What do you do if you don't understand something at work? In this episode of Office English, Pippa and Phil talk about miscommunication and how to check you understand your colleagues, and that they understand you. Find a transcript and subtitles at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/office-english/250428 Want to boost your speaking skills? Try Beating Speaking Anxiety, our series to help fight your fears of speaking English: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/fea...
Jun 08, 2026•9 min
Learn how to give instructions to other people at work who might be able to help with your workload. Find a transcript and subtitles at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/office-english/250421 Want to boost your speaking skills? Try Beating Speaking Anxiety, our series to help fight your fears of speaking English: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/beating_speaking_anxiety Get our latest programmes. Subscribe to our free email newsletter https://www.bbc.c...
Jun 01, 2026•8 min
Do you find giving presentations at work stressful? Learn ways you can prepare. Find a full transcript for this episode at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/office-english/250414 Want to boost your speaking skills? Try Beating Speaking Anxiety, our series to help fight your fears of speaking English: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/beating_speaking_anxiety Get our latest programmes. Subscribe to our free email newsletter https://www.bbc.co.uk/learning...
May 25, 2026•7 min
Is it OK to say no at work? In this episode of Office English, Pippa and Phil talk about setting boundaries at work. Find a transcript and subtitles at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/office-english/250407 Want to boost your speaking skills? Try Beating Speaking Anxiety, our series to help fight your fears of speaking English: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/beating_speaking_anxiety Get our latest programmes. Subscribe to our free email newsletter h...
May 18, 2026•8 min
Do you have goals for your career? In this episode of Office English, Pippa and Phil talk about training, promotions and networking. Get a free transcript for this episode: www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/office-english/260511 Try the Leadership series. From visionaries to cults and the unexpected power of ordinary individuals, we explore the many sides of leadership: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/leadership Learn a new English phrase or expression with ou...
May 11, 2026•8 min
Should you write down every word that people say in a meeting? In this episode of Office English, Pippa and Phil discuss meeting notes, action points and minutes. Get a free transcript for this episode and find more programmes for Business English on our website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/office-english/260504 Have you tried 'The English We Speak'? Learn phrases and expressions used by fluent English speakers: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/th...
May 04, 2026•10 min
A new challenge at work can be exciting, but sometimes it's stressful. Pippa and Phil talk about discussing new opportunities and what to do when you have too much work. Find more programmes to improve your business English here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/business-english Try one of our other podcasts, including: ✔️ 6 Minute English ✔️ Learning English from the News ✔️ Learning English Grammar Subscribe to our free newsletter to get more tips and resources to help you improve...
Apr 27, 2026•10 min
If you see someone doing something wrong at work, should you get involved? Pippa and Phil talk about making suggestions to colleagues and giving advice without sounding rude. Find more programmes to improve your business English here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/business-english Try one of our other podcasts, including: ✔️ 6 Minute English ✔️ Learning English from the News ✔️ Learning English Grammar Subscribe to our free newsletter to get more tips and resources to help you im...
Apr 20, 2026•9 min
If you see someone doing something wrong at work, should you get involved? In this episode of Office English, Pippa and Phil talk about making suggestions to colleagues and giving advice without sounding rude. Find more programmes to improve your business English here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/business-english Try one of our other podcasts, including: ✔️ 6 Minute English ✔️ Learning English from the News ✔️ Learning English Grammar Subscribe to our free newsletter to get mor...
Apr 13, 2026•8 min
What's the best way to share idea at work? In this episode of Office English, Pippa and Phil talk about coming up with and developing ideas, and making sure they actually happen. Subtitles and transcript: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/office-english/260406 Subscribe to our free email newsletter: https://www.bbc.co.uk/send/u178220599 More business English programmes: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/business-english
Apr 06, 2026•9 min
Not sure how to describe your job to your friends or even those at your workplace? In this episode of Office English, Pippa and Phil talk about explaining what you do to people in and outside of work. Subtitles and transcript: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/office-english/260330 Subscribe to our free email newsletter: https://www.bbc.co.uk/send/u178220599 More business English programmes: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/business-english...
Mar 30, 2026•7 min
Do you have friends at work? Or do you prefer to keep your work and personal lives separate? In this episode of Office English, Pippa and Phil talk about making friends and keeping things professional. Subtitles and transcript: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/office-english/260323 Subscribe to our free email newsletter: https://www.bbc.co.uk/send/u178220599 More business English programmes: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/business-english...
Mar 23, 2026•8 min
"I don't mind it too much when people disagree. I think it can be really healthy, and especially if everyone feels able to disagree in a kind of calm way." Do you know how to disagree politely at work? In this episode of Office English, Pippa and Phil talk about being diplomatic and compromising. You can find a free transcript for this episode here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/office-english/260316 Improve your speaking skills with our special series 'Beating Speaking ...
Mar 16, 2026•6 min
"One thing I think I excel at is..." In this episode of Office English, Pippa and Phil talk about language for performance reviews and career conversations. You can find a free transcript for this episode here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/office-english/260309 Improve your speaking skills with our special series 'Beating Speaking Anxiety'. Search for it on your favourite podcast app, or find the episodes with transcripts and explainer videos on our website here: https:...
Mar 09, 2026•7 min
When should you apologise at work, and what's the best way to do it? In this episode of Office English, Pippa and Phil talk about the language of workplace apologies and if it's ever wrong to apologise at work. Find a full transcript for this episode and more programmes to help you with your English at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/office-english/260302 Want to boost your speaking skills? Try Beating Speaking Anxiety, our series to help fight your fears of speaking Engl...
Mar 02, 2026•8 min
When do rules need to be followed and when are they just guidelines? In this episode of Office English, Pippa and Phil talk about the language of rules at work and how to tell how serious a rule is from the way people talk about it. Find a full transcript for this episode and more programmes to help you with your English at: https://downloads.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/office_english/260223 FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: Visit our website ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish Follow us ✔️ htt...
Feb 23, 2026•10 min
It's sometimes hard to organise meetings and some people feel like meetings are a waste of time. Pippa and Phil talk about planning meetings and how to keep them on track. Find a full transcript for this episode and more programmes to help you with your English at: https://downloads.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/office_english/260216_OfficeEnglish_organising_meetings_transcript_.pdf FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: Visit our website ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish Follow us ✔️ https://www.bb...
Feb 16, 2026•11 min
It sometimes feels difficult to start conversations in the office. That's why we use small talk! Pippa and Phil talk about which topics to use at work (and which to avoid) with people you don't know. Find a full transcript for this episode and more programmes to help you with your English at: https://downloads.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/office_english/260209_OfficeEnglish_small_talk_transcript__.pdf FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: Visit our website ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish Follow ...
Feb 09, 2026•10 min
Lots of people find jargon annoying. Is it useful in the workplace? Pippa and Phil talk about when to use jargon and when to avoid it, with help from journalist Anna Maloney, Anne Curzan from the University of Michigan and John Fiset from St Mary's University in Nova Scotia, Canada. Listen to the Business Daily epsiode on jargon here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct5znh Find a full transcript for this episode and more programmes to help you with your English at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learn...
Feb 02, 2026•10 min
Technology is a big part of many workplaces. Pippa and Phil talk about remote working has impacted language at work. Learn some jargon phrases for the modern office. Find a full transcript for this episode and more programmes to help you with your English at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/business-jargon/241209 This programme was originally broadcast in December 2024. FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: Visit our website ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish Follow us ✔️ ...
Jan 26, 2026•9 min
Pippa and Phil talk about common phrases for goals, measuring them and how we succeed. Find a full transcript for this episode and more programmes to help you with your English at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/business-jargon/241202 This programme was originally broadcast in December 2024 FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: Visit our website ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish Follow us ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/followus SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER: ✔️ h...
Jan 19, 2026•7 min
Pippa and Phil talk about some common business jargon that is used to talk about delays and priorities at work. Find a full transcript for this episode and more programmes to help you with your English at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/business-jargon/241125 This programme was originally broadcast in November 2024. FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: Visit our website ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish Follow us ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/followus SUBSCRI...
Jan 12, 2026•7 min
Pippa and Phil talk about some common business jargon to help you talk about your workload. Find a full transcript for this episode and more programmes to help you with your English at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/business-jargon/241118 This programme was originally broadcast in November 2024 FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: Visit our website ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish Follow us ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/followus SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER:...
Jan 05, 2026•7 min
We use jargon a lot to talk about ideas. Pippa and Phil talk about some common phrases. And a CEO tells us about the new jargon businesses use to impress investors. Find a full transcript for this episode and more programmes to help you with your English at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/business-jargon/241111 This episode was originally broadcast in November 2024. FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: Visit our website ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish Follow us ✔️ htt...
Dec 29, 2025•9 min
Some people find jargon annoying. But lots of managers use it. Pippa and Phil explain some of the strangest business jargon and why we use it with the help of Anne Curzan, Professor of English Language at the University of Michigan. This episode was originally broadcast in November 2024. TRANSCRIPT Find a full transcript for this episode and more programmes to help you with your English at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/business-jargon/241104 FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HE...
Dec 22, 2025•6 min
Ever been in a meeting and had no idea what people were talking about? Pippa and Phil talk about business jargon used during meetings from touch base to circle back. This episode was originally broadcast in October 2024. TRANSCRIPT Find a full transcript for this episode and more programmes to help you with your English at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/business-jargon/241028 FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: Visit our website ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish Follo...
Dec 15, 2025•7 min
The language of the workplace can be very confusing. Pippa and Phil talk about business jargon and some of the strange phrases people use at work. They also hear from John Fiset from the University of Nova Scotia about why jargon can make it difficult to get work done. This episode was made with Business Daily – to hear more programmes about the world of work from BBC World Service visit https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p002vsxs/episodes/downloads This episode was originally broadcast in October...
Dec 08, 2025•8 min
Have you received a scam text or email? Do you know how to keep information safe at work? There have been lots of stories about cyber crime in the news. But what can we do to keep cyber safe? In this episode, Pippa and Phil talk about the threat of cyber crime at work, with Joe Tidy, BBC journalist who reports on cyber crime. TRY THE LISTENING ROOM: ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/features/the_listening_room FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: Visit our website ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/lear...
Dec 01, 2025•11 min
Do you get on with people from different generations at work? There are lots of stereotypes about different generations. But are older and younger workers really that different? In this episode, Pippa and Phil talk about generations in the workplace, with Grace Lordan, director of the Inclusion Initiative at the London School of Economics. TRY THE LISTENING ROOM: ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/features/the_listening_room FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: Visit our website ✔️ https://www....
Nov 24, 2025•11 min
Would you like to work fewer hours? Some companies now allow employees to work flexible hours, such as starting and finishing later, or doing five days' work in four days. In this episode, Pippa and Phil talk about flexible work and whether it benefits employees, with Heejung Chung, professor of work and employment at King's College Business School in London. TRY THE READING ROOM: ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/features/the_reading_room FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: Visit our website...
Nov 17, 2025•9 min
