UK workplace vocabulary

Understanding the Language of UK Workplaces

If you are an international student, starting work in the UK can mean learning a whole new vocabulary alongside the language itself, and that’s completely normal. Most international students arrive with strong English skills and still find UK workplaces confusing, not because the words are difficult, but because so many of them are used in ways that are unfamiliar.

We’ve put together a clear, straightforward guide that explains the words and phrases you’ll come across, from the moment you open a job advert to your first days at work and beyond. The terms in the guide are grouped by where you will see them, so you can find what you need quickly and decode unfamiliar terms with confidence. 

In this document you will find:

• a simple guide to the terms you’ll come across in UK job adverts, applications, contracts, pay slips, and everyday office life
• the phrases that catch people out most often, such as ‘competitive salary’, ‘pro rata’, ‘OTE’ and ‘right to work’, so you can judge whether a role is worth applying for and whether you’re eligible
• the abbreviations and acronyms you will come across in emails and meetings, from ‘EOC’ and ‘WFH’ to ‘HMRC’ and ‘UKVI’
• guidance on workplace culture and email conventions, so you can tell what is really being said, and what is expected of you

Take your time exploring the guide, you don’t need to read it in order, and you don’t need to adopt any of this vocabulary yourself. Use this guide as a reference to whatever situation you are dealing with, whether that’s understanding a pay slip or preparing for a first team meeting.

Download the UK workplace vocabulary guide (PDF, 242KB)

If you have any questions, the Student Futures team is here to support you.