Employee Tracking

Mini-Debates

Pre-Reading Warm Up Questions ☀

Employee Tracking
1. Can you explain the idiom, “keep track of”?
1. Employers can now use technology to watch over their
employees’ e-mail, Internet use, telephone calls, and job-related 2. What do you think employee tracking means?
travel.
3. Do you think that many companies have problems with
2. The British company Followus is one of a number of companies their employees using the Internet, cell-phones, e-mail,
that help businesses keep track of their employees, their vehicles, etc. for personal use during office hours?
and their merchandise.
4. If employers have this problem, what do you think they
can do to solve it?
3. Businesses can use this tracking information to operate more
efficiently. For example, a business that delivers goods can have 5. Do you know what it means to submit a travel expense
more flexible delivery schedules and one that employs sales staff to an employer?
or trades people can provide better customer service.
6. What does a civil rights group do?
4. Employees are tracked through their cell phones, using a
computer with an Internet connection. Their phone acts as a
mobile electronic device and the service provider’s Web site can
locate its approximate location.

5. More and more businesses are interested in using cell-phone

tracking technology. Since starting up in 2003, Followus had
gained 50,000 subscribers by 2005 and was adding 5,000 more
each month. Verilocation, another British company, had 60,000
subscribers as of 2005.

6. Most of these subscribers are small businesses wanting to reduce

their operating costs. They do this by checking that employees
take the shortest route to a job, that they are actually on the job
when they are supposed to be, and that they submit accurate
travel expense claims for each job.
COMPREHENSION ✍
7. A British civil rights group known as Liberty believes that the use
of electronic tracking may threaten employees’ rights to privacy. 1. What are some employers now doing to watch over
However, a spokesperson for Followus says this is not true their employees?
because tracking companies must obey strict government
regulations. Employees must agree to have their phones tracked, 2. Name two companies that provide this kind of service.
and every phone that is tracked must give out random alerts so
that employees know their phone tracking device is still operating. 3. Why are companies subscribing to these services?

8. Even though employees must agree to being tracked, some people 4. What is the main concern of the civil rights group,
believe they may lose their job if they don’t agree. Liberty, regarding these services?

9. Liberty is working to ensure that employers continue to comply 5. How does the company, Followus, respond to this
with these regulations. concern?

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 Employee Tracking
Mini-Debates

VOCABULARY REVIEW ✍
A. Match the words on the left with the correct meaning on the right.

_____ 1. vehicles a) lower, lessen

_____ 2. merchandise b) do as one is told; comply with rules or orders
_____ 3. efficiently c) able to be moved
_____ 4. flexible d) warning
_____ 5. mobile e) cars
_____ 6. subscribers f) correct
_____ 7. reduce g) done well and without wasting time
_____ 8. accurate h) done by chance, without a specific order or time
_____ 9. threaten i) goods or products for sale DISCUSS IT
_____ 10. obey j) people who agree to take a service
Work with a partner or in small groups.
_____ 11. random k) can change easily
Discuss the following questions.
_____ 12. alert l) about; near to
_____ 13. approximate m) make a sign of danger to come 1. Do you think many employees use the
Internet for personal use during office
B. Choose the right word(s) from the left column above to complete the hours? What do you think they use the
following sentences. Internet for? How much office time do you
think is wasted on this everyday?
1. Our city newspaper has over 100,000 _____________________.
2. A lot of the store __________________ goes on sale after Christmas. 2. Do you think employers should have the
3. A soldier in the army must _______________ his officer’s orders. right to read all employees’ e-mails that are
4. The main shopping street is closed to _________________ today because written during office hours?
there is a street fair taking place all afternoon. The street is only open to pe-
3. Do you think many employees submit false
destrians.
or exaggerated travel expense claims to
5. The robber planned to use a gun to __________________ the bank employee
their employers?
if she wouldn’t give him the money right away.
4. Do you think employee tracking leads to a
loss of trust between employees and
DEBATE IT
employers? If so, what is a more effective
Below are two topics to debate in small groups or pairs. Your teacher will
way of monitoring employees’ use of time?
tell you if you will be debating for or against the idea. You will have ten
minutes to prepare your arguments.
5. If your employer asked you to agree to
Topic #1: have your cell phone tracked, would you
Employee tracking is an effective management tool and leads to increased do so? Why or why not?
productivity and efficiency for companies.
WRITE IT ✍
Topic #2:
There is no reason for an employee who is working efficiently in the work- Choose one of the questions above and write
place to feel threatened by tracking devices. a paragraph stating your own opinion.

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 Teachers’ Notes
Employee Tracking

ANSWER KEY

Please note: The reading for this topic is also available in full-page format at the end of the lesson.

Comprehension:

1. Some employers are now using cell-phone tracking technology to watch over their employees’ e-mail, Inter-
net use, telephone calls, and job-related travel.

2. Followus and Verilocation are two companies offering businesses such tracking technology.

3. Companies are subscribing to tracking services in order to help reduce their operating costs.

4. Liberty believes that the use of electronic tracking may threaten employees’ rights to privacy.

5. Followus says this is not true because tracking companies must obey strict government regulations. Employ-
ees must agree to have their phones tracked, and every phone that is tracked must give out random alerts so
that employees know their phone tracking device is still operating.

Vocabulary:

A. Match the words

1. e 2. i 3. g 4. k 5. c 6. j 7. a 8. f 9. m

10. b 11. h 12. d 13. l

B. Choose the correct word

1. subscribers 2. merchandise 3. obey 4. vehicles 5. threaten

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 Teachers’ Notes
Employee Tracking

Useful Expressions and Transitions for Debating

Agreeing and Disagreeing Expressing an Opinion

•That doesn’t take away from the fact that... •In my honest opinion...
•That’s beside the point. •It is my belief that...
•With all due respect... •From my experience...
•I agree with you there. •From where I look at it...
•I agree with ---- (name). •From my point of view...
•I see your point, but...
•That may be true, but...
•We’re going to have to agree to disagree. Clarifying/Rephrasing
•I get/see where you’re coming from, but... •Let’s be clear here...
•I’m afraid I disagree entirely. •I think you misunderstood what I said.
•I’m afraid I’d have to disagree. What I said was... (repeat a point that
•I agree to some extent, but... was misunderstood or confused)
•I disagree with you there. •What I meant to say was... (rephrase
•Pardon me for disagreeing, but ... something in a way that is clearer)
•In other words...
•What I was trying to say before I was
Interrupting/Asking to Contribute interrupted is that...
•I hate to interrupt, but...
•If I may come in here...
•I’d like to add something. Summarizing/Concluding
•Would you like to contribute something? •So let me get this straight, you think...
•I’d like to raise a point. •To conclude...
•If I could speak for a moment... •I’d just like to summarize by saying...
•I’d like to cut in here. •Finally, I’d like to reiterate that...
•You haven’t answered my question. •It’s time to take stock of what we’ve heard today.
•Both sides have some valid points.
•The stronger argument/team today is...
Persuading
•Can you see where I’m coming from?
•I challenge you to give this a try/chance.
•I want you to see it my way.
•Put yourself in my shoes.
•Am I getting through to you?

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 Employee Tracking
Mini-Debates

Employee Tracking

1. Employers can now use technology to watch over their employees’ e-mail, Internet use, telephone calls, and job-
related travel.

2. The British company Followus is one of a number of companies that help businesses keep track of their
employees, their vehicles, and their merchandise.

3. Businesses can use this tracking information to operate more efficiently. For example, a business that delivers
goods can have more flexible delivery schedules and one that employs sales staff or trades people can provide
better customer service.

4. Employees are tracked through their cell phones, using a computer with an Internet connection. Their phone acts
as a mobile electronic device and the service provider’s Web site can locate its approximate location.

5. More and more businesses are interested in using cell-phone tracking technology. Since starting up in 2003,
Followus had gained 50,000 subscribers by 2005 and was adding 5,000 more each month. Verilocation, another
British company, had 60,000 subscribers as of 2005.

6. Most of these subscribers are small businesses wanting to reduce their operating costs. They do this by checking
that employees take the shortest route to a job, that they are actually on the job when they are supposed to be,
and that they submit accurate travel expense claims for each job.

7. A British civil rights group known as Liberty believes that the use of electronic tracking may threaten
employees’ rights to privacy. However, a spokesperson for Followus says this is not true because tracking
companies must obey strict government regulations. Employees must agree to have their phones tracked, and
every phone that is tracked must give out random alerts so that employees know their phone tracking device is
still operating.

8. Even though employees must agree to being tracked, some people believe they may lose their job if they don’t
agree.

9. Liberty is working to ensure that employers continue to comply with these regulations.

Copyright 2013, Red River Press Inc. For use by members of ESL-library.com in accordance with membership terms. 5