Work & Employment / Modern Work Culture

Workplace competition

Fierce --- forces employees to stay longer in the office.

Corporate culture / overtime culture

In some Asian countries, there is a strong --- that values presenteeism.

Presenteeism

---, where employees remain at work to impress superiors, is widespread in large corporations.

Career advancement pressure

stress or motivation employees feel to work harder and longer in order to get promoted, receive recognition, or secure better job opportunities.

Many young professionals experience ---, which drives them to accept long hours and additional responsibilities.

Job insecurity

Economic uncertainty creates --- compelling workers to overwork to prove their worth.

Financial necessity

need to earn more money in order to cover basic expenses or maintain a certain standard of living.

After the economic crisis, thousands of families relied on secondary jobs due to ---.

Technological tethering

the situation where employees are constantly connected to work through digital devices (like smartphones, laptops, or email), making it difficult to disconnect even outside office hours.

With the rise of remote work, many employees suffer from ---, as they are expected to respond to messages even late at night.

Work-life imbalance

Excessive working hours lead to a severe ---.

Mental and physical burnout

Prolonged overwork results in burnout, which reduces productivity.

Detrimental to well-being

The culture of long hours is ---- both physical and mental health.

Strain on family relationships

Working late nights puts a strain on family cohesion.

Counterproductive

Ironically, extended working hours can be —-, lowering efficiency in the long run.

Social isolation

Spending most of the day at work can foster —- and reduce community participation.

Economic productivity

how efficiently an economy, company, or worker produces goods and services in relation to the resources (like time, labor, or capital) used.

Although longer working hours may provide short-term gains, they often harm long-term --- due to burnout and health problems.

Short-term financial gain

For some individuals, overtime brings ---

Demonstration of commitment

Putting in extra hours is sometimes viewed as a ----

Driven by

This trend is largely --- corporate culture and job insecurity.

At the expense of

Employees often extend their hours --- their health.

A double-edged sword

Working overtime can be --- : it improves income but harms health.

Unsustainable in the long run

Such working patterns are ---

culture of overwork

Japan is infamous for its --- , even leading to 'karoshi' (death by overwork).

Workforce / Labour force

All people engaged in or available for work

The ageing population is shrinking the national ---.

Job prospects

Future opportunities for employment

Graduates often move abroad in search of better---.

Career progression

Advancement in one's career

Training opportunities are essential for ---

Work-life balance

Balance between work and personal life

Remote working can improve employees' ---.

Job security

Likelihood of keeping one's job long-term

Many workers accept lower wages in return for ---.

Overtime / long working hours

Working beyond standard hours

--- leads to burnout.

Productivity

Efficiency in producing goods or services

Technology has boosted workplace --- dramatically.

Automation / mechanisation

Use of machines instead of human labour

--- threatens to replace many manual jobs.

Blue-collar jobs

Manual labour (factory, construction)

--- workers often face physically demanding conditions.

White-collar jobs

Office or professional jobs

--- jobs generally offer higher salaries.

Gig economy

Short-term, freelance, or contract-based work

The --- is growing with platforms like Uber and Fiverr.

Remote working / telecommuting

Working from home

--- has become more popular since the pandemic.

Income inequality / wealth gap

Unequal distribution of income

--- has widened in many countries.

Social mobility

Ability to move between social classes

Education is often seen as the key to upward ---.

Demographic change

Shifts in population characteristics

Falling birth rates in many developed countries illustrate a significant --- that affects workforce availability.

Urbanisation

Growth of cities

Rapid --- has led to overcrowded cities.

Multiculturalism

Presence of multiple cultures in society

--- enriches societies but may also create tensions.

Social cohesion

Unity within a community

Strong communities foster --- and stability.

Welfare system

Government support for citizens in need

A strong --- supports vulnerable citizens.

Public services

Government-provided services

Investment in --- is crucial for social development.

Tax burden

Amount of taxes people or companies pay

Rising healthcare costs increase the --- on workers.

Social safety net

Support programs for the unemployed or poor

Unemployment benefits act as ---.

Climb the career ladder

Advance in one's job

Young professionals are eager to ---.

Bridge the gap between rich and poor

Reduce inequality

Progressive taxation helps ---

Put a strain on public resources

Overuse government services

Overpopulation can ---.

The backbone of the economy

most essential part of an economy that supports its stability and growth.

Agriculture remains —- in many developing nations, supplying both food and employment.

equate something with something

to consider one thing to be the same as or equal to another thing

One major reason behind the rise in overtime is the persistence of a workplace culture that --- long hours ---commitment.

ingrained

(of beliefs) so firmly held that they are not likely to change

The belief that you should own your house is deeply ingrained in our society.

deteriorate

to become worse

Without sufficient leisure time to recover, employees may become increasingly vulnerable to burnout, anxiety, and depression, while their personal relationships also ---.

cultural expectations

In conclusion, the trend of overworking is largely driven by --- and economic necessity, and its repercussions for employees are far from positive

leave / take a lasting toll on

it causes suffering, deaths, or damage

Unless addressed, this development is likely to --- both physical and psychological health.

Corporate hierarchy

Levels of authority within an organization.

Every organization has a hierarchy, and trying to understand that, and the systems and processes of the organization, is important.

Economic fluctuation / instability

irregular ups and downs in an economy — including growth, recession, inflation, or unemployment — that make financial conditions uncertain and unpredictable.

--- often lead to higher unemployment, forcing workers to accept overtime or multiple jobs.

Leisure deprivation

Lack of free time for hobbies and rest

Chronic fatigue

Long-term tiredness not solved by rest

Stress-related illnesses

Diseases triggered by stress