Welcoming new colleagues: using modals for offers and requests

B1
90 min
Premium
1

Discuss these questions with a partner before you read the article.

  1. Think about your first day at a new job or school. What was the most difficult or confusing thing for you?
  2. What can a company or a team do to make a new employee feel welcome during their first week?
  3. Imagine a new person is joining your team tomorrow. What is one piece of advice you would give them?
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First Day at Work

Listen to the dialogue. Notice how the vocabulary and grammar from the lesson are used.

3

Answer these questions in your own words. Support your answers with evidence from the article.

01What is Marco's main problem when Emma talks to him?
Sample answerHe is having trouble with his email.
02Who does Emma suggest Marco should talk to for help?
Sample answerShe suggests he should talk to Sarah, who is the 'go-to person' for IT issues.
03What are two things Emma does to make Marco feel welcome?
Sample answerShe offers to help him get up to speed and show him the ropes, and she invites him to lunch with other colleagues.
04Besides being friendly, what is another reason Emma invites Marco to lunch?
Sample answerThe group can tell him about the team-building activity that is happening next week.
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Key vocabulary

Vocabulary
These expressions will help you communicate more naturally about welcoming new colleagues.
Examples
Show someone the ropes — to teach someone how to do a specific job or task.
This is a friendly, informal idiom. You might say to a new colleague: 'Don't worry, I'll show you the ropes.'
Get up to speed — to learn all the current information about a situation or project.
We often use this with 'on'. For example: 'I need to read this report to get up to speed on the project.'
Settle in — to start to feel comfortable and relaxed in a new job or place.
This is a common phrasal verb. You can ask a new colleague, 'How are you settling in?' to see how they are doing.
Go-to person — the first person you should ask for help or information about a specific topic.
This is a useful phrase in the workplace. You might say, 'If you have IT problems, Sarah is the go-to person.'
Team-building activity — an event or exercise designed to help a group work together more effectively.
This is a common business collocation. For example: 'Our company organises a team-building activity every three months.'
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Key terms for starting a new job

Learn some useful words and phrases for when you begin a new role.

Match each term on the left with its correct definition on the right.

Drag or click to match
Definitions
6

Grammar: Modal verbs for requests, offers, and advice

Grammar
In the workplace, we use modal verbs like 'can', 'could', and 'should' to be polite and professional. We use 'can' and 'could' to ask for things or offer help, and 'should' to give friendly advice or suggestions to colleagues.
Examples
Could you show me how to access the shared drive?
Use 'could' to make a request more polite than 'can'.
Can I help you set up your email account?
Use 'can I...?' as a friendly and common way to offer help.
You should introduce yourself to the team during the morning meeting.
Use 'should' to give advice or a suggestion, not a strong command.
Key points
  • Use 'could' for more polite requests than 'can'.
  • Use 'can I...?' to make a friendly offer of help.
  • Use 'should' for giving advice, not for strong orders.
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Find the mistake

Read the sentences about starting a new job.

Each sentence contains one error. Find and correct it.

01You can to ask me if you have any questions about the project.
Corrected version
You can to ask me if you have any questions about the project.
02It takes a few weeks to settle on a new job.
Corrected version
It takes a few weeks to settle on in a new job.
03My manager will show me the strings on my first day.
Corrected version
My manager will show me the strings ropes on my first day.
04Could you showed me where the coffee machine is?
Corrected version
Could you showed show me where the coffee machine is?
05I think Sarah would be a great menter for our new colleague.
Corrected version
I think Sarah would be a great menter mentor for our new colleague.
06The new hire don't know how to use the software yet.
Corrected version
The new hire don't doesn't know how to use the software yet.
07You should to read the company handbook to understand the rules.
Corrected version
You should to read the company handbook to understand the rules.
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Useful phrases: Offering help to a new colleague

Vocabulary
It's a new colleague's first day. Use these phrases to make them feel welcome, offer your help, and include them in the team.
Examples
"It's great to have you on the team." — a warm and friendly welcome.
Register: Neutral/Informal. Use this when you first meet them on their first day. It's a standard, positive opening.
"Let me know if you need anything at all." — a general offer of help.
Register: Neutral. This is a very common and polite way to show you are available to help. You can also say, "Just ask if you need anything."
"Can I give you a hand with that?" — a specific offer of help.
Register: Informal/Neutral. Use this when you see a specific task they might need help with, like setting up their computer or figuring out the printer. Using 'Could I...?' is slightly more formal.
"How are you settling in?" — asking how they are adjusting to the new job.
Register: Neutral. A friendly way to check on them at the end of their first day or after a few days. It's more personal than just asking "How are you?"
"Don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions." — encouraging them to ask for help.
Register: Neutral/Slightly Formal. This phrase is very reassuring for a new person because it makes it clear that asking questions is okay and expected.
"Would you like to join us for lunch?" — a social invitation to help them feel included.
Register: Informal/Neutral. Use this to invite them to a team lunch or coffee break. It's a great way to help them get to know their colleagues socially.
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Complete the sentences with words from the box. One word is extra.

Word bank
01Don't worry about being new, I can show you the and help you learn how everything works here.
02Could you send me the project summary? I need to get up to before the meeting.
03It usually takes a few weeks to in and feel completely comfortable in a new role.
04The company will assign you a who can guide you during your first few months.
05On your first day, you'll attend an session to learn about the company's policies and values.
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Discuss these questions with a partner. Try to use vocabulary from the lesson.

  1. Which is more important for helping a new hire settle in: a very organized first week, or fun team-building activities? Why?
  2. In your country or culture, who is usually responsible for showing a new person the ropes? Do you think it's better to have one official 'go-to person' or for the whole team to help?
  3. Some people think it takes months to really get up to speed in a new job. Do you agree or disagree? What factors can make this process faster or slower?