Workplace Terminology

noun A small restaurant or cafeteria, especially one in a military or school setting

• The employees gathered in the canteen for their lunch break.
• Let's grab a bite to eat at the canteen.
• I heard the canteen has some bomb food.
• The canteen of ideas was overflowing with creativity.

noun A person who is in the same class as another student

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• My classmate and I are working on a group project together for our history class.
• I'm meeting up with my classmate after school to study for the math test.
• My classmate is super chill, we always have a good time in class together.
• My classmate is like a ray of sunshine in our otherwise dull class.

noun A person with whom one works, typically in a profession or business.

• I will discuss this matter with my colleague before making a decision.
• I'll ask my colleague about it and let you know.
• I'll check with my work buddy before deciding.
• My colleague is my right-hand person when it comes to solving problems.

verb a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence

• I am currently doing research for my thesis.
• What are you doing this weekend?
• I'm just doing my thing, you know?
• She's doing her best to cope with the situation.

noun a person employed for wages or salary, especially at a non-executive level

adjective relating to or characteristic of an employee

• The employee was commended for their dedication to the project.
• The employee got a raise for their hard work.
• That employee is a real go-getter.
• The employee was the backbone of the team.

noun a person whose job is to do various small and usually boring jobs for other people

• The gofer was responsible for running errands and assisting with administrative tasks in the office.
• I asked the gofer to grab me a coffee while they were out.
• The gofer is always the one who gets stuck with all the grunt work.
• In this company, the new interns are treated like gofers, doing all the menial tasks for the senior staff.

noun a period of time equal to a twenty-fourth part of a day and night and divided into 60 minutes

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• The meeting will last for one hour.
• I'll be there in an hour, don't worry.
• Let's hang out for a couple of hours.
• She waited for what seemed like hours for his reply.

noun the possession, use, or settlement of land or property

• Her occupation as a lawyer requires a deep understanding of the law.
• His occupation is a teacher, he loves working with kids.
• I'm just a barista, it's not my dream occupation but it pays the bills.
• Writing has become my occupation, it's where I find my purpose and fulfillment.

noun a room, set of rooms, or building used as a place for commercial, professional, or bureaucratic work

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• The office building is located in the heart of the business district.
• I'll meet you at the office later for a quick chat.
• Let's ditch the office and go grab some lunch instead.
• His mind was like a cluttered office, filled with thoughts and ideas waiting to be organized.

noun a person's work, especially a specific task done as part of the routine of one's occupation or for an agreed price

preposition a word governing, and usually preceding, a noun or pronoun and expressing a relation to another word or element in the clause

article a particular item or object, typically one of a specified type

• It is important to always maintain professionalism on the job.
• Just make sure to do your best on the job, and you'll be fine.
• I always give 110% on the job to impress my boss.
• Being a team player on the job can really help with overall success.

noun a type of job that requires advanced education or training

• She chose to pursue a profession in law after completing her studies.
• He's been in the teaching profession for over 20 years.
• I'm thinking about switching up my profession and trying something new.
• Cooking is her profession, but painting is her true passion.

noun a formal statement or document stating that one gives up a position or office

• The CEO submitted his resignation letter to the board of directors.
• She decided to quit her job and handed in her resignation.
• He threw in the towel and handed over his resignation.
• The artist's resignation to the fact that his masterpiece was lost forever was evident in his somber expression.

noun a group of people who work for an organization or business

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• The staff at the hotel were very professional and attentive to our needs.
• The staff at the restaurant were super friendly and made our dining experience enjoyable.
• The staff at the store were chill and helped me find what I was looking for.
• The staff of the company are the backbone of our success.

noun a card used to record an employee's working hours

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• Employees are required to submit their timecard at the end of each pay period.
• Don't forget to fill out your timecard before you leave for the weekend.
• I totally forgot to punch in on my timecard yesterday.
• Keeping track of your daily activities is like filling out a mental timecard.

noun a place of employment or activity

verb to perform tasks or duties for a living

preposition used to indicate the location or setting of an action or activity

• She works at a prestigious law firm in the city.
• I work at the coffee shop down the street.
• He works at that cool tech startup everyone is talking about.
• Learning to let go of control and work at being present in the moment is a valuable skill.

noun a task or activity that involves physical or mental effort

verb to perform a task or activity that involves physical or mental effort

• The team is diligently working on the project to meet the deadline.
• I have to finish my work before I can go out with friends.
• I'm hustling to get this work done before the boss comes back.
• Success is the result of hard work and dedication.

noun a person who works, especially one who is employed in a specific occupation or activity

• The worker diligently completed all tasks assigned to him by the supervisor.
• The worker busted his butt to get everything done on time.
• That worker is a real go-getter, always hustling to get the job done.
• The worker is the backbone of the company, keeping everything running smoothly.

noun A cog is a toothed wheel or bar that engages with another toothed part to transmit motion in a machine.

preposition In this phrase, 'in' is a preposition that shows the relationship between 'cog' and 'machine'.

article The articles 'a' and 'the' are used before 'cog' and 'machine' to indicate that they are singular nouns.

• As a low-level employee, I often feel like just a cog in the machine of this large corporation.
• At work, I sometimes feel like I'm just a cog in the machine, doing the same tasks every day.
• I hate feeling like I'm just a cog in the machine at my job, doing the same thing over and over.
• In the grand scheme of things, we are all just cogs in the machine of society, playing our roles.

noun a person who works with another person in a specific job or task

• I appreciate the dedication of my fellow-worker in completing the project on time.
• My fellow-worker and I are planning to grab lunch together later.
• Me and my fellow-worker are tight, we always have each other's backs.
• In the journey of life, our fellow-workers are like the stars that guide us along the way.

noun A structure or enclosure, typically made of metal bars, that is covered in a thin layer of gold or gold-colored material.

• She lived in a gilded cage, surrounded by luxury but unable to experience true freedom.
• Living in that fancy mansion may seem great, but it's like being in a gilded cage.
• The rich and famous may have all the money in the world, but they're still stuck in a gilded cage.
• The high-paying job came with a lot of restrictions, making it feel like a gilded cage.

noun a person who is considered to be a small or unimportant part of a larger organization or group

• The office plankton diligently worked on their tasks in the cubicles.
• The office plankton were all busy bees today, buzzing around their desks.
• The office plankton were just grinding away at their work, like worker ants.
• In the sea of corporate life, the office plankton swim tirelessly to survive.