Business English- Formal and Informal Human Resource Vocabulary

Formal and informal HR vocabulary

Work with your partner to say the following things in more professional/ formal/ technically correct/ polite/ euphemistic ways:

1. Sack/ Fire
2. Lay off
3. Quit
4. Skipping work/ Bunking off work
5. Job for life
6. Christmas bonus
7. Salary before tax and National Insurance
8. Time off for a funeral
9. Time off to have a baby
10. Direct boss
11. Subordinate
12. Salary per year
13. Perks
14. Trial period
15. Unemployed

Compare your answers with those below. 

--------------------------------------------cover or fold---------------------------------------------

1. Dismiss
2. Downsize/ Restructure
3. Leave/ Resign/ Hand in your notice
4. Missing work/ Absenteeism
5. Permanent job
6. Annual bonus/ Winter bonus
7. Gross salary
8. Compassionate leave
9. Maternity leave
10. Line manager
11. Member of my…
12. Annual salary/ Salary per annum/… PA
13. Benefits
14. Probationary period
15. Out of work/ Between jobs/ Seeking employment

Without looking at the top section, test each other the other way round (formal to informal).