astrology into her practice. ‘Things are chaotic, and our urge is to make sense of it.’ That need manifests in different ways for different customers.”

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post

NOTE: Lessons can also be used with native English speakers.

Level: Intermediate – Advanced

Language Skills: Reading, writing, and speaking. Vocabulary and grammar activities are included.

Time: Approximately 60 minutes.

Materials: Student handout (from this lesson) and access to news article.

I. Pre-Reading Activities

Predictions: Analyzing headings and photos

II. While Reading Activities

Word Inference

Directions: Try to infer the meanings of the words in bold taken from the article. You use a dictionary, thesaurus, and Word Chart for assistance.

For decades, centuries even, skeptics have cast shade on ancient mysticism.
Many psychics use crystal balls for readings.
The COVID-19 pandemic breathed new life into the industry of “alternative spirituality,
Businesses where customers rely on readings and reiki-charged candles for guidance.
Places in Boston are experiencing a spike in interest and revenue that has yet to taper out.
Crowds flock to Open Doors, an eclectic Braintree storefront.
In the store, there are chakra bowls, lion statuettes, and images of Egyptian deities.
Some people believe in Christianity, and some believe the nature-based pagan religion of Wicca.
without “normal” life to lean on, many turned to a different method of coping: the supernatural.
Ms. Domanico incorporates astrology into her practice.

Whimsical Vocabulary Organizer by Danielle Mays

Grammar Focus: Word -Recognition

Directions: Students choose the correct word to complete the sentences taken from the article. They are to choose from the options presented.

Than/Then there/their are readers: psychics/physics, mediums, and tarot card interpreters. In/Inn popular culture, theyre/they’re seen/see as a window into the future, though Heather Meehan, a medium and psychic at Open Doors, disputes/dispute that notion. “I can only provide a snapshot into you’re/your life,” Meehan said/say while seated at a red table, scattered with tarot cards.

Reading Comprehension: Identify The Speakers

Directions: Read the following quotes from the speakers in the article. Then identify the speakers.

“We’ve all gone through a period of uncertainty financially, health-wise, and career-wise…People are reevaluating what their life is about, and they’re looking for answers and insight.”
“People instinctively search for a hand to hold in the dark, akin to the way many fall back on God and religion.”
“whenever the virus surges, there is particular interest in the anxiety relief and luck manifestation crystal kits.”
“I can only provide a snapshot into your life.”
“Pandemic or no pandemic,…you can’t ignore your soul.”
“People were dying, dying, dying from COVID and for other reasons… So I was doing a lot of mediumship connecting to loved ones.”

III. Post Reading Activities

WH-How Questions

Directions: Have students use the WH-question format to discuss or to write the main points from the article.

Who or What is the article about?

Where does the action/event take place?

When does the action/event take place?

Why did the action/event occur?

How did the action/event occur?

Discussion Questions for Comprehension /Writing

Do you believe in psychics? Why or why not?
Have you ever visited a psychic? Describe your experience.
During the pandemic, what did stress drive many people to do?
What are some reasons for the uptick in the interest in psychic information?
After reading this article has your interest in psychics changed?
List three new ideas that you’ve learned about the topic from the reading, two things that you did not understand in the reading, and one thing you would like to know that the article did not mention. Share your responses with your class.

ANSWER KEY

Category: Business, Culture | Tags: Psychic businesses

Returning to Work: Some are Happy Others Not So Much

“In Boston, as across the nation, a ‘back-to-work March’ has begun. With the omicron variant now on the wane, companies from American Express to Meta and Citigroup – are officially calling on employees to return to the office this month, while also trying to stay flexible enough so as not to lose those who prefer to work from home.” T. Smith, NPR, March 8, 2022

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post with Answer Key

Pragadish Kalaivanan, a marketing analyst, got up extra early to dress for work before his first days back at the office in Boston. He’s among those happy to still be able to work two days from home, as the company’s new hybrid policy allows. Tovia Smith/NPR

EXCERPT: Returning to the office, a moment of joy for some. Others, would rather stay home, Tovia Smith, NPR, March 8, 2022

“Steve Tordone has been waiting for this moment for two years. Sure, he’s got a great set up for working at home, and it was nice to be around the family and the dogs. But he prefers working at his office in a downtown Boston high-rise where he works as a financial advisor. ‘I’m an outdoor cat and I just want I want to see people,’ he says, ‘I can’t wait for it to get crowded.’ Many firms are starting with ‘soft openings,’ but already, offices, streets and garages are filling back up.

‘It makes you so happy,’ says Samrawit Embaye, an attendant at one garage that put out its ‘Full’ sign. ‘If you see people coming, you feel like you are living real life.’

Duolingo threw a “homecoming” ice-cream party at its Pittsburgh headquarters to welcome workers back to the office beginning March 1st, one of many efforts to sweeten the deal for workers coming back to work on site. Ingeborg Spadafore

‘Definitely, it’s been an ordeal,’ moans Pragadish Kalaivanan, a marketing analyst, who’s somewhat less sanguine about the trade-offs…Waking up at the crack of dawn to go back to the office is almost impossible and not fun…He also laments giving up the fresh, healthy meals he was cooking for himself at home, having to get on increasingly crowded subway cars where he worries about catching COVID-19, and he’s mourning the loss of the flexibility he had at home to do his creative best, whenever inspiration strikes…Bosses are allowing flexibility because ‘there’s a danger in being too hardline,’ says Luis von Ahn, co-founder and CEO of Duolingo, a language-learning platform… More than 80% of the staff came back on March 1, he says. But just to be sure, he’s doubling down on office culture hoping to make it even more enticing.

Andy Waugh , a managing director at a large insurance broker in Boston, heads out to catch his train home after a day in the office. He’s encouraging more workers to return, saying it’s important for training, employee advancement, and company culture. Tovia Smith/NPR

For example, ‘homecoming week’ included an ice-cream social and happy hour…Firms around the nation are all too aware that requiring workers to come in every day, may actually end up pushing them out the door…Some workers want less human interaction, while some want boundaries between work and life. Attorney Brian Palmucci, can relate. On his way to a court hearing in Boston, he says he’s more than happy to just keep meeting with people on Zoom, instead of in person. Especially, he says, as long as COVID-19 is still a concern.

‘I have two young kids, and I think the long-term health ramifications of COVID are unknown. And so it’s a risk I’m not willing to take.’

But as case numbers have declined, Sameul Gebru is among those who believe what’s more unhealthy is “being under house arrest,” as he called it, where there are no “boundaries between work and life.”

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post

NOTE: Lessons can also be used with native English speakers.

Level: Intermediate – Advanced

Language Skills: Reading, writing, and speaking. Vocabulary and grammar activities are included.

Time: Approximately 60 minutes.

Materials: Student handout (from this lesson) and access to news article.

Pre-Reading Activity

Predictions: Analyzing headings and photos

II. While Reading Activities

Word Inference

Directions: Try to infer the meanings of the words in bold taken from the article. You use a dictionary, thesaurus, and Word Chart for assistance.

Steve Tordone has got a great set up for working at home.
He prefers working at his office in a downtown Boston high-rise.
With the omicron variant now on the wane, companies are officially calling on employees to return to the office this month.
Some companies are trying to stay flexible enough so as not to lose those who prefer to work from home.
Many workers prefer to be at work and not being cooped up.
Being back in the office is ‘a blessing’ for some who missed their colleagues.
Pragadish Kalaivanan, a marketing analyst, feels that it’s been an ordeal.
He’s somewhat less sanguine about the trade-offs at work.
He also laments giving up the fresh, healthy meals he was cooking for himself at home.
some employees feel that being back in the office can often be a distraction from their other interests.

Grammar Focus: Structure and Usage

Being back in the office is great for some who missed their colleagues.
To McLallen, the upsides far outweigh even her hour-long commute.
Waking up at the crack of dawn too go back to the office is almost impossible.

Wednesdays are mandatory on this firm.
It’s especially critical for young workers to be at the office.
Some companies are making in-person work optional.

III

Some employees worry about riding on crowded subway cars.
Happy hour and a movie night were some of the manyperks Duolingo offered employees.
Bosses is allowing flexibility because there’s a danger in being too hardline.

Reading Comprehension: Identify The Speakers

image- cosmopolitan.com

Directions: Read the following quotes from the speakers in the article. Then identify the speakers.

“I’m an outdoor cat and I just want I want to see people, I can’t wait for it to get crowded.”
“It makes you so happy…If you see people coming, you feel like you are living real life.”
“I love being around people, and not being cooped up in my bedroom.”
“Waking up at the crack of dawn to go back to the office is almost impossible and not fun.”
“Top talent wants some amount of flexibility.”
“How we operate, what our ethos is, how to do their jobs, how to treat clients – they’ve got to learn all that, and they won’t see it from their kitchen.”

III. Post Reading Activities

WH-How Questions

Directions: Have students use the WH-question format to discuss or to write the main points from the article.

Who or What is the article about?

Where does the action/event take place?

When does the action/event take place?

Why did the action/event occur?

How did the action/event occur?

Discussion Questions for Comprehension /Writing

If you have a job, have you returned to your office? If yes, what kind of work schedule do you have? Do you have to come in every day or do you work some days in the office and some days from home?
Has your boss added any perks for the employees? If so what are they?
Which do you prefer, working from home or going to the office? Why?
Why does Steve Tordone want to work from his office and not from home?
Explain how some companies are approaching their employees about returning to work.
Maureen McLallen was happy to be back at work. What were some of her reasons?
Why was Pragadish Kalaivanan so unhappy about returning to work?
Why are bosses afraid of requiring employees come to work every day?
To entice their employees back to work what are some of the perks Duolingo is offering?
Why was attorney Brian Palmucci concerned about returning to his job?
List three new ideas that you’ve learned about the topic from the reading, two things that you did not understand in the reading, and one thing you would like to know that the article did not mention. Share your responses with your class.

ANSWER KEY

Category: Business, Culture, Economy, Medical | Tags: Work after Covid-19

Quitting Jobs Has Become Contagious in the U.S.

“A sense of workplace disaffection and restlessness started growing for many Americans in the early stages of the pandemic.” E. Goldberg, The New York Times, Jan. 23, 2022

Image-SHRM

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post with Answer Key

Excerpt: You Quit. I Quit. We All Quit. By Emma Goldberg, The New York Times, Jan. 23,2022

“Something infectious is spreading through the work force. Its symptoms present in a spate of two-week notices. Its transmission is visible in real time. And few bosses seem to know how to inoculate their staff against this quitagion.

image- mashable

It catches quickly. ‘There’s a shock when you see multiple people leaving — it’s like, oh, is there something I’m not seeing?’ said Tiff Cheng, 27, who left her job in digital marketing in July, along with five of her close friends at the 40-person agency. ‘Is it my time to leave as well?’ Quitting rates were high in August, September and October. Then, according to Labor Department data, they climbed even further: More than 4.5 million people left their jobs voluntarily in November, a record high in two decades of tracking.

Debrocke:ClassicStock, via Getty Images

Economists explained the numbers by noting that competition for workers led to better pay and benefits, driving some to seek out new opportunities. Psychologists have an additional explanation: Quitting is contagious…A sense of workplace disaffection and restlessness started growing for many Americans in the early stages of the pandemic…Career coaches, meanwhile, worry that some people are being too easily influenced by the behaviors of their roaming colleagues.

Image- explore-group.com

Kathryn Minshew, chief executive of the Muse, a job search site, warns clients that a single employee’s desire to leave a company shouldn’t have too much bearing on the decisions that friends make…That Pied Piper trail won’t always lead people to better options, and Ms. Minshew advises workers to assess their companies with the hyper-individualized approach they might take to building relationships.”

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post

NOTE: Lessons can also be used with native English speakers.

Level: Intermediate – Advanced

Language Skills: Reading, writing, and speaking. Vocabulary and grammar activities are included.

Time: Approximately 60 minutes.

Materials: Student handout (from this lesson) and access to news article.

Pre-Reading Activities

Predictions: Analyzing headings and photos

Word Inference

Directions: Try to infer the meanings of the words in bold taken from the article. You use a dictionary, thesaurus, and Word Chart for assistance.

Something infectious is spreading through the work force.
Its symptoms present in a spate of two-week notices.
In two decades of tracking the highest number of people leaving jobs was 4.5 million.
Psychologists have an additional explanation: Quitting is contagious.
Quitting begets more quitting.
One worker’s decision to leave is especially likely to inspire others to leave.
In a recent poll more than 21,000 LinkedIn members left their jobs after seeing other workers leave.
The office has long been a petri dish for infectious behavior.
Employees also mimic the nutritional patterns of people they sit with in the cafeteria
When the people you know, like and respect are leaving a job, you think maybe the grass is greener somewhere else.

Vocabulary Cluster By Learnnc.org

Grammar Focus: Word -Recognition

Directions: Students choose the correct word to complete the sentences taken from the article. They are to choose from the options presented.

For employers, replacing/replaced just one quitter is/are a straightforward task. But replacing several, or even dozens, is far most/more challenging, and the interim period tends to leave/left existing staff with a heaviest/heavier load, while recruiters field awkward questions about what’s fueling all the departures. With quitting/quit rates soaring, some executives are wondering how to lifts/lift morale.

Reading Comprehension Identify The Speakers

Directions: Read the following quotes from the speakers in the article. Then identify the speakers.

“It catches quickly. There’s a shock when you see multiple people leaving — it’s like, oh, is there something I’m not seeing?”
“Quitting begets more quitting, a challenge that employers can’t always solve with raises or perks. Even a single resignation notice can breed a hot spot.”
Ms. Cruz had grown disgruntled with the hallmarks of work life: “Meetings that could have been an email and lack of control over her schedule.”
“It’s a huge decision. If you Google how to resign from your job, there’s lots of conflicting guidance.Those answers are not in a company handbook. It makes sense people reach out for sounding boards from trusted others.”
She made the leap after seeing two of her teammates resign. She went from making $2,100 a month, spending days on her feet setting up cots for nap time and begging children to wear their masks, to making as much as $8,000 monthly while dictating her own schedule, she said. She realized something now viscerally clear to many child care providers: In her work at the school, the mismatch between strain and pay had been stark.
“When one person announces their resignation, there are usually some questions from their colleagues and workplace friends. Where are you going? Why are you leaving?”

Discussion Questions for Comprehension /Writing

Have you or someone you know left your job within the past two years? Please explain why or why not.
According to the article, how many people left their jobs voluntarily in November?
According to psychologists, why is quitting one’s job contagious?
What is “turnover contagion”?
What information did Will Felps and his team of researchers find out?
What were the results from a recent LinkedIn poll involving more than 21,000 members?
The workplace has been the place for what other types of infectious behavior?
In your opinion, do you think so many people have left their jobs due to the pandemic? What other reasons might motivate this behavior?
List three new ideas that you’ve learned about the topic from the reading, two things that you did not understand in the reading, and one thing you would like to know that the article did not mention. Share your responses with your class.

ANSWER KEY

Category: Business, Culture, Economy | Tags: Americans are leaving their jobs