Phrasal Verbs at Work: Human Resources

We’re back with another fun blog post about Business English with a focus on phrasal verbs. Phrasal verbs are essential to achieving English fluency. They are key to anything ranging from basic listening comprehension to increasing likelihood for success in high-level negotiations.

English learners can benefit immensely from a mastery of phrasal verbs to boost their performance in meetings, and engage in everyday conversations. Always keep in mind that there is a difference between simply speaking English and speaking like the English speakers around you, using idioms and phrasal verbs, for example, but also cultural references. 

Now let’s get down to business. Once again, we will work on perfecting phrasal verbs by studying them in context. Today, we will look into (= learn more about) how we can use phrasal verbs when talking about Human Resources.  As an English coach and teacher, I always teach my clients and students that one strategy to conquer phrasal verbs is to keep a positive attitude and to embrace phrasal verbs as an integral part of English, a key to mastering the language, and, last but not least, your best friends on the road to English fluency.

Now let’s imagine you are working in Human Resources for a big real estate company looking to (= wanting to) bring in (= add someone to the team who brings a certain expertise to the table) someone who specializes in the cultural aspects of marketing to head up (= become the boss of) the Communications department. You are looking for (=searching for) someone to build up (= expand) the company’s Communications department by cutting back on (= decreasing) more traditional departments like accounting and contracting out (= hiring outside consultants) for non-core (= non-essential) services. The new person coming in (= arriving) will be expected to set up (= organize/get ready) a strong cultural marketing team, take on (= assume) responsibility for  measurable marketing outcomes (= results), and deal with (= manage) issues that may come up (= arise).

Now let’s also look at the literal meaning of some of the phrasal verbs above. Remember that most phrasal verbs have a literal and an idiomatic meaning whereas the literal meaning can tell you a lot about the use of the phrasal verb in an idiomatic context:

To bring in: Can you bring in the pillows from the porch? It is about to rain.

To build up: Lots of calcium has built up in this rock over time.
Can you build this shelf up to the ceiling? I think we should take advantage of the tall ceilings we have in our apartment.

To come in: Come in! The door is open.

To set up: I really like how you have set up (= arranged the furniture and decorated) your apartment.

Extra note: I always teach my clients about the image a word conjures up (=creates) in a listener’s mind. For example, “to build up” has a positive connotation. You can use it to:

To build up strength (= increase)

To build up a company (= build with an emphasis on the action of building something, expand)

To build up energy (= increase)