Introduction

No more 'coffee girl'! Many women are tired of being given unimportant tasks as they see their male colleagues go up the corporate
career ladder. Hear about the women questioning the kinds of jobs expected from them. Sam and Neil talk about gender and the
workplace and teach you related vocabulary along the way.

Who was the first woman to become British Prime Minister?

a) Theresa May

b) Nicola Sturgeon

c) Margaret Thatcher

Listen to the programme to find out the answer.

Vocabulary

promotion
moving someone up into a higher, more important or better paid position in a company or organisation

glass ceiling
an invisible barrier to advancing in your career

non-promotable tasks
unimportant and time-consuming jobs which helps a worker’s organisation but do nothing to advance their career

burn-out
exhaustion caused by working too hard

multitasking
doing more than one thing at the same time

juggling
trying to manage your job or life when you are involved in several different activities which all demand your time

Professor Vesterlund calls these non-promotable tasks, jobs like ________________, organising
social events or chairing meetings – jobs that take ____________________ but do little to
increase company profits or to _____________- your career. Research shows that most of these
tasks are done by women. Here’s Lise Vesterlund explaining more to BBC World Service
programme, Business Daily.

Prof Lise Vesterlund

We’ve been noticing gender differences in _____________, in advancement, in
negotiation. ______________- for women is much greater than it is for men. Their
_______________ with their work is much greater. And we’ve been trying to sort of address all
these objectives with lots of different ________________________, and what is interesting about
the non-promotable work is that it, in a very structural sense, _________________ to all of those
differences.

Sam
Natalie Quail agrees. Natalie started her successful dental _______________ company,
SmileTime, after winning a business competition on the TV show, Dragon’s Den. Here she tells
BBC World Service’s Business Daily about her experience of being asked to take on non-
promotable tasks in her work as a trainee ________________.

Natalie Quail
As a trainee solicitor pretty much every task that you take on is a non-promotable task.
______________ is one of them, in meetings, when you, _____________-, are told that you can’t
really speak or say anything. I was tasked with being the team party organiser, so that was my
role. It does definitely _______________- that the women in the team, the level
of ________________ they’re doing just ... far outstrips the men in a lot of cases, for example, you
know, a lot of women in the team would also________________________ having kids at home,
being a working _________.
- How do roles of men & women differ in a workplace?

- What is a no-club?

- What are among the unimportant less visible (unpromotable) tasks at work?

- What are the main issues caused by non-promotable tasks?

- How did Natalie Quail start her business?

- Has the situation with managing positions occupied by women changed in a recent time
and how?

- Who was the 1st British Prime Minister?

- Have you ever experienced a burn-out?

Phrasal verbs. Units 22,31,37,47,58.

1 Complete these sentences:

Could you give me a lift? I’m a bit pressed for time this morning.

I usually clock on at 9 a.m., but if my bus is late it might be 9.15. I usually clock off. at 5 p.m., but sometimes | can
finish a bit earlier on Fridays.

I’m going to take some time off next month and go and stay with my family.

I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to turn down your invitation as I'll be away next week.

During today’s meeting we’re to deal with our waiting list of candidates from a new perspective.

Could you pass on a message to Nana when you see him later?

Well, I’ve been thinking it.................. and trying to ………………. up all the positives and negatives, but I’m finding it
really hard to come to a decision. (over/through), (weigh)

-I have to make up my mind by next week. - Well, why don’t you ........on it. Things might seem clearer in the
morning. (sleep)

I have to pay so many other bills that I don’t know how I’m going to …………… the mortgage next month. (pay off)

Could you give me a lift? I’m a bit ______________ for time this morning.

I usually __________ on at 9 a.m., but if my bus is late it might be 9.15. I usually __________ off. at 5 p.m., but
sometimes | can finish a bit earlier on Fridays.

I’m going to ____________ some time off next month and go and stay with my family.

I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to _______________ your invitation as I'll be away next week.

During today’s meeting we’re to _______________ our waiting list of candidates from a new perspective.

Could you ________________- a message to Nana when you see him later?

Well, I’ve been thinking it.................. and trying to ………………. up all the positives and negatives, but I’m finding it
really hard to come to a decision. -

-I have to make up my mind by next week. - Well, why don’t you ........on it. Things might seem clearer in the
morning.

I have to pay so many other bills that I don’t know how I’m going to …………… the mortgage next month.
Correct the mistakes with the phrasal verbs in these sentences:

We had to wait an hour for the next train, so we went for a walk to while off while away the time.

I just don’t know how we're going to fit three meetings on in before the summer break. Or (fit in)

When their work permits run off out after three years, they have to reapply for a further work permit.

Let’s try to keep up to the agenda and not get distracted.

I was going to do the parachute jump, but chickened off in the end. (out)

| could make without having to go to a conference this weekend. (do without)

They were giving aside free tickets at the Concert Hall today and I got one. (away)

Gordon and Martin already knew each other well before they moved on together. (moved in)

We had to wait an hour for the next train, so we went for a walk to while off the time.

I just don’t know how we're going to fit three meetings on before the summer break.

When their work permits run off after three years, they have to reapply for a further work permit.

Let’s try to keep up the agenda and not get distracted.

I was going to do the parachute jump, but chickened off in the end.

| could make without having to go to a conference this weekend

They were giving aside free tickets at the Concert Hall today and I got one.

Gordon and Martin already knew each other well before they moved on together.

Change the explanation in brackets to a phrasal verb:

She usually (has fun, spends a lot of free time) with her old friends after studies. (hang out/around)

They won't be able to hear you at the back of the hall. You'll have to (speak louder). (speak up).

You have enough money for only one of these - a special holiday or a car. Which would you prefer to (manage
without)? (Do without)

I really can’t help you as I have a lot of things (to do today). (on)

My son is (determined not to go) to university. (Set against going to)

The suspected criminal (withdrew) all the money from his bank account and has not been seen since. (took out)

I lent him €500 a year ago and he still hasn’t (repaid) me. (Paied me back)

If you pay the restaurant bill with your credit card, I’ll (give you my share) later. (settle up with you)

I've been offered a chance to go to New Zealand next year. So I’ve started (keeping money in order to buy smth)
already. (saving up)
I’ll be late back tonight, so please don't bother (go to bed later than usual). (staying up/ waiting up)

I need an alarm clock to stopping me from (sleeping later in the morning than usual). (oversleeping/sleeping in)

She usually (has fun, spends a lot of free time) with her old friends after studies.

They won't be able to hear you at the back of the hall. You'll have to (speak louder).

You have enough money for only one of these - a special holiday or a car. Which would you prefer to (manage
without)?

I really can’t help you as I have a lot of things (to do today).

My son is (determined not to go) to university.

The suspected criminal (withdrew) all the money from his bank account and has not been seen since.

I lent him €500 a year ago and he still hasn’t (repaid) me.

If you pay the restaurant bill with your credit card, I’ll (give you my share) later.

I've been offered a chance to go to New Zealand next year. So I’ve started (keeping money in order to buy smth)
already.

I’ll be late back tonight, so please don't bother (go to bed later than usual).

I need an alarm clock to stopping me from (sleeping later in the morning than usual).