English Rewind - 6 Minute English: Formality at work

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📻 Do you feel you can behave in a relaxed way around your work colleagues, or do you have to be very polite and a bit distant at work? Does your workplace have a dress code? Do you have to ask permission to leave the room? This programme from our 6 Minute English archive takes a look at formality at work, and we find out how things have changed over the years for some of the BBC Learning English team. What about you - are workplaces very formal in your country? Tell us in the comments 👇👇👇

Useful vocabulary:
✔️ to be formal - to behave in a polite, slightly distant way
✔️ to be casual, informal - to behave in a relaxed way
✔️ on first name terms - in a relationship where it's ok to use each other's first names
✔️ dress code - rules about what kind of clothes you should wear
✔️ dress-down Fridays - these are days (usually Fridays) where companies allow their workers to wear casual clothes at work
✔️ dinner jacket - a very smart, formal outfit, usually worn for special occasions
✔️ ask permission - ask if you're allowed to do something

Image: Getty

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#learnenglish #formal #work

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Hi! We hope you enjoyed that video. If you did - why not share it with a friend?

bbclearningenglish

This bad because, this YouTube so screen play is also available but, why are not use it

BonthaDanushanand

I need to say thank you BBC learning English team, i’m not in the position to paid some courses so your program means a lot for me. Since i like and prefer England accent this program is very helpful. And i very value that you explain complex phrases and introduce new vocabulary.
❤❤❤

Relax

Hi,
Why it's 6 minute not 6 minutes 🤔 because it's plural 🤔

DarkBlack-epsp

I love learning English with BBC, you are pretty amazing guys I live in Cuba and It is very hard for me and my daughter having a kind of program like yours I have improved my language skills a lot with your interesting stories thanks so big.

Kiara_-pl

I learn whole sentences saying them aloud. 5 days - 300 repetitions per day at least. Later I don't need to translate. I know the meaning of words straight away like in my native language. And also I remember the meaning longer than by learning separate words. This method is called: chunking. It was a real game changer in my learning process and communication skills in English and other languages.😊😊

FrankKimono

I am the same at my work, We should call our boss Mr, on the other hand, we're sometimes called by our first names cuz we are his staff.

shahadadel

I'm going to improve this language

mahamettdayax

Thanks BBC for this important information. Accurate information to know what use in different situations wearing dress- code. I don't mind about it using clothes for situations without appearing in certain places. I prefer casual clothes and sacrifice comfty to fashion attire.

cynthiareid

I don't like dress code, I think working wearing what you want is best.

Mhark

Wowow. The pronunciations are so clear. ❤

ضوالقمر-زذ

thanks BBC

My summary while listening
Nowadays, the way we interact with our colleagues is pretty informal or lacks formality. It's quite relaxed, we just call people's first names. Today's topic is about formality at work. Also, formality can be about the dress code, and the kinds of clothes that employees are required to wear at work.

According to Carrie, who has been around BBC for 30 years, when she started at BBC, her boss was quite formal by wearing a suit and tie every day at work. She had to call him Mr. Bowman. She wouldn't have dreamt of calling him Eric, his first name. On the other hand, the boss actually called his underlings "Mr", and "Mrs" to address his staff. After that, she moved to a different department where the staff had to ask permission if they wanted to go to the toilet. The lady running the office even timed her staff to decide whether they spent too much time in the toilet.

More from Carrie, a long time ago before she joined BBC, newsreaders presenting on the radio instead of on television had to wear dinner jackets even though no one could see what they were wearing.

A few decades ago, the concept of "Dress-down Fridays" was introduced, which meant staff could dress less formally and more casually such as in jeans and T-shirts at work on Fridays.

irenefang