business trip conversation

A selection of business English discussion questions.

Business Topics

Advertising , Brands , Building Relationships , Change , Communication , Competition , Consultants , Crisis Management , Cultures , Customer Service , Employment Trends , Ethics , First Impressions , Human Resources , International Marketing , International Markets , Job Satisfaction , Leadership , Management Styles , Marketing , Mergers and Acquisitions , Money , New Business , Online Business , Organisation , Project Management , Raising Finance , Risk , Strategy , Success , Team Building , Training , Travel .

Grammar Topics

Present Simple , Present Continuous , Present Perfect , Present Perfect Continuous , Past Simple , Past Continuous , Used to , Have to , Going to / Pres. Continuous , Going to / Will , Comparatives , Superlatives , First Conditional , Second Conditional , Third Conditional , Mixed Conditionals , Should , Should have , Can , Could , Can / Could / Be able to , Is done / Was done , Being done / Been done .

How to use the travel ESL discussion questions

It is recommended that you download the travel ESL discussion questions in PDF format using one of the links above. The best way to encourage classroom interaction is to download and print the travel discussion questions in the 'pairs' or 'threes' PDF format and then divide the questions by cutting along the dotted lines. This allows students to take turns asking and answering the travel discussion questions in groups of two or three. Alternatively, you could use the 'cards' format to distribute the questions to any number of students to ask and share.

It is advisable to prepare students for using these discussion questions by first introducing them to the topic of travel in an interesting and engaging way. An anecdote, quiz question or a related image or video could all be used to achieve this. Depending on the level, it may also be necessary to pre-teach any challenging vocabulary related to travel contained in the discussion questions.

For more ESL discussion questions, see this site's main page. There are discussion questions on a range of topics including general, grammar and business English topics.

For further information about the site and its author, see the about page.

Business Travel

“Investment in travel is an investment in yourself.” Matthew Karsten, travel blogger

December 9, 2021
Business English
No Comments

Home » Business Travel

Latest lesson plans

This Business English lesson plan on business travel has been designed for business professionals or other adults and young adults at an intermediate (B1/B2) to advanced (C1/C2) level and should last around 45 to 60 minutes for one student.

People have travelled for business purposes since the emergence of commerce. Nowadays, instead of a caravan pulled by a camel along the silk road, we take these trips by car or plane. Many businesses are departments dedicated to these experiences. For some, business travel can be a stressful time; for others, it can be the opportunity to have an exciting new experience. In this Business English lesson plan on business travel, students will have the opportunity discuss and express their opinions on issues such as the pros and cons of business travel, their experiences travelling for work, and what to pack for a business trip.

For advice on how to use this English lesson plan and other lesson plans on this site, see the guide for ESL teachers .

PRE-CLASS ACTIVITIES

Reading activity Before the English class, send the following article to the students and ask them to read it while making a list of any new vocabulary or phrases they find (explain any the students don’t understand in the class):

INC | 12 Surprising Benefits of Business Travel

The article looks at a number of ways business travel can be beneficial, including exploring new places, escaping a routine, and meeting new people. At the start of the class, hold a brief discussion about what the students thought about the article. What do they think about the issues raised in the article? Do they agree with what was written? Can they think of any ways they might add to the content of the article?

Video activity To save time in class, the English teacher can ask the students to watch the video below at home. In the class, the students will answer a number of conversation questions directly or indirectly related to the content of the video.

The video for this class, by Mr Porter, is called “How to Pack for a Business Trip” which looks at the essentials needed for a business trip and how to avoid creases in your clothes.

IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES

The focus in the class is on conversation in order to help improve students’ fluency and confidence when speaking in English as well as boosting their vocabulary.

This lesson opens with a short discussion about the article the students read before the class. Next, the students can give their opinion on the quote at the beginning of the lesson plan – what they think the quote means, if they agree with it and how it could relate to business. This is followed by an initial discussion on the topic including how often the students have to travel for work purposes, common reasons why people take business trips, and any negative experiences they have had while travelling for work.

After this, students will learn some vocabulary connected with business travel such as red-eye flight , jetlag and travel expenses . The vocabulary is accompanied by a cloze activity and a speaking activity to test the students’ comprehension of these words.

If the students didn’t watch the video before the class, they can watch it after the vocabulary section and answer the conversation questions. Before the conversation, ask the students to give a brief summary of the video and what they thought about the content.

Finally, there is a more in-depth conversation about business travel. In this speaking activity, students will talk about issues such as problems people can encounter at the airport, what to consider when booking a hotel, and whether they would apply for a job specifically because it involved a lot of travel.

After the class, students will write a memo to memo to staff members explaining the company’s travel expenses policy. The writing activity is designed to allow students to practise business-style writing as well as improving their grammar with the feedback from their teacher.

DOWNLOAD LESSON PLANS

Did you find this lesson plan useful?

Your English Pal is a free resource to help fellow ESL teachers save time when preparing their classes. If these lesson plans have helped you, and you’d like to help keep the site free, please consider making a small contribution to help cover the site’s costs. Any help you can give is much appreciated!

Privacy Overview

Learn English for travel with our lessons on travel English. Learn English phrases and vocabulary for checking into a hotel, making travel arrangements and dealing with customs and immigration at the airport.

Business English Travel Lessons

Learn travel English with Business English Pod lessons on English for travel .

Business English Pod offers English for travel lessons that cover various travel English topics, such as airport check-in, hotel reservations, ordering food, and making small talk with locals. These lessons provide practical vocabulary and phrases for different situations, helping learners communicate effectively while traveling.

Our travel English lessons are listed by published date with the newest lessons first.

BEP 295 – Business Trip 4: Factory Inspection

Bep 294 – business trip 3: confidential discussion, bep 284 – business trip 2: giving directions and getting around, bep 283 – business trip 1: taking a taxi, bep 26c – travel english: dealing with problems.

BEP 25c – Travel English: Checking in for a Flight
BEP 248 – Socializing with Strangers (2)
BEP 247 – Socializing with Strangers (1)
BEP 188 – Socializing: Hosting a Dinner Party 2
BEP 187 – Socializing: Hosting a Dinner Party 1
BEP 186 – Air Travel: Connecting Flights
BEP 185 – Air Travel: Checking In to a Flight
BEP 135 – Travel English: Airport Security
BEP 134 – Travel English: Getting Online at the Coffee Shop
BEP 125 – Travel English: Renting a Car
BEP 124 – Travel English: Checking Out of a Hotel
BEP 96 – Socializing: Business Meals
BEP 89 – Telephoning: Making Arrangements
BEP 88 – Telephoning: Booking a Travel Ticket
BEP 80 – Travel English: Checking In to a Hotel
BEP 79 – Travel: Making a Hotel Reservation
BEP 67 – Socializing with Colleagues at Work
BEP 66 – Working with Colleagues and Making Requests
BEP 56 – Business Travel 2: Customs and Immigration
BEP 55 – Business Travel: Airport Departure and Take Off
BEP 26 – Travel: Connecting Flights and Travel Problems
BEP 25 – Travel: Airport Check In and Making Polite Requests

Business-English-Pod-295-Lesson-English-for-Factory-Inspection

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on conducting a factory inspection in English.

In the global economy, a company might have its headquarters in Germany, but outsource production to China and technical support to India. Or you might find a Korean company that contracts out to one factory in Malaysia and another in Vietnam. In any case, to make the right decision on production facilities, you’ll most likely need to conduct a factory inspection.

So if you’re flying halfway around the world to tour a factory or another facility, what kind of questions should you ask? And how can you make sure the factory is the right fit for your needs? Well, you’ll definitely want to ask questions about quality control to make sure the factory can meet your expectations. You might also ask about production capacity so you know they can handle the work properly. And you might ask about their approach to standards, to make sure they’re in line with your values.

Of course, talk is cheap. You might find a factory manager makes claims that are a bit unbelievable. In these situations, you’ll want to show skepticism, or doubt, and ask for evidence. This is all part of the due diligence necessary to make sure you’re making the right choice.

In today’s dialog, we’ll hear Cam and Vanessa, who work for an American clothing company. They want to find a new production facility, so they’re touring a factory in China. You’ll also hear Chen, a factory manager who’s giving Cam and Vanessa a tour of the facility. Cam and Vanessa want to find out if Chen’s factory is a good fit for their company.

Listening Questions

1. How does Vanessa react to Chen’s claim that they have a .25% defect rate? 2. What important issue does Cam say their company is very serious about? 3. What kind of proof does Vanessa want to see of the factory managers’ training?

BEP 294 - Holding a Confidential Discussion in English

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on having a confidential discussion during a business trip.

If you’ve got colleagues or clients in other parts of the world, you probably rely a lot on email and the phone. But meeting in person continues to be important for building relationships and trust, and for discussing important issues. That’s one reason, of course, why the overseas business trip remains important.

And there’s one type of discussion that can be especially difficult: discussing a confidential matter. Perhaps you need to deliver bad news, or share sensitive information or tell someone about an important change. Meeting face-to-face in these types of situations is often the best way to break the news.

So what’s the best way to go about this? Well, to begin, it’s important to set a positive tone to put the other person at ease. Next, you might want to ask him or her how things are going. That can help break the ice, and the other person might actually mention the topic you want to discuss. Once you’ve started this way, you can introduce the sensitive information you want to deliver. And because the information is sensitive, you need to ask for discretion. Finally, depending on the nature of the discussion, you might also have to provide reassurances. After all, after we hear important information, we might wonder how it will impact us.

In today’s dialog, we’ll hear Cam, who works for an American clothing company. He’s visiting the head of the company’s Chinese office, David. The company manufactures some of its clothing in China, and has been considering how to expand their retail activities in Asia. Cam needs to have a confidential discussion with David to share some important news.

1. How does Cam ask for David’s perspective on the current situation? 2. Cam needs to tell David about a decision regarding retail in China. What point does Cam mention to introduce this decision? 3. How does Cam reassure David near the end of the conversation?

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on giving directions and getting around a city. This lesson is part of a larger series that looks at the Business English you need for a successful overseas business trip .

Getting from point A to point B in a city isn’t always simple. Even with a map, there are lots of opportunities for confusion. First of all, a map doesn’t include the names of every little shop or house. And even though a map might show you where some major things are, it won’t tell you how to get there. For these reasons, we still rely on people for advice on getting around. And whether you’re traveling and need to understand someone’s directions, or whether someone asks you for directions, you need the right language.

This is what we’ll look at in today’s lesson. We’ll learn language and techniques for describing a location, suggesting the best travel option, and describing distance. We’ll also look at how to give basic directions, how to explain a change of course, and how to ask a stranger for help on the street.

In the dialog, we’ll rejoin Cam and Vanessa, who have traveled to Shanghai on business. They’re talking to the concierge at their hotel, who is explaining to them how to get to a specific coffee shop in the city’s Pudong business district.

1. What does the concierge recommend as the best travel option? 2. How does the concierge describe the distance to Hengshan Lu Station? 3. When Cam approaches a stranger in the street, what is the first question he asks?

BEP 283 - Travel English - Taking a Taxi

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on taking a taxi. This will be part of a larger series that looks at the Business English you need for a successful overseas business trip .

When you travel to another city for business, what’s the easiest way to get around? Usually by taxi. You don’t have to interpret a subway map or a bus schedule. And you can be delivered directly to your destination with little confusion, though it will cost you more of course.

Yes, I said “with little confusion,” though that’s not always the case. Taxi drivers might not always understand what you want, or what you’re saying. You’ve still got to communicate clearly, directly, and politely with the taxi driver. Your fate is in his – or her – hands, and so you need to make sure you’re understood.

This is exactly what we’ll learn today. We’ll cover some important types of requests during a taxi ride, including asking for a destination, requesting a specific route, and asking for a change of course. We’ll also learn how to ask to be let out and request a receipt.

In this lesson, we’ll hear Cam and Vanessa, who have just arrived in Shanghai on a business trip. They’ve passed through immigration and collected their bags, and now they want to take a taxi to their hotel.

1. What is the travelers’ destination, and where is it located? 2. Vanessa asks for a change of course to get to a bank. How does she describe how to get there? 3. How does Vanessa ask to be let out of the taxi?

BEP 26 - Travel English: Dealing with Problems

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on how to deal with problems you might experience when traveling by air.

This Business English lesson is part of our new series of fresh takes on some of our older lessons. We’ve kept the same dialog but have new explanations and practice for our lower level learners.

When you are traveling for business, have you ever had problems that seem beyond your control? Like when you show up at the airport and your flight is cancelled. Or when your flight is late and you can’t get to your destination on time? These situations can be frustrating and difficult to deal with. But there are some language techniques that you can learn to help you solve your problems.

In this lesson, we’ll look at some of these techniques, such as getting someone’s attention, using negative questions for requests, and agreeing reluctantly. We’ll also cover making polite refusals, correcting yourself, and asking about payment. These are all things you might have to do or understand as you solve a travel problem.

In the dialog you’re going to hear a traveler called Robert. If you heard our last lesson, you might remember that Robert was traveling to Nice but stopping in Paris first. In this lesson, you’ll hear Robert in the Paris airport. He has missed his connecting flight to Nice and now he’s trying to find a way to get to his destination in time for a meeting the next day.

1. When is the next available flight to Nice? 2. Why is the next available flight not acceptable to Robert? 3. What does Robert want instead of the next available flight to Nice? 4. What type of seat does the agent say is the only type available?

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience.

Business Conversation: 32 Business English Topics to Get Students Thinking

Teaching business English is more or less the same as teaching standard English —with a few twists and tweaks.

Usually you’ll start with advanced students who need English for work-related purposes.

But what to talk about? The business section of the newspaper? Their company’s financial state? The economy?

This is where I come in to help you with my magical list of 32 business English conversation topics to start off the class with a bang.

These business English topics and questions are great for sparking more in-depth conversations and debates .

After the discussion, you could seamlessly jump into textbook material , creating a harmonious rhythm in your business English class!

1. English for Work

2. businesses, 3. negotiations, 4. job interviews, 5. working abroad, 6. company culture, 9. business presentations, 10. meetings, 11. conferences, 12. termination, 13. managers, 14. small business, 15. work appraisals, 16. retirement, 17. work experience, 18. overtime, 19. business trips, 20. competition, 21. risk management, 22. investing, 23. colleagues, 24. hard times, 27. customers, 28. customer service, 29. marketing, 30. consulting, 31. business ethics, 32. rules & regulations.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Students are often asked why they are learning business English, and being able to discuss this in a clear and informative way will do wonders for their confidence. Here are a few questions:

Do you think English is the global business language?
How often do you use English in your career?
Do you feel more comfortable calling or emailing someone in English?
Do you think English will get you promoted?
Have you ever felt nervous speaking to foreign colleagues or clients in English?

Talking about other businesses is, essentially, talking business. Other businesses could be friends, foes, inspirations or anything else. A simple topic, yet such a deep one. Some questions you could ask are:

What can businesses do to succeed?
What is your idea of a “business”?
What businesses are successful in your country/industry? Why?
Why do you think some businesses fail?
“Business is a combination of war and sport.” Do you agree? Why/why not?

No verb goes with the word “business” better than “negotiation.” Some could say negotiations are business. It’s a good topic that has students speaking about any and all kinds of negotiations. You could ask questions such as:

How good are you at negotiating?
What are some good negotiation tactics?
Do you do negotiations in your work, personal life or while shopping?
What have you had to negotiate for in your life? (Examples: House, car, items at a bazaar)
Do you think men or women are better at negotiations? Why?

Unless your students got a job hookup from a friend or a family member, chances are they have something to say about job interviews. They are the “first dates” of the business world and this topic gets some good chatter going. A few great questions are:

How do you feel about job interviews?
What is the most important part of a job interview?
What advice do you have for a successful interview?
What questions are common in job interviews in your company/industry/country?
What was the worst interview you have ever had?

It can be very helpful to show your students actual videos of interviews to give them a better idea of what to expect. For example, you can use FluentU to show them the job interview scene from “The Pursuit of Happyness,” starring Will Smith, and help them pick out some key interview vocabulary:

Some students, especially if they need English for work, may have had some experience working in another country or even have some colleagues who are working abroad. This topic is good since working abroad becomes more and more relevant in this day and age. A few good questions include:

Have you ever worked in another country?
What difficulties can working abroad have?
If you could choose, where would you like to work abroad?
What work experience have you had with colleagues from abroad?
What are some cultural differences between your country and foreign countries your company does business with?

Company culture is an essential aspect to any company, and your students will need to understand the value of a good company culture versus a bad one. Here are some questions to try out:

Do you believe that company culture is important? If yes, how do companies steer clear of negative company culture?
What is the company culture of your company?
Do you think your company could create a more positive, well-rounded company culture?
What are some of the perks in your company?
What perks or benefits do you look for in a prospective company’s culture? Why are these important to you?

An inevitable topic in the world of business, students do enjoy sharing views on crises. They can share their thoughts, questions and opinions about responding to all kinds of crises. Unless a particular crisis is hitting their country terribly hard, where some may feel sensitive about the topic, it’s an excellent topic to speak about. You could bring up questions like:

How do you manage crises?
What kinds of crises occur in your workplace?
What sorts of crises have affected your country?
What is your back-up plan for a major crisis?
What have you learned from past crises?

Leaders are the coaches of business. They provide guidance and wisdom to many. Your students may feel inspired by some notable leaders, or they may look up to leaders in their respective countries, companies or industries. They may even dream of becoming leaders themselves. Get students talking about what kinds of people are best equipped to lead businesses. Some questions to ask are:

What is your definition of a leader?
What makes an excellent leader?
How is the leadership in your company/industry/country?
Describe the best leader you have worked for/with.
How good of a leader do you believe you are?

In this day and age, presentations are everywhere thanks to modern technology. There’s a good chance that not only do your students have something to say about them, but they may have to give some at their job. Questions you could give them are:

What makes a good presentation?
What makes a bad presentation?
Do you have to give any presentations at work? If so, what are they about?
How do you feel about giving presentations?
How do you feel about watching presentations?

Unless your students work an hourly position, they more than likely have meetings and talking about meetings is a nice topic since it’s so relatable. Great questions include:

How often do you have meetings at work?
Do you like meetings at work? Why/why not?
What is often discussed at your meetings?
What are the advantages/disadvantages to having meetings?
“If you must have a meeting, lose the chairs.” Do you agree? Why/why not?

Many students may well have an important conference in the very near future and want to prepare. Networking, detailed job descriptions, presentation discussions, gathering information and the general culture exchange are all key areas of a professional conference. Here are some questions:

How would you open a conversation with someone in English at a conference? Is it any different in your native language?
Do you normally see all the presentations at a conference? What are some good and bad reasons you might miss a presentation or two?
Do you find it more challenging making small talk or discussing business at conferences? Why do you think that is?
Do you go out of your way to meet new people at conferences, or do you stick to your pack of colleagues? What are some great reasons to meet new people?
Are there parties at conferences? Any good stories?

This is the “getting dumped” experience of the workforce, but it’s something that’s a part of business. If students want to speak better business English, navigate tough interview questions and plan their careers, then it would behoove them to practice talking about getting terminated. A few good questions could be:

Have you ever been terminated?
How does one get terminated at your job?
Have you ever had to terminate anyone?
How can you prevent getting terminated?
If you were terminated, what would you do?

Slightly different (or vastly, depending on your work) than leaders, managers are something that everybody has something to say about. Love them or hate them, they’re an essential subject to discuss in business. Perhaps some of your students are managers themselves. You could ask:

What do you think about your manager(s)?
What qualities make a good manager?
How does your manager spend their time?
How can a manager motivate employees?
What is your manager’s managing style?

Small businesses are the cornerstone of growing enterprises and thanks to e-commerce they are on the rise. A few questions to ask the class could be:

Are small businesses common in your country?
What challenges do small businesses have in your country?
What are some successful small businesses in your town/city?
How can a small business become successful?
If you had a small business, what kind would it be?

Any decent company gives their employees a sort of appraisal every so often, so it’s a good topic to discuss since appraisals are made to improve the quality of the employee’s work. You could ask things like:

Do you have performance reviews in your company? How often?
How do you feel about them?
What do your performance reviews cover?
How important do you think appraisals are?
What happens if you have a good/bad appraisal?
How do you feel about feedback about yourself?

Even though retirement is the end of the road for business and a long way down the road for some students, it’s a good topic to discuss since it affects everybody eventually. Great questions could be:

What is the retirement age in your country?
What do people in your country usually do once they are retired?
Where do retired people usually live in your country?
What are the advantages/disadvantages to retirement?
What do you think you will do when you retire?

Everybody talks about his or her work experience and it helps them with who they are in their career today. Some great questions are:

What work experience do you have?
How did you like your previous work?
What can you gain from work experience?
What have you learned from your work experience?
What have you learned about yourself?

Overtime is as enjoyable as it is avoidable. Unfortunately, it’s inevitable but most students will have a thing or two to chime in with about overtime. Good questions could be:

How much overtime do you usually work?
How do you feel about working overtime?
What is the overtime policy like in your company?
Describe the worst overtime experience you have ever had.
What is a solution to reducing overtime?

Business trips, whether they be domestic or international, are more and more common these days and are a good topic to discuss. After all, most likely your students that go on business trips need to speak English! You could ask:

Do you go on business trips at work? Where?
What are the advantages/disadvantages of business trips?
What advice do you have for somebody traveling for business?
Where would you like to go on a business trip? Why?
What do you think is the future of business trips?

If your students want to speak business English well, then they’ll need to talk about competition. The competition is everywhere and is a great topic to really scope out how your students feel about business in general. Great questions could be:

Who exactly is your company’s competition?
What advantages/disadvantages does your competition have?
How can your company overcome the competition?
How competitive is your industry?
How competitive are you in general? Why?

Most students should be familiar with risk and hopefully more familiar with how to manage it so it’s a fine topic to incite some quality discussion. Great questions are:

What risks does your company come across?
How does your company handle these risks?
What situation could be a big risk to your company?
What is your plan in case you come across a risk?
Does your company have a contingency plan?

Investing is an important topic that many business English students know a fair deal about, depending on their business. It’s a relatable topic that could be of special interest to some students. You could ask questions like:

What is your opinion on investing?
What investments do you have? Why?
Are you a conservative or risky investor? Why?
What do you consider to be a bad investment? Why?
If you had $1000 to invest, what would you do?

Everybody has something to say about colleagues and talking about them can help get students talking about more personal things, which can really help them exit their comfort zones. A few good questions could be:

What do you think about your colleagues?
What are some common problems with colleagues?
Have you ever had any challenging situations/altercations with your colleagues?
Do you spend time with your colleagues outside of work? Why/why not?
Who is your favorite colleague? Why?

Unfortunately, hard times are quite prevalent these days. But talking about them is good for business since it could expand your students’ knowledge of current events. You could ask questions like:

What hard times is your industry/country going through?
What hard times have you experienced?
What have you learned from hard times?
What are the benefits of hard times?
Tell me about what you did when you went through some hard times.

Everybody loves raises, but talking about them (especially with a superior) is a different story. Amongst classmates though, talking about raises can bring up some interesting chatter. Questions like these are good:

How often do you get a raise at your job?
What does it take to get a raise at your job?
What advice do you have for someone who wants a raise?
Do you think raises are important? Why/why not?
Do you deserve a raise? Why/why not?

Some may say that business is sales and they just might be right. Sales are to business as education is to knowledge. Talking about sales is an important skill in business English, especially if some students need to sell in English. A few great discussion questions are:

Have you ever worked in sales?
How good of a salesperson are you? Why/why not?
What makes a good salesperson?
What is the sales process like in your company?
What strategies do you think are good for sales?

But alas, there can’t be sales—or business for that matter!—without customers. Since everyone has been a customer on more than a few occasions in their lives, it’s a great topic for students! Questions like these work well:

Who are the customers for your company/industry?
As a customer in general, what do you usually expect?
How do you gain more customers?
How do you lose customers?
“The customer is always right.” Do you agree/disagree?

Customer service is also another aspect of business that both salespeople and customers know a thing or two about. It’s a fantastic topic that can bring some enlightening discussion. You can ask questions like:

What is excellent customer service?
What is poor customer service?
Have you ever had to deal with customers? How was it?
How do/would you deal with customer problems?
Can you think of any companies known for their exceptional customer service?

Marketing is an essential field in the world of business and many students enjoy talking about this diverse subject. You could ask questions such as:

What is your understanding of marketing?
What is your company’s target market?
What kind of marketing does your company use?
In your opinion what forms of marketing are the most/least successful?
What kind of marketing is successful in your country?

Many companies, big and small, have experience with consultants and it’s an important topic in the world of business improvement. Some great questions could be:

What is your definition of “consulting”?
What is your opinion of consultants?
What are the advantages/disadvantages of consultants?
What area of advice are you an expert at? Why?
“Sometimes you need a consultant to tell you the obvious.” Do you agree/disagree? Why?

Your eager business English students have most likely studied a bit of business ethics in their native language, so why not bring it to life in English? Environmental issues, labor rights, health and wellness are all components of business ethics. You can ask these questions:

What are “business ethics” and how do they affect your community?
Would you consider your company ethical? Are there any business practices you disagree with?
What are a few companies that have been known for bad business ethics? How about good ones?
How often do you talk about business ethics with colleagues or managers?
How can companies improve their business ethics?

Rules and regulations are literally everywhere in the business world and they could present some useful and interesting information. You could give the students questions like:

What rules and regulations exist at your job?
What happens if you break any of these rules?
How do you feel about the regulations at your job?
Why do you think rules and regulations exist?
Have you ever had any problems with rules and regulations?

So there you have it, a vast list of various topics that are great for business English students.

Although it’s preferable (and likely) that your students already have jobs to answer these questions but since these topics are so relatable and general, it shouldn’t be a problem to start off the classes with some simple questions on such topics.

You could even choose the topics according to the current business news and mix the questions up a bit. The best piece of advice is to make it relatable, relevant and remarkable this way the students have something to say and never lose interest.

So, let’s talk business!

LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH TEACHERS

Going on a business trip.

Level: Intermediate (B1-B2)

Type of English: Business English

Tags: business travel conferences, exhibitions and trade fairs travel and leisure Vocabulary lesson

Publication date: 08/02/2018

In this business vocabulary lesson, students will learn words and phrases to talk about business trips. There are exercises on preparing for business trips, reasons to go and ways to talk about a business trip. The lesson ends with a speaking activity for students to talk about their personal experiences of business trips.

This is an excellent lesson that address grammar, speaking and reading comprehension. Writing activities can easily be developed, from the lesson, for students. The colour and layout is attractive. The level is correctly set at intermediate.

Great activity! It can tackle useful vocabulary, speaking practice, and grammar! I love it!

Travel | Past Simple Business Trip

A fun ESL lesson to learn the past simple and how to describe and talk about travel and a past business trip. Learn vocabulary and expressions to talk about travel. Get the downloadable and printable worksheets, ESL digital flashcards, ESL listening and reading exercises, and everything you need for the perfect digital and remote English lesson when you subscribe.

Travel | Talking about a Business Trip

Esl video past simple business trip.

ESL Conversation about a Business Trip

Today is the first day of John’s business trip. He got up early and took a taxi to the airport. The driver helped him with his luggage when he arrived, so John gave him a tip.

At the airport, John went to the check-in desk and checked his luggage . Then, we went through security. The security guard asked to check his carry-on luggage. In the departure lounge, John used the free Wi-Fi to watch some videos online.

On the plane, he had a business-class seat. It was very comfortable. When John arrived, he went to baggage claim to get his luggage and then took a taxi to his hotel. His room is very comfortable, so tonight John is going to relax.

Use the following ESL Printable flashcards to tell a story in the past simple.

What is it the first day of?
Why did John get up early?
Why did John give the driver a tip?
What did John do when he first arrived at the airport?
What did John do in the departure lounge?
How was John’s seat on the plane?
How did John get to his hotel?
What is John going to do tonight?

Storytelling Images using the Past Simple

Retell the story by putting the images in the correct order.

Match the words on the left to their meaning on the right.

Put the following words in the past tense:

help _______________

arrive _______________

get up _______________

ask _______________

use _______________

go _______________

take _______________

check _______________

give _______________

Vocabulary Review

www.pocketpassport.com Questions? [email protected]

Reference: bComm18B

Are You a Teacher?

Get access to over 500 lessons.

Audio Files
Downloadable PDF’s
Digital Quizzes & Flashcards
Grammar Tools
Gamification Tools
Add Student Accounts
Create & Sell Courses

Are You a Student?

Improve your….

Vocabulary & Idioms

Privacy Policy
Terms and Conditions

Customer Care is here to help!

[email protected]

Full Access to Select Lessons
New Lessons Added Every Week
Free Lessons Include:
PowerPoints
Everything in Free +
Full Access to ALL Lessons
Lesson & Course Builder
Easily Create Sales Pages
Sell Courses Online
Upload Your Own Content
Student Accounts
Premium Teacher & Student Tools
Online Reservation System
Feedback & Evaluation Tools
Full Admin Tools
Full Customization
& Lots More!

Enter your email address below where you would like us to send the free sample!

Your privacy is protected..

Your Free Sample will arrive shortly. Have a great day!

Business trips: fun or boring?

LESSON OVERVIEW

This lesson allows students to talk about business trips , learn some useful vocabulary , and have a lot of discussion and role- play .

B1 / Intermediate 60 min Standard Lesson Unlimited Plan Unlock these lesson worksheets with the Unlimited subscription

WARM-UP & VIDEO

The lesson starts with a warm-up activity. Students answer a few general questions and talk about business trips. Then, they look at different activities (e.g. delivering or taking professional training, networking with other professionals, trying local food , etc.) and discuss which things they would find interesting to do on a business trip. After that, students move on to a video. First, they watch the video and say why it was made. Then, they work with vocabulary (e.g. upgrade the room, grab a book, head to a pool, etc.). Students read sentences and choose the correct words . They watch the video again and check their answers. There is also a list of concept-checking questions for teachers to make sure students understand the key vocabulary.

ACTIVITIES TO TALK ABOUT BUSINESS TRIPS

In this part of the lesson, students practise the vocabulary and talk about business trips more. First, they discuss the tips from the video and add two or three tips of their own. Then, they complete the sentences with their ideas and add details. After that, students have a discussion and talk about business trips, what is important when you have one, and whether they are more stressful than regular work. As a final activity, students do a role play . They read the information about their business trip (e.g. hotel location and facilities, schedule, etc.) and decide how they will spend their free time together.

HOMEWORK/REVISION

This lesson also includes an additional task that you can use as homework or revision. In the task, students practise the use of the vocabulary to talk about business trips while describing pictures and brainstorming ideas. The task is available in the teacher’s version of the worksheet. You can print it and hand it out to your students. It’s also included in the e-lesson plan.

Subscribe to unlock these and many other Standalone lesson lesson plans with the Unlimited plan

Browse other materials recommended for you

Prioritizing and to-do lists

With this insightful lesson, students practise vocabulary to talk about priorities, watch an explainer video about the Eisenhower Matrix and discuss time management. They also give advice on how to organize tasks.

How to deal with misunderstandings

With this speaking lesson, students discuss situations that might cause misunderstandings, watch a short and funny ad and analyse tips on how to avoid miscommunication.

As you can see in the slide (giving presentations)

Step into the world of presentations with this handy lesson! Students explore vocabulary for structuring presentations, read the text of a presentation and watch a video on how to communicate ideas clearly.

As per my last email…

Dive into the intriguing world of emailing and talk about what annoys people the most. With this lesson, students expand their vocabulary, express irritation, and analyze real-life situations.

vocabulary to talk about higher education

Is a degree worth it?

Engage your students in a discussion on the ins and outs of higher education. Explore education and career-related vocabulary and work on comprehension skills by watching a news report on the job market.

Dress code: formal or casual?

Get your students talking about dress code! They watch a video and read a text about office attire, and learn vocabulary to share their views on past and current dress code rules.

Talking about leaders

Students talk about good and bad leadership, watch an explainer video and share their experiences. Let them explain why they’d rather be a good leader or have a good leader.

Being a successful entrepreneur

Students immerse in the world of entrepreneurship: they generate questions, watch an explainer video, read inspiring success stories, describe pictures and answer thought-provoking questions.

Ready to go paperless?

In this lesson, students learn some vocabulary related to document management, talk about going paperless, watch a video, and work on word building learning suffixes ‘-ful’ and ‘-less’.

Is there a minimum subscription period if I choose a monthly subscription?

No, there’s no minimum required number of subscription months. You can cancel any time you want. Basically, you can sign up and then cancel your subscription the next day, which will mean you have access for 1 month and won’t be charged again.

What currencies can I pay in for my subscription?

Our default currency is USD (American dollar), but you can also pay in EUR (euro), GBP (British pound sterling) or PLN (Polish zloty). You can change the currency you want to pay in at the Pricing page before selecting a subscription plan.

How can I edit an e-lesson plan?

You can get your own editable copy of an e-lesson plan and make changes to it. To do so, either (1) make a copy of it on your Google Drive (preferable method) or (2) download it in a Powerpoint format (but formatting might be a bit off so we can’t guarantee that it will work well).

Username or Email Address

Remember Me

Business small talk: examples and useful phrases

Blog Detail

Manoeuvering small talk situations is an important skill — especially in the business context. To help you improve it, we have put together some examples of English business small talk. Along with these dialogues, we provide you with handy lists of English small talk phrases.

In the following, we present dialogues and key phrases for English business small talk. You will also find lists with useful phrases from these examples that will help you in future conversations.

Introducing yourself and others in English

In the first two conversations, you will find useful phrases for introductions and situations in which you meet people again.

This is the setting for our fictional English business small talk: Jason, Susan, Gesine, Fridtjov and Ben are all at a conference, where they are making new contacts and reconnecting with old ones.

1. Starting a conversation: introducing yourself

Jason: I don’t think we’ve been introduced. I’m Jason. Jason Horn.

Susan: Nice to meet you. I’m Susan.

Jason: Pleased to meet you, Susan. How are you enjoying the conference so far?

Susan: It’s been great. I’ve met so many interesting people. And it’s a nice break from the office, to be honest.

Jason: I know what you mean. Have you been to one of these conferences before?

Susan: Yes, I was at the one in Glasgow a couple of years ago. What about you?

Jason: That’s funny, I was there, too.

2. Introducing someone else in English

Jason: Susan, this is my Norwegian colleague, Fridtjov. We work in the same department. Fridtjov, this is Susan.

Fridtjov: Good to meet you.

Susan: It’s nice to meet you, too. Em, could you say your name again for me?

Fridtjov: It’s Fridtjov. Don’t worry. Everyone has difficulty pronouncing my name.

Susan: Fridtjov. Is that how you say it?

Fridtjov: Yes. Perfect!

Starting a conversation with someone you already know

If you already know the other person, you wouldn’t start the conversation by introducing yourself. The following dialogues represent business small talk situations in which people meet again, speak for the first time in person or remind somebody that they have met before.

3. Reconnecting with someone

Susan: Gesine? Hi, it’s Susan. Susan Christie.

Gesine: Oh, hi, Susan! I thought I recognized you. How are you?

Susan: I’m great, thanks. And you?

Gesine: I’m fine. Fancy meeting you here! What are the chances?

Susan: [laughs] I know. You wouldn’t have time for a quick coffee, would you?

Gesine: Sure. That would be lovely.

4. Starting a conversation: Meeting in person

Jason: You must be Gesine. I’m Jason. It’s good to meet you at long last.

Gesine: Ah, Jason. It’s great to meet you. We’ve been talking on the phone for years — it’s funny that this is the first time we’ve actually met.

Jason: I know! Come on, I’ll introduce you to my colleagues.

5. You don’t remember me

Jason: Ben? Hi, I’m Jason. You don’t remember me, do you?

Ben: I’m sorry. Can you jog my memory?

Jason: Jason Horn. We met last year in Bristol. At the conference.

Ben: Oh, right. I remember now. We met at one of the evening events, right? Was it the one in the town hall?

Jason: Yes, that’s the one.

Ben: Goodness, I’m so sorry. It’s good to see you!

Jason: No worries.

Breaking the ice in small talk situations

After you have started the conversations, you’ll want the small talk to go on for some time and avoid awkward pauses.

It’s never wrong to ask your conversational partner how they are. The answer to this question, however, is usually very short in English conversations. Detailed recountings of your health issues or marital problems are not the best small talk topics. It’s a lot more innocuous to ask how your conversational partner likes the event at which you’ve met. Other quite universal small talk topics are the weather, travel, accomodation or your background. In the following dialogue extracts, you’ll find how you can get a conversation with a business partner going using these small talk topics.

6. Travel small talk

Jason: How was your trip, Gesine? Not too arduous, I hope.

Gesine: [laughs] No, it wasn’t arduous at all. The plane was almost empty, so I had three seats all to myself. And I took the tram here. The venue is very central, isn’t it?

Jason: You can say that again! Now, how about we grab a coffee before we get down to business?

Gesine: That would be great. Thanks.

7. Small talk about your background

Susan: Jason said you’re from Norway. How long have you lived here?

Fridtjov: I moved here in 2007.

Susan: Oh, that’s quite a while. I’ve always wanted to go to Norway. Whereabouts are you from?

Fridtjov: I’m from Trondheim. Have you heard of it?

Susan: Yes, I have. A friend of mine lived there, actually. The world’s biggest sundial is in Trondheim, isn’t it?

Fridtjov: [laughs] Yes, that’s right! The Trondheim Torg. That’s funny that you know about that.

8. Asking someone where they come from

Fridtjov: And what about you, Susan? Where are you from? I can’t quite place your accent.

Susan: I’m from Northern Ireland. But I moved here when I was a teenager, so my accent isn’t as strong as it used to be.

Fridtjov: Oh, right. I’ve never been to Northern Ireland before. Are you from Belfast?

Susan: No, I’m from Portstewart. It’s about 60 miles north of Belfast.

9. Small talk about your accommodation

Susan: So, where are you staying while you’re here?

Gesine: At the inn by the park. Do you know it?

Susan: I’ve never stayed there, but I’ve only heard good things about it. It’s very handy for the conference venue.

Gesine: It is, and it’s very comfortable. I don’t travel much in my job, so it’s a bit of a treat to stay in a nice hotel and not to have to worry about my kids and so on.

Susan: [laughs] I bet.

10. Small talk about the weather

Ben: I can’t believe the weather we’ve been having — rain, rain, rain. It’s so depressing.

Jason: Yeah, I know. I heard that it’s supposed to get better by the end of the week.

Ben: Really? Isn’t that what they said last week?

Jason: Yeah, well, you can’t really trust the weather forecast. It’s the time of year, though, isn’t it? It’s always miserable in January.

Keeping the conversation going

Let’s keep the conversation going. Once you’ve started off with a general and rather unpersonal topic, you might want to lead over to a somewhat more personal topic. Small talk is all about finding out what you have in common with other people. If you can find a topic that you are both interested in, conversation should flow quite easily.

11. Small talk about your family

Susan: I think I remember you said you had three kids. Is that right?

Gesine: Yes, just the three.

Susan: Just three? Sounds like a bit of a handful to me.

Gesine: It’s getting easier, now that they’re older. They can even be quite good company sometimes.

Susan: And you have a dog, too, don’t you?

Gesine: Well, we did. He passed away last year, unfortunately.

Susan: Oh, dear. I’m so sorry. Losing a pet is awful.

Gesine: Yeah, it is. Anyway, let’s talk about something cheerier.

12. Telling a story

Gesine: You’ll never guess what happened to my daughter the other day.

Susan: What?

Gesine: Well, she’s 15 and loves entering competitions. But sometimes, you have to be 18 to enter, so I let her use my name. Well, she won. Or rather, I did.

Susan: Cool! What did you win?

Gesine: A luxury holiday for two in the Maldives!

Susan: That’s amazing! Are you taking your daughter or your husband?

Gesine: My daughter, of course.

13. Small talk about work

Jason: So, are you still with the same company?

Ben: Yeah, I am, actually. It’ll be ten years next year.

Jason: And everything’s going well?

Ben: Things have noticeably picked up, so that’s a relief. What about you? Have you been promoted yet?

Jason: [laughs] I have, actually. I remember telling you about that.

Ben: Good for you! What’s your official title these days, then?

Jason: Principal planning consultant.

Inviting somebody along

Especially if you meet at an event, you might want to ask the other person to join you for a cup of coffee or some other activity. Here is how you can do that:

14. An invitation to the pub

Jason: A few of us are going to the pub. Would you like to join us?

Ben: I’d love to. Thanks. What time are you going?

Jason: Around 7.30 this evening.

Ben: Oh, I forgot. I’ve got to call the New York office at eight. I’m not going to be able to make it.

Jason: Why don’t you come along after your call?

Ben: OK, I could do that. Where are you going to be?

Jason: At the Prince of Wales on Market Wynd.

Ending a conversation

Ending small talk can feel as awkward as starting the conversation. However, especially at professional events, it is important that you don’t spend the whole time talking to the same person. It’s therefore important that you know how to end a conversation politely in English.

15. Saying Goodbye

Susan: Is that the time? I’d better get back to work. Listen, it was lovely catching up. I’m so glad I bumped into you.

Gesine: It was great to see you, too, Susan. It made my day.

Susan: Give me a call next time you’re in London.

Gesine: I will, for sure.

Susan: Have a safe trip back home and a great time in the Maldives!

Gesine: Thanks, I will! Take care.

Free English Placement Test

Check your Score - Try our Free English Quiz + Get a Free Bonus

Learning English will improve your chances of Getting a better Job , Earn More Money , Travel Abroad , Study Internationally & Make new international Friends Start Learning your first English lesson within 5 Minutes!

Registered students, language certificates, satisfaction rate.

Great site to keep my english skills updated for work and travel. I am really enjoying the lessons!

Loved the course. Abitlity to improve my grammar and spelling in a step by step method has really helped me. Thanks!

[email protected]

Why On-Line?
The Science of ONIT
Behind the Program
Begin your Journey
Earn your Certificate
How to claim a Discount Code

Information

Excellent ESL 4U Blog
ESL Learning Tips
Free ESL Book
ESL Conversations
ESL Conversation Cards
80 Conversation Cards
ESL Flashcards
ESL Listening
ESL Reading
ESL Vocabulary
ESL Writing
Free ESL Worksheets
ESL Printables
Idioms Worksheets
ESL for Kids
ESL Kids Vocabulary
ESL Kids Worksheets
ESL Games for Kids
Wordsearches for Kids
Kids Alphabet Writing
About Excellent ESL 4U
Privacy policy

ESL Taking a Trip Conversation

The two example ESL taking a trip conversations on this page show you how a natural conversation would happen. You can use them to see how a conversation should progress.

As well as being able to read the two example conversations you can watch them as cartoons. This is another way for you to try to learn the correct way of speaking, as the pictures in the cartoons will act as clues to help you understand. If you do not know any of the words used you can look at the ESL taking a trip vocabulary page that has definitions of many words.

Then after that there are three exercises for you to do. These will help you practice using the taking a trip vocabulary in example ESL taking a trip conversations. The exercises are as follows:

Filling in the blanks in a conversation.
Writing your own conversation.
Conversation topics for you to talk about.

Conversation 1

Situation: Lucy and Andrew are talking about their end of year holiday.

Lucy: Where did you go on holiday? Andrew: I went to Beijing with my parents. Lucy: How was it? Did you have a good time? Andrew: It was wonderful. Beijing is a great city with many historical landmarks. Lucy: What did you see there? Andrew: We saw the Great Wall and other interesting places such as old palaces, as well as pandas. They were really interesting! Lucy: I have been to Beijing once to attend a conference, but I didn’t have time to travel around. Andrew: Too bad. You could have stayed longer. It’s not difficult to find cheap hotels in Beijing. Lucy: Really? Where did you stay, anyway? Andrew: We stay at the Orange Hotel near the Palace Museum. Lucy: Was it good? Andrew: Yes, it was a great budget hotel. The room was clean and it offered free drinks, fruit and snacks every day. How about your holiday? Lucy: I didn’t go out because I took a charity job as volunteer tutor. Andrew: Oh, that’s good. I may want to try that on my next holiday.

Conversation 2

Situation: Jane and Patrick talk about Jane’s plan to take a vacation in San Francisco in the United States.

Jane: Guess what! I’m going to San Francisco! Patrick: Really? When? Jane: Tomorrow. I’m flying with Ocean Airlines. Patrick: Do you need a ride to the airport? Jane: No, thanks. I’m OK. I can get a taxi. Have you ever been to San Francisco? Patrick: Yes. I have been there several times. There are many interesting places that you can visit, such as the Golden Gate Bridge. Jane: What about Fisherman’s Wharf? Patrick: Oh, that’s one of my favorites! There are lots of seafood restaurants you can sit at for lunch. Where are you going to stay? Jane: I have booked a room at the Pacific Tradewinds Hostel. It is geared towards international travelers and it is close to Chinatown. Patrick: How long are you going to be there? Jane: Just three days. Patrick: Why don’t you stay longer? Jane: I plan to go to New York to see an old friend. Patrick: Have you booked the flight? Jane: Yes, I have.

ESL Taking a Trip Conversation Exercises

Now you should do the following ESL taking a trip conversation exercises. You can use the example conversations from above a guidelines to help you.

Exercise 1 – Fill in the Blanks

The first ESL taking a trip conversation exercise is a fill in the blanks task. You need to decide which option (A-D) is the best to fill in each of the gaps in the following conversation. Once you have finished you can click the get score button to see how many you got correct.

Situation: Tui wants to book a flight to Bangkok.

Agent: Skyscanner Travel. How can I help you? Tui: Yes. ___________(1)__________ London to Bangkok on September 20th. Can you find me the least expensive flight? Agent: Would you prefer to leave from Gatwick or Heathrow Airport? Tui: __________(2)__________ Gatwick Airport. Agent: Let me see. Yes. I have a 5:30 flight on Thai Airways. Tui: 5.30! What’s __________(3)__________? Agent: One hour for economy class and thirty minutes for business class. Will you take that? Tui: No. I won’t get to the airport in time. When will __________(4)__________? Agent: There won’t be another direct flight on Saturday. There will be one on Friday at the same time. Tui: I can’t leave before September 20th. What about from Heathrow Airport? Agent: Just let me check. Oh, there is an 8:30 flight on British Airways. Tui: How much will that be? Agent: Economy class costs £386. Tui: Alright, let’s go with that. Agent: How many seats would you like? Tui: Just one. Does that include airport tax? Agent: No, you have to add another £50 for the tax. Would you like __________(5)__________? Tui: No, thanks. Can I book that, then? Agent: Certainly. How would you like to pay? Tui: Can I pay by credit card? Agent: Sure. Could you give me your credit card number and expire date?

Exercise 2 – Writing a Conversation

For the second ESL taking a trip conversation task you need to write your own conversation. You should decide who is having the conversation, what they are talking about and where they are. Try to use as much of the vocabulary about taking a trip as possible. By using the vocabulary you will learn it better. Once you have finished writing your ESL taking a trip conversation you should find some friends and act it out so you get practice speaking.

Exercise 3 – Conversation Topics

For the third ESL taking a trip conversation you need to use the following sets of conversation topics to have a conversation with one of your friends. Each of you should take one set of questions, and then you should take turns asking the questions. Try to say as much as possible and give full long answers. At the end you can exchange questions and start again.

The questions have also been made into some conversation cards for you to download by clicking the picture.

For more conversation cards you can download my ‘ 80 ESL Conversation Cards ’ ebook.

Questions set A

Describe the last trip you took.
How do you like to travel when going on a trip?
Who do you like to take trips with?
How often do you go on trips?
What was the furthest you have ever travelled for a trip?

Questions set B

Why do you like to take trips?
Where do you like to go when you take a trip?
Have you ever been on a trip where you had to use an airplane?
Do you get ill when travelling for a trip?
What was the first trip that you remember taking?

Other Pages about Taking a Trip that You Might Like

ESL Taking a Trip Listening ESL Taking a Trip Reading ESL Taking a Trip Vocabulary ESL Taking a Trip Writing

Excellent ESL 4U

New! Comments

Learn english, english idioms, kids english, contact excellent esl 4u, site information, recent articles, esl new year listening.

Dec 18, 16 03:17 AM

There are several ESL New Year listening tasks for you to do on this page so you can learn how to listen to the vocabulary.

ESL New Year Writing

Dec 11, 16 03:40 AM

This page has a range of ESL New Year writing exercises for you to do.

ESL New Year Conversation

Dec 04, 16 02:07 AM

There are example ESL New Year conversations on this page as well as some exercises and activities.

www.excellentesl4u.com

Join our Webinar

Free Resources

Masterclasses

Virtual Summits

Join our Next Event

Strategic Time Management

Digital Downloads

Productivity Hacks
Successful Meetings
Events Management
The EA Campus

Signature Courses

Bitesize courses, key courses, free courses, bundle courses.

our new course

View all the courses.

Online Courses

20 do’s, and dont’s when travelling with the boss

Most assistants do not get to travel on business trips with their boss unless they work for high net worth individuals or are private household assistants. If the opportunity ever comes up it is well worth grabbing with both hands. Business trips can be a great way to increase your business acumen, meet colleagues and clients in different countries and see how your boss operates while they are travelling on business. This is your chance to really shine and hopefully you will also get to see a few of the sights too! If your boss has asked you to accompany them on a business trip make the most of it but remember there are quite a few do’s and don’ts when travelling with the boss!

Do be early and have all of your paperwork organised. Remember you are still going to have to look after your manager so make sure your trip is hassle free.

Don’t be a nervous traveller. Your boss does not want to look after you on the flight.

Do be extra courteous with all the staff you encounter. You might need them to help you if you have any issues during the course of the trip.

Don’t forget your boss is still your boss. On a long haul flight or train journey don’t let the conversation move on to your personal life.

Do fit in with all of your boss’s plans. If you are invited to take part in activities you don’t particularly enjoy just get on with it. Try not to be too fussy with food either (obviously don’t eat something if you are allergic or it makes you sick!)

Don’t think for one second you are holiday. Going on a business trip with your boss is work. You should act the same as you would in your office.

Do have some conversation starters up your sleeve. You will be spending quite a bit of time with your manager,which you might not be used to so think of a few topics you can use for small talk.

Don’t dress inappropriately. Take clothes that you would wear to work and a few more business casual bits for evening activities.

Do some research on the place you are going to. If it is another country it would be a good idea to check their customs and if this impacts what you wear or how you should behave. If you are visiting another office do ask colleagues if there is anything you need to know.

Don’t whatever you do get drunk. On the flight or during the course of the trip. Even if the trip is going really really badly and you are in hell… honestly, don’t get drunk!

Do take your lead from the boss. If they immediately get their laptop out on the train or flight you should probably do some work too… as much as you want to check out the in-flight entertainment!

Don’t take personal calls during your working day unless it is urgent. Let your family and friends know that you will call them from your hotel.

Do remember you are in control of the travel booking and can make decisions based on what you think is appropriate and will ease any awkward moments. For example if you are both travelling on a long haul overnight business class flight don’t book seats facing each other. You will both want a little space while you try to get some sleep.

Don’t take too much luggage. Ideally you want to take a small carry-on bag if you are flying or taking the train.

Do take lots of cash and a credit card. Just in case. If you travel frequently with your boss you should really have a company credit card for your expenses.

Don’t lose touch with the office. You still want to make sure everything is running smoothly for when your boss returns.

Do remain positive during the trip. You will be spending a lot of time with your boss so don’t complain too much or appear tired or grouchy.

Don’t forget to take some time for yourself. If you can leave early for the evening do spend some quiet time in your hotel or go out to see a little bit of the city. You will be working incredibly hard during the day so recharging your batteries when you can is a must.

Do try to show your boss that you were worth taking along and you were worth the cost of the flight / hotel etc. Be extra helpful, organised, take lots of notes and do try to maximise your boss’s productivity while they are travelling.

Strategically Managing Your Executive’s Time

How Assistants Can Help Get Stuff Done in Their Organisations

Tackling Email Overload

More From Forbes

The rising dark side of business travel ceos need to pay attention to.

Share to Facebook
Share to Twitter
Share to Linkedin

It's time for companies to rethink their approach to business travel.

The business landscape has rapidly changed since the pandemic, with remote work and hybrid models becoming more prominent. Despite these workforce shifts, one aspect remains constant: business travel.

Business travel is back in full force following an expected dip during the pandemic. Corporate travel budgets are returning to pre-pandemic levels, and more companies are planning budget expansions. A Morgan Stanley survey revealed that over two-thirds of companies with under $1 billion in annual revenue anticipated increased travel budgets in the coming year.

The Impact of Frequently Flying

Frequent travel can significantly impact an individual's physical, emotional, and mental well-being . While companies prioritize conventional risk management areas, they often overlook the personal well-being of their travelers. From maintaining a healthy diet to proper sleep and various emotional components such as loneliness and separation, business travelers encounter numerous potential long-term health disruptions that non-traveling employees don't face.

Business travelers had higher claims than non-travelers for all health conditions across the board, along with a higher likelihood of stress-related disorders, as reported in the Harvard Business Review . Lastly, as shared in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine , frequent business travel adversely affects overall body composition, leading to risks of obesity and various other ailments if left unmanaged, such as heart disease and diabetes.

More and more companies are prioritizing workplace wellness due to factors such as obesity's $400 billion impact on companies . Corporate travel wellness programs are a necessary part of the equation as well. As you look to implement a modern and more robust travel wellness program, start with these two areas:

WhatsApp Brand New iPhone Feature Just Launched That s Much Easier To Use

Apple’s iphone ai plans confirmed with new software upgrade, packers complete safety overhaul with georgia’s javon bullard, embrace bleisure travel.

When attracting and retaining the best people, more and more employees choose lifestyle over salary . It's not out of laziness. It's out of a desire for work-life integration. With this in mind, organizations can embrace employees' desires through bleisure . Organizations can promote work-life integration and rejuvenation by allowing employees to combine business trips with leisure activities.

Implementing flexible travel policies that enable team members to extend their trips on the back end is a way to improve employee satisfaction, productivity, and retention rates. Research shows that 89% of business travelers wanted to add a private holiday to their business trips. Traveling for work is energetically demanding, physically and mentally. A few extra days for leisure allow team members to process their trip, recharge, and return at total capacity.

Treat Your Employees Like Athletes

Just as professional athletes require careful management of their physical, emotional, and mental well-being , so do business travelers. Business travel is a stressor with a high burnout rate and decreased performance across the board. As you revamp your corporate wellness travel program, consider your approach to business travel as a sports team thinks of traveling to play an away game.

As you prepare the company playbook for healthier and more productive business traveling, consider the following:

Providing support for handling jet lag
Offering advice on maintaining healthy sleep and nutritional habits away from home
Investing in business class and non-stop flights
Providing hotels that have conducive amenities for optimal well-being
Ensuring team members reside in centrally located hotels or apartment hotels

Business travel isn't going anywhere anytime soon, as the average business traveler takes roughly 6.8 trips per year, with business travel in the U.S. from domestic and international travelers also accounting for $387 billion in annual revenue, according to research shared over at Zippia . Incorporating travel wellness initiatives isn't merely an expense; it's an investment in employees' health and performance.

As organizations revamp their corporate travel programs, prioritizing their travelers' well-being is paramount. By implementing strategies to support travel wellness, companies can ensure that their employees remain healthy, engaged, and effective representatives of their companies.

Editorial Standards
Reprints & Permissions

Politics latest: Key voter on Humza Yousaf's future will make proposals to 'help him out of a tight corner'

Ash Regan, who is the Alba Party's sole MSP and potentially the deciding vote in a no-confidence motion in Mr Yousaf, is expected to meet with the first minister. Listen to this week's Politics at Jack and Sam's as you scroll.

Sunday 28 April 2024 11:15, UK

Sunak refuses to rule out July general election
Watch in full: Trevor Phillips interviews the prime minister
Key voter on Yousaf's future will make proposals to 'help him out of a tight corner'
Connor Gillies: First minister must reset relations with very people he's burned bridges with
Salmond asked Alastair Campbell to negotiate on behalf of Scotland if it gained independence
Explained: How did we get here - and what happens next?
Tap here to follow Politics at Jack and Sam's
Sam Coates explains why the local elections matter
Live reporting by Brad Young

By Trevor Phillips, presenter

I've known Rishi Sunak slightly for almost a decade, having first met him after he penned a thoughtful, comprehensive, well-received report on Britain's minority communities, which I'd say is still the best of its kind.

Sitting down to interview him in a state-of-the-art defence facility this week, I could still see the same energetic, likeable problem solver that I met back then, even if he's now surrounded by the prime ministerial cavalcade of aides, security and media.

That Peloton and fasting regime are clearly doing their job. He's keen to show his detailed grasp of the situation, whether that's welfare reform, defence or migration. It's easy to see why he shone in Silicon Valley and thrived in the Treasury.

However, in the political world he chose, there's a downside to being highly intelligent, disciplined, and super-focused on delivery, as they might say in California.

He betrays frustration with what he - not wholly unjustifiably - sees as a media obsession with polls and presentation.

Unfortunately, as Enoch Powell once pointed out, a politician who complains about journalists is like a sailor who doesn't much fancy being at sea.

He rightly points out that it's his job to make hard choices - for example, funding the defence budget even if it's at the expense of schools and hospitals.

But a political leader should also know that what follows is an even harder job: to cajole the electorate into supporting that choice - and the voters aren't always governed by the logic of the computer.

Read on here...

Lorna Slater, co-leader of the Scottish Greens, has said her party will not be changing its mind about supporting the upcoming motion of no confidence in First Minister Humza Yousaf.

Ms Slater said they would vote in favour of the motion on BBC Scotland's Sunday Show,

"I cannot imagine anything at this point that could change that position.

"This was a spectacular breach of trust."

She was asked if policy offers from Mr Yousaf ahead of the vote could persuade them to abstain.

“[The Bute House Agreement] was based on mutual trust and respect. I do have trust and respect for many of my SNP colleagues," she said.

"But Humza Yousaf himself has broken that and he needs to face the consequences."

Policing minister Chris Philp said he was posing a "rhetorical question" after he appeared to ask whether Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo were different countries.

The MP for Croydon South said he was struggling to hear when he was asked about the government's new law on deporting some asylum seekers to Rwanda by a Question Time audience member.

He told the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg: "I was struggling a little bit to hear the question.

"When I put that point to him I was asking that as a clearly rhetorical question rather than a substantive question, as I think any fair-minded listener would conclude."

What did he say on Question Time?

The audience member, from Congo, pointed out there has been a long history of violent conflict with neighbouring country Rwanda.

He asked Mr Philp: "Had my family members come from Goma [a city on the country's border] on a crossing right now, would they then be sent back to the country they are supposedly warring – Rwanda? Does that make any sense to you?"

Mr Philp replied: "No, I think there's an exclusion on people from Rwanda being sent to Rwanda."

After the audience member objected that his parents were not from Rwanda, the Conservative MP appeared to ask: "Well, I mean, Rwanda is a different country to Congo, isn't it?

"It's a different country?" he said, followed by laughter from some audience members.

Rishi Sunak was quizzed over the local and general elections, the Rwanda Scheme and defence spending today on Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips.

If you missed it, here's your chance to catch up on all the key moments - or watch the interview in full.

The prime minister tried to manage expectations for Thursday, saying: "Local elections are always difficult for incumbent parties";
Asylum seekers travelling across the land border to Ireland was a sign the Rwanda scheme was working as a deterrent, he said;
Despite being asked several times, Mr Sunak refused to rule out a July general election;
He declined to comment on polling and, when asked if he would have any regrets should the Conservative Party lose, Mr Sunak said: "You're again focused on all this personality stuff."

A little earlier this morning, Rishi Sunak told Sky News that the movement of migrants from Northern Ireland into the Republic of Ireland showed his Rwanda scheme was working as a deterrent.

But the Irish government is to consider legislative proposals next week on returning asylum seekers back to the UK who have travelled across the land border.

Justice minister Helen McEntee will also meet Home Secretary James Cleverly next week, after saying the number of migrants crossing the border was now "higher than 80%".

"I'll have emergency legislation at cabinet this week to make sure that we can effectively return people to the UK," she told RTE.

Ms McEntee added Brexit was responsible for the UK seeing an increase in people seeking asylum.

A spokesman for Irish premier Simon Harris said he is "very clear about the importance of protecting the integrity" of Ireland's migration system.

"Ireland has a rules-based system that must always be applied firmly and fairly.

"In that context, the Taoiseach has asked the minister for justice to bring proposals to Cabinet next week to amend existing law regarding the designation of safe 'third countries' and allowing the return of inadmissible international protection applicants to the UK."

Alex Salmond asked Alastair Campbell to negotiate on behalf of Scotland with the UK government in the event it voted for independence in 2014, Mr Campbell tells Sky News.

The proposal was made when the pair were in Scotland ahead of the referendum, making tributes to Tony Benn, the former Number 10 communications director says.

"If Scotland had become independent, then that would have been a massive, massive thing for the country, so I would have been very happy to do that.

"I would want people who weren't necessarily pro-indpendence to be part of that team."

As Humza Yousaf fights to maintain leadership of Scotland, the Alba Party's Alex Salmond joins Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips.

Meanwhile, Ash Regan, the Alba Party's sole MP and potentially the deciding vote in a no-confidence motion in Mr Yousaf, is expected to meet with the first minister.

Ms Regan will "make a set of reasonable proposals to help him out of a very tight corner", says Mr Salmond.

"Scotland is lucky that somebody like Ash Regan is in that position."

Independence forces should be "cooperating together to try and get independence back as a priority in Scottish society".

Asked if an agreement can be reached with the SNP, Mr Salmond says Mr Yousaf is "in a very difficult position" but he will be in a "listening mode".

"He wouldn't have sacked the Greens from his administration unless he wanted a significant change in direction," says Mr Salmond.

"One possible outcome of this political crisis is there might be a Scottish election."

Earlier this week, Labour pledged to nationalise the railway system.

Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting says the plan is a "reflection of the failure of privatised rail and the absence of competition".

If you bring the franchises back into public ownership as they come up, the profits can be reinvested into better services and fairs, argues Mr Streeting.

"There is already enormous public ownership of our railways, but they are owned by French, German, Dutch and Italian taxpayers, and our profits go into their countries."

"It's time that we had public ownership of our railways so we can reinvest."

Trevor Phillips continues to put questions to shadow health secretary Wes Streeting.

He is about Keir Starmer's pledge to maintain the triple lock, with Phillips raising statistics showing median wealth for those in their early 60s was nearly nine times higher than those in their early 30s.

"I don't buy into that intergenerational conflict argument. We need to give pensioners the reassurance to know that as they have planned for retirement... that Labour will protect the triple lock."

Wes Streeting is asked about the possibility of a July election, which the prime minister has refused to rule out.

The shadow health secretary says: "He should get on with it. We are not just ready, we are, as with the rest of the country, fed up of waiting."

People are "crying out for an opportunity to deliver their verdict on this government and vote for change", he says.

"That's why the prime minister bottled an election earlier this year, that's why he's bottled it now, and that's why he will have to be taken out of Downing Street by his fingernails."

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

IMAGES

Two Businessmen on Business Trip in Conversation Stock Image
How to organise the perfect business trip
A Simple Conversation Between Travel Agent And Customer in English With
conversation about a business trip
Free photo: business conversation
Talking about a Trip using the Past Simple

VIDEO

Father and Son Road Trip Conversation!
Business English
Learn Business English
Business English Conversation Lesson 4: Business Trip Etiquette
Last Holiday Trip Conversation
Business trip Meaning

COMMENTS

Travel: Business English Questions
Business English questions about travel. For use in the ESL classroom for speaking practice, discussion, debate and conversation. PDF handouts available.
Practice English Conversation about Business Trip
Step 2: Practice having a conversation with the first person. Speak during the pause. Step 3: Do the same thing for the second person. Step 4: Take the quiz to make sure you understand the conversation. After studying all the lessons, you will gain confidence to speak with native English speakers. #1 Packing for a Business Trip.
Business Travel
Home » Business Travel. This Business English lesson plan on business travel has been designed for business professionals or other adults and young adults at an intermediate (B1/B2) to advanced (C1/C2) level and should last around 45 to 60 minutes for one student. People have travelled for business purposes since the emergence of commerce.
Business English Conversation Lesson 1: Packing for a Business Trip
Please ask any English grammar or vocabulary questions in the comment section below.You can find 599 more conversations like this on http://skesl.com/Plus 4,...
Business Trip Vocabulary: 105 English Words and Phrases for ...
At the Hotel. It's likely your company has made a hotel reservation (booking) for you ahead of your business trip. Here are some example phrases that might be useful when talking to the receptionist at the hotel: Word/Concept. American English. British English. Hospital. I was in the hospital. I was in hospital.
Travel Conversation in Business English
Travel Conversation in Business English. Matt has degrees in Journalism and Business and has taught a variety of courses at high schools and universities around the world. Travel is a big part of ...
English You Need on a Business Trip
Whether you're asking a colleague or the concierge at the hotel, here are some useful phrases for your next business trip. 1. Appearance in English in Business Trip ... If you want to manage any business conversation join our online commercial English course and learn anywhere anytime. Learn English Online. How it works. Teachers. Levels and ...
Travel English
Our travel English lessons are listed by published date with the newest lessons first. BEP 295 - Business Trip 4: Factory Inspection. BEP 294 - Business Trip 3: Confidential Discussion. BEP 284 - Business Trip 2: Giving Directions and Getting Around. BEP 283 - Business Trip 1: Taking a Taxi.
Business Conversation: 32 Business English Topics to Get ...
Business conversations in English need their own unique vocabulary. Teach students how to talk about key areas of business with these 32 topics, which cover interviews, meetings, managers and more. Each topic comes with in-depth questions to kick off class discussions and get your students confident with speaking!
Business Trip English: Glossary of English for Business Travel
We'll cover everything from navigating the airport to making small talk in English. English is the most spoken language worldwide, making it an essential skill for those going on business trips. Whether you're going to an English-speaking country or elsewhere, a strong grasp of the language can help you get by and make your trip a success.
Business Conversation Practice
Ship his clothes. 1. A business trip. 2. All of the above. 3. Bring a carry-on bag only. Practice simple business conversations using our beginner level business dialogues on the topic - Packing for a Business Trip.
Business Conversation Practice
Fly in First-class. Go shopping. Pack light. Wear jeans and a T-shirt. 1. He's meeting with the CFO. 2. All of the above. 3.
Business English Conversation Lesson 2: What to Pack on a Business Trip
Please ask any English grammar or vocabulary questions in the comment section below.You can find 599 more conversations like this on http://skesl.com/Plus 4,...
Business English Conversation Lesson 4: Business Trip Etiquette
Study natural English with these simple and easy-to-follow English conversations and learn to speak fluent English. Please ask any questions about the video...
Going on a business trip: ESL/EFL Lesson Plan and Worksheet
In this business vocabulary lesson, students will learn words and phrases to talk about business trips. There are exercises on preparing for business trips, reasons to go and ways to talk about a business trip. The lesson ends with a speaking activity for students to talk about their personal experiences of business trips. RATE THIS LESSON.
Travel
ESL Conversation about a Business Trip. Today is the first day of John's business trip. He got up early and took a taxi to the airport. The driver helped him with his luggage when he arrived, so John gave him a tip. At the airport, John went to the check-in desk and checked his luggage. Then, we went through security.
www.skesl.com
We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us.
Business trips: fun or boring?
WARM-UP & VIDEO. The lesson starts with a warm-up activity. Students answer a few general questions and talk about business trips. Then, they look at different activities (e.g. delivering or taking professional training, networking with other professionals, trying local food, etc.) and discuss which things they would find interesting to do on a business trip.
Oxford Language Club
This is the setting for our fictional English business small talk: Jason, Susan, Gesine, Fridtjov and Ben are all at a conference, where they are making new contacts and reconnecting with old ones. 1. Starting a conversation: introducing yourself. Jason:I don't think we've been introduced. I'm Jason. Jason Horn.
Travel English: Vocabulary, phrases & expressions for traveling
Travel is also an amazing reason to improve your English. This was Andrea's goal to help her improve, and she achieved English fluency in 6 months! Want to get some practice speaking English before your vacation? Try a few sessions with a Preply English tutor or discover the Preply business trip English lessons. You can practice all the ...
ESL Taking a Trip Conversation
The first ESL taking a trip conversation exercise is a fill in the blanks task. You need to decide which option (A-D) is the best to fill in each of the gaps in the following conversation. Once you have finished you can click the get score button to see how many you got correct. Situation: Tui wants to book a flight to Bangkok.
35 Great Business Conversation Starters (Plus Tips To Improve)
Show initiative. One of the most effective ways to start and maintain a business conversation is to be the first one to say hello. Often, newcomers are uncertain about how to conduct themselves at industry events, and frequent attendees may instinctively limit their conversations to familiars. Taking the initiative to approach these people can ...
20 do's and don'ts when travelling with the boss
Don't be a nervous traveller. Your boss does not want to look after you on the flight. Do be extra courteous with all the staff you encounter. You might need them to help you if you have any issues during the course of the trip. Don't forget your boss is still your boss. On a long haul flight or train journey don't let the conversation ...
The Rising Dark Side Of Business Travel CEOs Need To Pay ...
Business travel isn't going anywhere anytime soon, as the average business traveler takes roughly 6.8 trips per year, with business travel in the U.S. from domestic and international travelers ...
Politics latest: MSP who could decide Humza Yousaf's fate appears to
Rishi Sunak sits down this Sunday with Trevor Phillips for a wide-ranging interview ahead of the local elections.. With the Rwanda bill becoming law this week and the PM announcing a commitment to ...

Other topics you may be interested in...