Stabilising a team after staff changes
CEFR: B2
Read/Listen first
In our factory several technicians have left or moved to other departments, so the level of competence has decreased. We are trying to rebuild the team, document the process step by step, and mentor new hires. When a task looks urgent, managers push for quick fixes, but those rarely last. We need a realistic action plan with ownership, deadlines, and training hours. If we communicate clearly and review performance regularly, the situation should improve within a quarter. We will also capture lessons learned after each incident and share them openly. We will also capture lessons learned after each incident and share them openly. We will also capture lessons learned after each incident and share them openly. We will also capture lessons learned after each incident and share them openly. We will also capture lessons learned after each incident and share them openly.⚡ Learning goals
- Describe staffing problems professionally
- Outline a realistic recovery plan
- Assign ownership and timelines
✨ Key language
- fill a skills gap ““We must fill a skills gap on line A.””
- handover the process ““Please handover the process by Friday.””
- scope a realistic plan ““Let’s scope a realistic plan.””
⚙️ Rules & Grammar — 4 Structures
1 Present perfect continuous for ongoing change
Rule: Use have/has been + -ing to describe change over time.Examples: Competence has been decreasing this year.; We have been training new hires.; Managers have been pushing for quick fixes.
Common pitfall + fix: Using simple past hides ongoing effect — Use PPC to stress duration.
We ______ documenting procedures for months.
Tip: PPC = have been + -ing.
Fill with the best answer: Competence has been ______ in key areas.
Tip: -ing form after ‘been’.
2 Causatives to assign responsibility
Rule: Use have/get something done to delegate tasks.Examples: We had the line audited.; They got the SOP updated.; I will have HR schedule training.
Common pitfall + fix: Overusing passive voice — Prefer causatives to show agency.
I will ______ maintenance inspect the machine.
Tip: Causative ‘have’ + object + V.
Fill with the best answer: They got the procedure ______ yesterday.
Tip: Past participle after ‘got’.
3 Future time clauses
Rule: Use when/as soon as + present to refer to future conditions.Examples: When the mentor arrives, we will start.; As soon as we finish, we will review.; When issues arise, escalate early.
Common pitfall + fix: Using ‘will’ after when — Keep present after time clause.
As soon as the training ______, we will audit.
Tip: Present simple after ‘as soon as’.
Fill with the best answer: When the new hires ____ confidence, quality will rise.
Tip: Base form in clause.
4 Nominalisation for formal tone
Rule: Use nouns like ‘handover’, ‘review’, ‘escalation’ to summarise actions.Examples: A weekly review will track progress.; The handover clarifies ownership.; Early escalation prevents downtime.
Common pitfall + fix: Too many verbs reduce clarity — Use concise nouns where helpful.
‘Escalation’ most nearly means ______.
Tip: Process noun meaning.
Fill with the best answer: Please submit the ______ report by Monday.
Tip: Common nominalisation.
✍️ Vocabulary
competence
Meaning: ability to do something wellSynonyms: skill, capability, proficiency
Chunk/Idiom: build competence
Example: Build competence.
Morphology: noun
Self-practice: List two ways to build competence.
handover
Meaning: formal transfer of knowledgeSynonyms: transfer, pass-on, delivery
Chunk/Idiom: complete a handover
Example: Complete a handover.
Morphology: noun
Self-practice: Write a handover checklist.
SOP
Meaning: standard operating procedureSynonyms: procedure, guideline, playbook
Chunk/Idiom: update the SOP
Example: Update the sop.
Morphology: noun
Self-practice: Draft one SOP title.
downtime
Meaning: period when a system stopsSynonyms: outage, stoppage, break
Chunk/Idiom: reduce downtime
Example: Reduce downtime.
Morphology: noun
Self-practice: Note one cause of downtime.
mentor
Meaning: experienced person who guides anotherSynonyms: coach, adviser, trainer
Chunk/Idiom: assign a mentor
Example: Assign a mentor.
Morphology: noun/verb
Self-practice: Describe a mentor’s first task.
quick fix
Meaning: temporary solution that may failSynonyms: patch, stopgap, workaround
Chunk/Idiom: avoid a quick fix
Example: Avoid a quick fix.
Morphology: noun
Self-practice: Explain why quick fixes fail.
☁️ Examples (+ audio)
Competence has been decreasing this quarter.
We had the line audited last week.
As soon as training finishes, we will review.
A weekly review will track progress.
✏️ Exercises
Grammar
We ______ training operators since May.
Tip: Use PPC for duration.
I will ______ maintenance replace the seal.
Tip: Causative structure.
Fill with the best answer:
When the mentor ______, we will start.Tip: Present simple after ‘when’.
Fill with the best answer:
Please send the weekly ______ by noon.Tip: Nominalisation fits.
Vocabulary & Comprehension
What is an SOP?
Tip: Definition.
‘Downtime’ means a period of ______.
Tip: Opposite of uptime.
Fill with the best answer:
Assign a ______ to each new hire.Tip: Common onboarding step.
Fill with the best answer:
Avoid a quick ______ on safety issues.Tip: Collocation.
✅ Guided practice
Mini-dialogue:
A: What’s our plan to reduce downtime?B: We’ll document the SOP and assign mentors.
Great, and we’ll review progress every Friday.
Why this matters:
Clear roles reduce risk. Documentation protects quality. Regular reviews sustain change.Verb & Adjective Pack:
stabilise — “Stabilise the line before scaling.”escalate — “Escalate early if a risk appears.”
standardise — “Standardise the setup steps.”
Try & compare:
Fill with the best answer: As soon as the audit ____ , we will publish actions.
Tip: Present simple after ‘as soon as’.
Self-correction: Fix the sentence: We have update the procedure.
Tip: Present perfect form.
Practice aloud: Listen, repeat, then type the sentence.
Assign a mentor and complete the handover checklist.
Tip: Chunk the two actions clearly.