English teachers are often not equipped to go into depth in the terminology required in specific trade sectors. For this reason, supplementary core vocabulary sheets go a long way in helping teachers provide adequate materials for students needing an intensive study of vocabulary in very targeted areas. This core vocabulary reference sheet provides keywords and phrases used by a business' human resources department. This list can be used as a starting point for vocabulary study relating to employment and working. Knowledge of these terms can help people get a job and understand employee handbooks of policies that they are required to follow upon employment at a company. The list contains British and American spellings of terms and phrases, as noted by the use of "(UK)" and British spellings such as "labour," which is spelled "labor" in the United States.
Human Resources Vocabulary
absentee
absenteeism
absenteeism rate
accident at work/industrial injury
applicant/candidate
application form
apprenticeship
aptitude test
assessment of applicants
assistant
back pay
bargaining power
basic salary
blue-collar worker
business hours/office hours
Christmas bonus
clerical work/office work
company bargaining/company negotiation
compensation for permanent disability
contractual situation
cost-of-living allowance
credentials
day shift
direct labour (UK)
disability pension
disciplinary measure/disciplinary sanction
discrimination
dismissal
dismissal for cause
dismissal without notice
early retirement
employer
employment agency
employment card/working papers
employment contract/labour contract (UK)
employment for a trial period
employment office
employment rate
executive cadres
executive personnel
exit permit
experienced person
family allowances
family leave
federal holiday/national holiday (US)/public holiday (UK)
full employment
full-time employment
general strike
gross wages and salaries
harassment
have an accident at work
healthcare
higher education/advanced education
human relations (US)/human relationships (UK)
independent unions
index-linked wages
indirect labour (UK)
industrial tribunal (UK)/labour court (UK)
internal regulations
What specific challenges do business professionals face when learning English, and how can language programs address these challenges to enhance communication skills in a professional context?