BUSINESS NEWS LESSONS

Remote work: Drawing the line between

home and office
1 Warmer

a. Discuss these questions.

1. What are the pros and cons of working remotely?

2. Do you prefer going into the office, working remotely, or having a hybrid working arrangement?

3. Do you think office-based or remote workers are more productive? Why?

4. How should remote workers separate their personal and professional activities?

2 Key words and expressions

a. Read the definitions below and find key words in the article that match them. The section number is
given in brackets to help you. Check your answers and your understanding of how the words are used
by using them to complete the example sentence immediately after each definition. Then read the
complete article to see how each of the key words is used in context.

1. when two things compete or happen at the same time in an inconvenient way

_____________________ (subtitle)

She cited a ___________________________ of visions as the fundamental reason for the dissolution of

their partnership.

2. do something that looks real but isn’t ___________________________ (paragraph 1)

Scientists can use supercomputers to ___________________________ the climate and other earth systems.

3. recreate or imitate ___________________________ (paragraph 2)

New in the role, he is trying to ___________________________ his previous boss’s management style.

4. increase strongly and suddenly ___________________________ (paragraph 2)

Following the success of the popular television series "Numbers" first season, interest in finance and

accounting ___________________________ and universities have reported higher registration rates.

5. the careful watching of a person, especially when they have done something wrong or committed a crime

___________________________ (paragraph 4)
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Is it ethical for students to be under constant ___________________________ and for schools to monitor their

internet use?
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6. formally ask someone to do a special piece of work ___________________________ (paragraph 6)

The airport ___________________________ seven artists to create suspended sculptures and murals worth

several million pounds.

7. existing within something else ___________________________ (paragraph 7)

We want to take actions to make sure that sustainability is ___________________________ in our

corporate culture.

8. the flow or rhythm of events ___________________________ (paragraph 8)

There are many factors to consider when establishing a meeting ___________________________, including the

goal of the meeting, how much time is required for each item, and who needs to attend.

9. caused to fail or divert from a purpose ___________________________ (paragraph 9)

Rising labour costs threaten to ___________________________ our annual financial plan.

10. feeling angry because you were forced to accept something you do not like

___________________________ (paragraph 9)

The return to the office is placing financial strain on employees and causing many to

feel ___________________________.

11. control or govern yourself, or cope with your own states and behaviour in a healthy way

___________________________ (paragraph 9)

New research suggests that digital devices hinder children’s ability to ___________________________.

12. become intentionally involved in a situation to prevent it from getting worse

___________________________ (paragraph 9)

Should the government ___________________________ to protect small businesses?

13. the act of making something known ___________________________ (paragraph 11)

Climate ___________________________ rules force companies to be more transparent about their

carbon footprint.
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14. work with less effort than usual ___________________________ (paragraph 12)

Roughly a third of workers report being less productive in this season, so HR is trying to combat

summer ___________________________.
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 BUSINESS NEWS LESSONS

Should employers monitor more

than mouse clicks of remote staff?
Bosses are encouraged to help employees manage clash of domestic and work
responsibilities
Anjli Raval leading to overwhelmed, distracted and
1 US bank Wells Fargo this month said it had burnt out workers.
fired more than a dozen staff after an internal
7 “People are attempting to ʻdo it allʼ due to the
investigation found employees were simulating absence of socially embedded boundaries,”
keyboard activity to create the impression of said the authors of the research by BiBO
“active work”. Studio, a consultancy that designs sustainable
places. “Switching between activities comes at
2 It is unclear what these workers were doing
a cost – multitasking can seem efficient, but in
exactly. But since the pandemic moved
fact this interrupts our ʻflowʼ, means we pay
office-based work into homes, sales of so-called
less attention to the task at hand, we are less
mouse jigglers and other devices aimed at
productive, more distracted, and are not in
emulating work have surged.
complete control.”
3 Part of this is in response to some large 8 Academics are now suggesting managers step in
companies using their own tech tools to to help employees manage the cadence of their
monitor employeesʼ work, such as tracking homeworking day. “If people are using their
clicks on keyboards and searches on websites. break to do the school run, are they actually
having a break?” said Harriet Shortt, associate
4 Such devices are usually deployed in professor of organisation studies at Bristol
workplaces where there is little trust between Business School, who conducted the work for
bosses and their employees and a tendency to BiBO.
think that only the things that can be measured
can be managed. Tight surveillance of staff 9 She suggests managers should encourage
only encourages them to game the system. their teams to think about how they can
appropriately separate work and personal
5 But there are broader questions that still responsibilities to avoid being derailed or
need to be asked on workplace etiquette distracted, or becoming resentful of their
outside of the office. For example, should living rooms turning into office space. “Maybe
staff be taking legally sensitive calls from a managers can think about how they can
co-working space? How about taking a encourage employees to record their
hands-free team call while driving to the post behaviour in order that they can shift how
office? Would your employer be responsible they work,” she adds. The hope is that if staff
if there was a crash? Another issue is write down exactly what they are doing and
when, they may be better at self regulating
whether employers should be concerned not
and managers may be able to intervene when
just about staff productivity but also their
necessary.
ability to switch off.
10 Aster said its motive was to improve its
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Worksheet

6 UK housing company Aster Group employeesʼ wellbeing. Others might suggest

commissioned a study to understand how that asking what domestic tasks are filling
employees felt about hybrid working. It their working day is a type of surveillance. If a
found that while its staff liked to get life manager was to suggest when staff might do
admin done during the working day, they felt their laundry or weekly grocery shop, they
endlessly torn between their domestic and would no doubt face accusations of
work responsibilities. The pressure was often overstepping the mark.
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11 In any case, how many employees would be 14 Most companies have been clear about basic
truly honest in any disclosures? More remote working guidelines, laying out
importantly, would bosses – many of whom expected working hours; how staff should
already have expanded roles and are collaborate, communicate or record their
increasingly managing the mental wellbeing decision-making; how they should store data
of staff – be willing to add more to their plate? and what their legal rights are should they
choose to work from home.
12 The latest news from Wells Fargo will have
triggered managers who already feared that 15 But with hybrid work here to stay, it is
staff working from home were slacking. And becoming more likely that managers will
there are times when managers do need to step need to get more involved in the personal
in, for example if they believe staff are “quiet lives of their employees, willingly or
vacationing” – or taking time off without telling unwillingly.
their boss.
13 But what is more likely is that employees are
making the most of the “in-between
moments” of the working day, while getting
their work done.

Anjli Raval, 23 June, 2024.

© The Financial Times.

All rights reserved.
Articles republished from the Financial Times

3 Understanding the article

a. Are these sentences True (T) or False (F) according to the information in the article? Correct any
that are false.

1. A bank sacked over a dozen workers after they found that they were only pretending to work.

2. It is not uncommon for large companies to use technology to track their staff’s website searches or

keyboard clicks.

3. The writer thinks that tight surveillance makes workers less likely to find ways to cheat.

4. The writer emphasises that employers should be more worried about productivity than their work–life

balance.

5. The Aster Group study found that remote work lessened the pressure experienced by its workers.

6. Research by BiBO Studio suggests that a lack of socially embedded boundaries is to be blamed for

people wanting to do it all.

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7. Academics think it is not managers’ responsibility to help employees find their work–life balance.
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8. Harriet Shortt recommends that managers support teams to become more aware of their own behaviour

to help them change their habits and improve their self-regulation.

9. The writer predicts that it will never be socially acceptable for managers to get more involved in the

personal lives of their employees.

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4 Business language – phrases
a. Complete the phrases using the words in the box. Then find and circle each phrase in the article to
check your answers. Talk about the meaning of each phrase and look up any you do not know.

between in off out (x2)

the mark the system to your plate

1. to game _____________________ 5. to step _____________________

2. to switch _____________________ 6. to overstep _____________________

3. to be torn _____________________ 7. to add more _____________________

4. to be burnt _____________________ 8. to lay _____________________

b. Choose three phrases from task A and write personalised sentences.

1. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5 Discussion

a. Discuss these statements. Give reasons to justify your opinions.

• It is unethical for companies to track workers’ website searches or keyboard clicks.

• Tight surveillance improves staff productivity.

• There are many ways in which companies can help workers prevent burnout and promote

work–life balance.

• Managers should intervene in workers’ personal lives, especially to promote more balance.

• Remote or hybrid workers should have strict schedules for domestic and professional activities to

improve their work–life balance.

6 Wider business theme – addressing work–life balance

a. Discuss the importance and effectiveness of the following strategies that promote work–life balance:
Worksheet
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• creating routine or structure, or time-blocking

• setting goals and boundaries and the power of “do not disturb”
• using tools to organise, optimise and manage work (e.g. apps for time
tracking, making to-do lists, blocking time)
• reducing distractions
• making social connection
• prioritising movement / self-care
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b. Come up with a schedule for yourself with the aim to increase productivity and work–life balance.

Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

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