Human Resources: Vocabulary, Phrasal Verbs & Expressions

In our line of work, we frequently encounter human resources professionals who express a need for additional vocabulary specific to their field.

This blog aims to bridge that knowledge gap and empower English learners to feel more assured when communicating in their professional environment.

We will review the most common vocabulary needed, as well as 10 common expressions and 10 phrasal verbs.

20 Important Words in HR (Human Resources):

Hire – Employ individuals for vacant positions.
Fire – End an employee's contract.
Resign - leave a company.
Hand in your notice - tell the company in advance that you are leaving.
Leave - time away from the company. Examples include:
Sick leave - time away from work when you are ill.
Maternity leave - time away from work after having a baby.
Paternity leave - time away from work after having a baby.
Leave of absence - time away for reasons such as family obligations, long term travelling, returning to education.
Unpaid leave - time away without pay.
Annual leave - holidays.
Bereavement leave - when a family member dies.
Payroll – The total amount of wages paid to employees.
Payslip - the document that tells you what you earned before and after tax, as well as giving details about deductions and taxes etc.
Tax - money deducted from your wages by the government to pay for services such as health care or unemployment benefit.
Salary - yearly amount of money you receive for working, before tax, deductions, bonuses, etc.
Perks - benefits you receive at work such as parking, training, working from home etc.
Wage(s) - monthly amount of money you receive for working, after tax.
Promotion – Advancement to a higher position within the organization.
Evaluations – Assessments of employee performance.

Here are 10 vital expressions for HR:

To be on leave - Not working due to scheduled time off.
In attendance - Present and actively working.
Out of office - Not available at the workplace.
Onboarding process - The process of integrating a new employee into the company.
Performance review - An evaluation of an employee's job performance.
Disciplinary action - Formal measures taken by an employer in response to an employee's misconduct.
Termination notice - Official notification of employment termination.
Salary negotiation - Discussion between an employer and an employee regarding compensation.
Work-life balance - Maintaining a healthy equilibrium between one's job and personal life.
Conflict resolution - The process of addressing and resolving conflicts between employees or teams.

Here are examples of each of HR expressions:

On leave: "Sarah is currently on leave for two weeks to attend her sister's wedding."
In attendance: "All employees are expected to be in attendance at the quarterly staff meeting."
Out of office: "John is out of the office today attending a conference."
Onboarding process: "We have streamlined our onboarding process to ensure new employees feel welcome and prepared on their first day."
Performance review: "It's time for your annual performance review to discuss your progress and goals for the upcoming year."
Disciplinary action: "Due to repeated tardiness, we have decided to take disciplinary action and issue a written warning."
Termination notice: "Please be advised that your employment termination notice will be effective two weeks from today."
Salary negotiation: "After careful consideration, we are open to discussing a salary negotiation based on your qualifications and experience."
Work-life balance: "As part of our commitment to employee well-being, we encourage all staff to maintain a healthy work-life balance."
Conflict resolution: "We need to schedule a meeting to address the recent conflict between team members and work towards a resolution."

These 10 Phrasal Verbs are very useful to know if you work in HR:

Carry out – Perform or execute (e.g., carry out interviews).
Let go – Terminate someone's employment (e.g., let go of underperforming employees).
Follow up – Pursue or check on progress (e.g., follow up on job applications).
Take on – Hire or employ (e.g., take on new recruits).
Fill out – Complete a form or document (e.g., fill out payroll sheets).
Turn down – Reject or decline (e.g., turn down job offers).
Bring in – Introduce or recruit (e.g., bring in new talent).
Work out – Resolve or find a solution (e.g., work out conflicts).
Look into – Investigate or examine (e.g., look into employee complaints).
Set up – Arrange or establish (e.g., set up employee evaluations).

With this selection of essential words, phrasal verbs, and expressions, I hope you'll feel more confident speaking English in a professional environment.

Contact us for information about our new Business English Training Programme 1 YEAR 1 LEVEL, for you or your company:

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Categories: : Business English, Grammar & Vocabulary