Human resources has a vocabulary of its own, from the wording of job descriptions and contracts to the language of payroll, performance reviews and difficult conversations. HR professionals, managers and employees all rely on these terms, and many international companies in Turkey use them in English every day.
100 terms
10 topics
43 core terms
205 example sentences
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Recruitment & Hiring
recruitment
noun
Meaning
The process of finding, attracting and choosing new people to work for an organisation, from advertising a job to making an offer.
Where you use it
A core HR word, especially in British English. You talk about the recruitment process, a recruitment campaign or a recruitment agency. The verb is recruit: 'We're recruiting two engineers.' In the US, hiring is often used instead.
Examples
Recruitment for the new warehouse starts in March, and we need 40 people by June.
We use a recruitment agency for senior roles because they take longer to fill.
A person who is being considered for a job, for example because they have applied or because a recruiter has contacted them.
Where you use it
Recruiters use it for anyone in the hiring process: strong, ideal or internal candidates. Applicant means someone who has formally applied; candidate is wider and is the usual word once interviews start.
Examples
We've got three strong candidates for the finance role, and I'd like you to meet all of them.
The hiring manager would prefer an internal candidate if possible.
Please let the unsuccessful candidates know by Friday.
A document that explains the purpose of a job, its main duties and responsibilities, and the skills and experience the person needs.
Where you use it
Written by HR and the hiring manager before a job is advertised and often attached to the employment contract. People shorten it to JD. It is also used later in performance reviews and pay decisions.
Examples
Can you update the job description before we post the role? Half of these duties belong to the old team.
Managing suppliers isn't in my job description, but I've been doing it for a year.
Usage note
A job description describes the job; a person specification describes the ideal person for it. UK employers often combine the two.
Common phrases
write a job description · update the job description · detailed job description · in your job description
A job in an organisation that is available because nobody is doing it at the moment, so the company is looking for someone to fill it.
Where you use it
Common in British English and in formal job adverts ('Current vacancies'). You advertise, fill or have a vacancy. In US English, opening or open position is more usual.
Examples
We have two vacancies in the customer service team after the summer.
The vacancy has been open for three months, so we're thinking of using an agency.
Usage note
At a hotel, a vacancy is a free room, so a 'No vacancies' sign means the hotel is full.
Common phrases
fill a vacancy · advertise a vacancy · job vacancy · current vacancies
A formal meeting in which an employer asks a candidate questions to find out whether they are suitable for a job.
Where you use it
Also a verb: HR interviews candidates. Interviews can be face to face, by phone or by video, and there may be several rounds. Recruiters conduct or carry out interviews; candidates have or attend them.
Examples
We're interviewing four people for the role on Thursday afternoon.
Her second interview is with the head of sales.
I've sent you the interview questions for tomorrow's candidates.
Usage note
Because of the Turkish 'mülakat yapmak', learners sometimes say 'make an interview'. Use 'have an interview' for the candidate and 'conduct' or 'hold an interview' for the employer.
Common phrases
conduct an interview · job interview · first-round interview · video interview · interview panel
A formal message from an employer telling a candidate that they have got the job, with the main terms such as pay, start date and job title.
Where you use it
Often given by phone first and then confirmed in an offer letter. HR makes or extends an offer; the candidate accepts, declines or negotiates it. A conditional offer depends on checks such as references.
Examples
We made her a job offer on Monday, and she accepted the next day.
He turned down our job offer because the salary was too low.
The job offer is conditional on a satisfactory background check.
Common phrases
make a job offer · accept a job offer · decline a job offer · conditional job offer · verbal offer
To give someone a job and start employing them. As a noun, a hire is a person who has just been given a job.
Where you use it
The everyday verb for employing people, especially in US English. Companies hire staff, hire for a role, or are 'hiring' (looking for people). The hiring manager is the manager who will lead the new person.
Examples
We hired three developers last quarter and we're still hiring.
The hiring manager wants someone who can start next month.
Usage note
In British English, hire also means paying to use something for a short time (hire a car), which Americans call rent.
Common phrases
hire staff · hire for a role · hiring manager · hiring freeze · new hire
To choose a small group of the best applicants for the next stage, usually an interview. As a noun, it is the list of these people.
Where you use it
Recruiters shortlist candidates after screening CVs. You can be shortlisted or make the shortlist. In American English it is sometimes written as two words, short list.
Examples
We shortlisted six people from over 200 applications.
Can you send me the shortlist before Wednesday's meeting?
Common phrases
shortlist candidates · be shortlisted · make the shortlist · final shortlist
The first stage of checking applicants to see whether they meet the basic requirements for a job, before deciding who to interview.
Where you use it
Recruiters screen CVs and often do a short screening call or phone screen. Screening questions in online applications check things like the right to work or required qualifications.
Examples
After the first screening, only 30 of the 400 applicants were left.
I've booked a 15-minute screening call with each of them for tomorrow.
Contacting a candidate's former managers or other people they name, to confirm their work history and ask about their skills and behaviour.
Where you use it
Usually done at the end of the process, often after a conditional offer. Candidates name their referees. A reference may be short and factual (dates and job title) or a detailed opinion.
Examples
We'll do the reference checks once she accepts the offer.
The reference check confirmed his dates of employment but nothing more.
Usage note
In British English, the person who gives the reference is a referee, not a reference.
Common phrases
carry out reference checks · pass a reference check · reference check form · provide a reference
A check of a candidate's history before they are hired, which can include criminal records, qualifications, identity and previous jobs.
Where you use it
More common in US English; in the UK people also say pre-employment checks. What may be checked depends on the country's law and the job, for example roles working with children or in finance.
Examples
All offers depend on a background check, which usually takes about a week.
The background check showed a gap in his work history that we need to ask about.
Common phrases
run a background check · pass a background check · criminal background check · pre-employment checks
A person whose job is to find and hire new employees, either in a company's own HR team or at a recruitment agency.
Where you use it
An in-house recruiter works for the company; an agency recruiter works for an agency, which is paid a fee. A recruiter who approaches people who are not looking for a job is often called a headhunter.
Examples
A recruiter contacted me on LinkedIn about a role in Amsterdam.
We've hired a second in-house recruiter to cope with all the vacancies.
Software that collects job applications, stores candidate details and follows each person through the stages of the hiring process.
Where you use it
Almost always called an ATS. Recruiters post jobs, move candidates between stages and send emails from it. Many systems can filter CVs by keywords, so job seekers try to make their CVs ATS-friendly.
Examples
Every application goes into our applicant tracking system, even the ones that arrive by email.
We're moving to a new applicant tracking system that connects to our HR software.
Common phrases
use an applicant tracking system · ATS software · ATS-friendly CV · move candidates in the ATS
The long-term work of finding and attracting skilled people to an organisation, including planning future hiring needs and building the employer brand.
Where you use it
Often the name of the team (TA): talent acquisition partner, head of talent acquisition. It sounds more strategic than recruitment, though many people use the two words for the same work.
Examples
Our talent acquisition team is focusing on graduate hiring this autumn.
He leads talent acquisition for the whole of Europe.
Common phrases
talent acquisition team · talent acquisition partner · head of talent acquisition · talent acquisition strategy
An advertisement for a job, published on a company's careers page, job boards or social media, that invites people to apply.
Where you use it
The usual US word; British English also says job advert or job ad. A posting is shorter and more 'selling' than the full job description. You post, publish, close or reopen a posting.
Examples
The job posting got 300 applications in the first week.
Let's take down the job posting once we have enough candidates.
Common phrases
publish a job posting · internal job posting · close a job posting · job advert
The way a company presents itself as a place to work, and the efforts it makes to be seen as an attractive employer.
Where you use it
Used by HR, talent acquisition and marketing teams. It includes careers websites, employee stories on social media and the employee value proposition (EVP), the reasons people should want to work there.
Examples
Our employer branding needs work; most graduates have never heard of us.
The new careers video is part of our employer branding campaign.
The process of welcoming a new employee and helping them settle in, from paperwork and equipment to meeting the team and learning the job.
Where you use it
Onboarding usually lasts weeks or months, not one day. HR talks about an onboarding plan, onboarding checklist or onboarding programme. The verb is onboard: 'We onboarded 20 people in May.'
Examples
Her onboarding plan covers the first 90 days, with a check-in every two weeks.
Good onboarding makes new hires much less likely to leave in their first year.
Common phrases
onboarding process · onboarding plan · onboarding checklist · remote onboarding
The first weeks or months in a new job, when the employer checks that the person is suitable and either side can usually end the contract more easily.
Where you use it
Also called a probationary period, or just probation. In the UK it often lasts three to six months. An employee passes or completes probation, and a manager may extend it if there are concerns.
Examples
Your probation period is six months, and we'll review your progress at the end of month three.
We decided to extend his probation period because he hadn't met his targets yet.
Usage note
In criminal law, probation means supervision in the community instead of prison. In HR, it only means a trial period at work.
Common phrases
pass your probation period · extend the probation period · end of probation review · during the probation period
A short programme for new employees, usually in their first days, that introduces the company, its rules, safety procedures and key people.
Where you use it
The usual British word; Americans often say orientation. Induction is one part of onboarding: it lasts a day or a week, while onboarding can take months. You attend, run or complete an induction.
Examples
Your induction starts at 9:30 on Monday with a tour of the site.
Health and safety is covered on the first day of the induction.
Common phrases
induction day · induction programme · attend an induction · site induction
A meeting or short programme that gives new employees basic information about the company, its policies and how things work.
Where you use it
The usual American word for what the British often call induction, as in new hire orientation or orientation day. Universities also use it for the welcome programme for new students.
Examples
New hire orientation takes place every other Monday at our head office.
During orientation, HR explains benefits, payroll dates and the IT rules.
Common phrases
new hire orientation · orientation day · orientation session · attend orientation
An experienced colleague chosen to help a new employee in their first weeks by answering everyday questions and introducing them to people.
Where you use it
Part of many onboarding programmes (buddy system, onboarding buddy). A buddy is usually not the new person's manager, and the relationship is informal and friendly.
Examples
Your buddy will take you to lunch on your first day and show you around.
We ask every buddy to check in with their new starter at least once a week.
Usage note
In everyday American English, buddy simply means a friend, and it can sound very informal.
Common phrases
onboarding buddy · buddy system · assign a buddy · buddy programme
A legal agreement between an employer and an employee that sets out the job, pay, working hours, holidays and other terms of work.
Where you use it
Also called a contract of employment, especially in the UK. People sign, issue, breach or terminate a contract. Terms and conditions (Ts and Cs) means everything the contract covers.
Examples
Please read your employment contract carefully and return a signed copy by Friday.
Any change to your working hours has to be agreed in writing because it changes your employment contract.
Common phrases
sign an employment contract · terms of the employment contract · breach of contract · terminate an employment contract
A document that explains a company's rules, policies and procedures for employees, such as leave, behaviour, IT use and complaints.
Where you use it
Also called a staff handbook. New employees are asked to read it and sometimes to sign that they have. HR updates it when laws or policies change, and it is often kept on the intranet.
Examples
The sick leave rules are in section 4 of the employee handbook.
We've updated the employee handbook to include the new remote work policy.
Common phrases
read the employee handbook · update the employee handbook · staff handbook · in the handbook
An employment contract with no end date, which continues until the employee leaves or the employer ends it for a lawful reason.
Where you use it
The standard type of contract in the UK and Europe; job ads often say 'permanent, full-time'. In the US, people more often say a full-time role or a regular employee.
Examples
After a year as a contractor, she was offered a permanent contract.
Most of our staff are on permanent contracts, with a few temporary workers in summer.
Usage note
Permanent means the contract has no end date; it does not mean the job is guaranteed for life.
Common phrases
on a permanent contract · permanent position · permanent role · offer a permanent contract
An employment contract that ends on a set date or when a specific project or task is finished, for example to cover someone's maternity leave.
Where you use it
Common for maternity cover, seasonal work and projects. Contracts are renewed or extended. In many countries, repeated fixed-term contracts without a good reason can legally become a permanent one.
Examples
It's a 12-month fixed-term contract to cover Sarah's maternity leave.
His fixed-term contract ends in June, but we hope to extend it.
Common phrases
on a fixed-term contract · renew a fixed-term contract · 12-month fixed-term contract · fixed-term employee
A part of an employment contract that limits an employee from working for a competitor or starting a similar business for a period after leaving.
Where you use it
Also called a non-compete agreement, or a restrictive covenant in the UK. Whether it can be enforced depends on national law and on how long, wide and reasonable it is; some places limit or ban such clauses.
Examples
His contract has a six-month non-compete clause covering the UK and Ireland.
Our lawyers are checking whether the non-compete clause is too broad.
Common phrases
enforce a non-compete clause · six-month non-compete · restrictive covenant · breach of a non-compete
A legal agreement in which a person promises not to share certain private information, such as business plans, client data or salaries, with others.
Where you use it
Very often called an NDA (non-disclosure agreement). New employees, contractors and candidates for senior roles may sign one. Employment contracts also usually include a confidentiality clause.
Examples
All contractors must sign a confidentiality agreement before they get system access.
The confidentiality agreement covers client data even after you leave the company.
Common phrases
sign a confidentiality agreement · confidentiality clause · non-disclosure agreement · breach of confidentiality
A set of rules that explains how employees are expected to behave at work, covering honesty, respect, conflicts of interest and the use of company property.
Where you use it
Employees are usually asked to read and sign it, sometimes every year. A breach of the code of conduct can lead to disciplinary action. Some companies call it a code of ethics.
Examples
Accepting expensive gifts from suppliers is against our code of conduct.
Every January, each employee confirms that they have read the code of conduct.
Common phrases
breach of the code of conduct · sign the code of conduct · company code of conduct · code of ethics
Laws and practices that control how personal information about people, such as employees and candidates, is collected, stored, used and deleted.
Where you use it
HR holds a lot of personal data (contracts, health records, bank details), so data protection matters every day. In the EU the main law is the GDPR, and the UK has its own version. Employees can ask to see the data held about them.
Examples
Under data protection rules, we can't keep unsuccessful candidates' CVs forever.
All HR staff complete data protection training every year.
Common phrases
data protection law · data protection training · data protection policy · subject access request
Following the laws, regulations and internal rules that apply to an organisation, and the work of checking that this happens.
Where you use it
In HR, compliance covers employment law, working time rules, right-to-work checks, health and safety and data protection. People say 'in compliance with' or 'compliant with' a law; large companies have a compliance team.
Examples
We check our contracts every year to ensure compliance with the new rules.
The compliance team asked HR for proof that all staff had completed the training.
Common phrases
ensure compliance · in compliance with · compliance team · compliance training · regulatory compliance
The process of calculating and paying employees' wages, including tax and other deductions; also the list of people a company pays.
Where you use it
Used for the team ('Ask payroll'), the process ('run payroll') and the list ('on the payroll'). Deadlines matter: changes after the payroll cut-off usually go into the next month's pay.
Examples
Overtime claims must reach payroll by the 20th to be paid this month.
We have 180 people on the payroll and about 30 contractors.
The payroll team found an error in two people's tax codes.
Usage note
The document each employee receives is a payslip (UK) or pay stub (US), not a payroll.
Common phrases
run payroll · payroll department · on the payroll · payroll cut-off · payroll system
A fixed amount of money that an employee is paid for their work, agreed as a yearly figure and usually paid every month.
Where you use it
In the UK and US, salaries are usually stated per year and before tax: 'a salary of £40,000'. A wage is normally paid by the hour or week. You earn, negotiate, increase or review a salary.
Examples
The salary for this role is £38,000 to £42,000, depending on experience.
Salaries are paid on the last working day of each month.
Common phrases
annual salary · starting salary · salary review · negotiate a salary · base salary
Things an employee gets from their job in addition to pay, such as health insurance, a pension, meal allowances or extra days off.
Where you use it
Usually plural. Job adverts list a benefits package, and HR often has a compensation and benefits (C&B) team. Smaller extras like free coffee or gym discounts are often called perks.
Examples
Our benefits include private health insurance and a 6% pension contribution.
The salary is lower than in her current job, but the benefits are much better.
Usage note
In the UK, 'benefits' on its own can also mean money from the state for people who are unemployed or on a low income.
The total amount an employee earns before tax, social security and other deductions are taken off.
Where you use it
Shown at the top of a payslip. In the UK and US, the salaries in job ads and contracts are normally gross figures. Also called gross salary or gross earnings.
Examples
Your gross pay this month includes the overtime you worked in March.
The contract states gross pay of €52,000 per year.
Common phrases
gross monthly pay · gross annual salary · gross earnings · gross to net
A document given to an employee each pay period that shows their gross pay, deductions such as tax, and their final net pay.
Where you use it
The British word; in the US it is a pay stub. Payslips are now often online in an HR portal. Employees check them for errors and may need them for a loan or a rental application.
Examples
Your payslip will be available on the portal two days before payday.
I checked my payslip and the bonus wasn't on it.
Common phrases
monthly payslip · check your payslip · online payslip · download a payslip
An amount of money taken from an employee's pay before they receive it, for example income tax, social security, pension or union fees.
Where you use it
Payslips list each deduction separately. Some are statutory (required by law) and some are voluntary, such as extra pension contributions. The verb is deduct: 'Tax is deducted at source.'
Examples
The deduction for the gym membership will start on your next payslip.
There's a deduction on my payslip that I don't recognise.
Usage note
In US tax language, a deduction is also an amount you can subtract from your taxable income, which is a different idea.
An extra payment on top of normal pay, often given for good results, at the end of the year or when someone joins a company.
Where you use it
Types include a performance bonus, annual bonus, sign-on (signing) bonus and retention bonus. Bonuses are often a percentage of salary and linked to company or personal targets.
Examples
The annual bonus is up to 15% of base salary and is paid in March.
We offered a sign-on bonus to make up for the bonus he would lose by leaving.
Money paid regularly to a person after they retire, or the savings plan that employers and employees pay into during working life to provide it.
Where you use it
A key benefit. HR talks about the workplace pension, pension scheme and employer contributions. In the UK most employees are enrolled automatically; in the US a common plan is the 401(k).
Examples
The company pays 5% of your salary into your pension, and you pay 3%.
You can increase your pension contributions through the HR portal.
Usage note
In HR, pension always means retirement money. It is not the Turkish 'pansiyon'; a small family hotel is usually called a guesthouse or B&B.
Common phrases
workplace pension · pension scheme · pension contributions · opt out of the pension · company pension
Everything an employee receives for their work, including salary, bonuses and benefits. It can also mean money paid to someone for a loss or injury.
Where you use it
Mainly American HR language: compensation package, total compensation, comp and ben. British HR often prefers reward or pay and benefits. The context shows whether it means pay or a legal payment.
Examples
Total compensation for the role, including bonus, is around $120,000.
She works in compensation and benefits, so she helps set the salary bands.
Usage note
Turkish speakers often know compensation only as 'tazminat'. In HR job titles such as Compensation Manager, it means pay, not damages.
Common phrases
compensation package · total compensation · compensation and benefits · executive compensation
An increase in the amount of money an employee is paid, for example after a salary review, with a promotion or because of inflation.
Where you use it
British English; Americans say raise. You ask for, get, give or are offered a pay rise. A general increase for everyone is often called a cost-of-living increase or cost-of-living adjustment.
Examples
Everyone will get a 4% pay rise from April.
He asked for a pay rise after taking on two more clients.
Usage note
Common forms are a pay rise (UK), a raise (US) and a salary increase. A promotion means moving to a higher job, which may or may not come with more pay.
Common phrases
ask for a pay rise · get a pay rise · annual pay rise · pay rise of 5%
The lowest and highest salary a company will pay for a particular job or level, used to keep pay fair and consistent.
Where you use it
Also called a pay band, pay range or salary range; in the US, a pay grade. HR places each new hire somewhere in the band depending on experience. In some places the law now requires salary ranges in job ads.
Examples
She's already at the top of her salary band, so a bigger rise would need a promotion.
The salary band for a senior analyst is €55,000 to €68,000.
Common phrases
top of the salary band · pay band · salary range · within the band · band structure
Paid time off work that an employee is entitled to each year for holidays and rest, usually counted in days.
Where you use it
The formal UK term in contracts and policies; in everyday British speech people say holiday. Americans say vacation or PTO (paid time off). You book, take, request or carry over annual leave.
Examples
I've got eight days of annual leave left, so I'm taking a week off in December.
Annual leave requests should be made at least two weeks in advance.
Usage note
You take leave or are on leave; you do not 'make leave'. In this meaning leave is uncountable: 'two weeks of leave', not 'two leaves'.
Common phrases
annual leave entitlement · book annual leave · take annual leave · carry over annual leave
Time off work because you are ill or injured, which may be paid by the employer or the state, depending on the rules.
Where you use it
People are 'on sick leave' or 'off sick'. Policies explain how to report sickness, when a doctor's note is needed and how much sick pay you get. In the UK, a doctor's note is officially called a fit note.
Examples
Mark is on sick leave until next Wednesday, so his interviews have been moved.
If your sick leave lasts more than seven days, you'll need a doctor's note.
Usage note
Do not translate 'rapor almak' as 'take a report'. Say 'I got a doctor's note' or 'I was signed off sick'.
Common phrases
on sick leave · take sick leave · sick leave policy · long-term sick leave · sick pay
The times and the number of hours an employee is expected to work, for example nine to five, or 40 hours a week.
Where you use it
Set out in the employment contract. You hear 'normal working hours', 'core hours' (when everyone must be available) and 'reduced hours'. Hours worked beyond the contract are overtime.
Examples
Our normal working hours are 8:30 to 5:30, Monday to Friday.
She asked to reduce her working hours to four days a week after her return.
Common phrases
normal working hours · outside working hours · reduce working hours · flexible working hours · core hours
Time worked beyond your normal contracted hours, or the extra money paid for that time.
Where you use it
You work, do or are paid overtime. Some contracts pay a higher rate (time and a half, double time); others give time off in lieu (TOIL). Overtime usually needs a manager's approval first.
Examples
We worked a lot of overtime in December to finish the year-end orders.
Overtime is paid at time and a half after 40 hours a week.
Working the full number of hours that is normal for a job, usually around 35 to 40 hours a week.
Where you use it
Written with a hyphen before a noun (a full-time job) and often without one after a verb (she works full time). HR uses FTE, full-time equivalent, to compare part-time and full-time staff.
Examples
This is a full-time, permanent position based in Leeds.
After her parental leave, she went back to full-time work.
Common phrases
full-time job · full-time employee · work full time · full-time equivalent
Working fewer hours than the normal full working week, for example three days a week or only in the mornings.
Where you use it
Same hyphen rule as full-time: a part-time job, but she works part time. Part-time staff usually get pay, leave and benefits pro rata, which means in proportion to their hours.
Examples
He works part time, 20 hours a week, while he finishes his master's degree.
The salary is £30,000 pro rata, so a part-time employee on three days a week gets £18,000.
Common phrases
part-time job · part-time contract · work part time · part-time staff
Time off work that a woman takes before and after having a baby, with the right to return to her job and, in many countries, some pay.
Where you use it
People are 'on maternity leave', or informally 'on maternity'. Policies cover how much notice to give, maternity pay and keeping-in-touch days. The length and rules differ a lot between countries.
Examples
Anna starts her maternity leave in May, and Tom will look after her accounts.
She's back from maternity leave and working four days a week.
Usage note
Maternity cover is the temporary person or arrangement that covers a job while its holder is on maternity leave.
Common phrases
go on maternity leave · return from maternity leave · maternity pay · maternity cover
Time off work that parents can take to look after a baby or young child; it may cover mothers, fathers and adoptive parents.
Where you use it
A broad, gender-neutral term. It can include maternity, paternity, adoption and, in the UK, shared parental leave. How long it lasts and whether it is paid depend on national law and company policy.
Examples
Our parental leave policy gives both parents 16 weeks at full pay.
He's taking three months of parental leave after the baby arrives.
Ways of working that differ from fixed office hours, such as flexible start and finish times, part-time hours, compressed weeks or working from home.
Where you use it
In the UK, employees have a legal right to request flexible working; the employer must consider the request but can refuse it for business reasons. In the US, flextime or flexible work arrangements is more usual.
Examples
She made a flexible working request to start at 7 and finish at 3.
Flexible working is one of the main reasons people say they stay with us.
Common phrases
flexible working request · right to request flexible working · flexible working policy · compressed hours
Doing your job away from the company's office, usually from home, using a computer and the internet to work with colleagues.
Where you use it
Also remote working (UK) and working from home (WFH). A remote-first company is built around it; hybrid work mixes office days and home days. HR writes remote work policies on equipment, hours and security.
Examples
Remote work is possible three days a week for most roles in this team.
Our remote work policy says you must use a company laptop and a secure connection.
Common phrases
remote work policy · fully remote · hybrid work · work remotely · remote-first
Frequent or regular absence from work, especially without a good reason, and the level of such absence in a company.
Where you use it
HR measures the absenteeism rate and looks for patterns, such as frequent Monday absences. Presenteeism is the opposite problem: coming to work while ill or too tired to work well.
Examples
Absenteeism in the warehouse has gone up since we changed the shift pattern.
The report shows an absenteeism rate of 4.5% last year.
A regular meeting in which a manager and an employee discuss how well the employee has done their job, what went well and what to improve.
Where you use it
Often yearly or twice a year, sometimes with a rating. In the UK it is also called an appraisal. Companies talk about the performance review cycle, and many now add short monthly check-ins.
Examples
My performance review is next week, so I'm writing a list of what I achieved this year.
Managers must complete all performance reviews before salary decisions are made in March.
A formal meeting, often once a year, in which a manager reviews an employee's work, gives a rating and agrees goals for the next period.
Where you use it
Common in British English and the public sector; many companies now prefer performance review. Employees often fill in a self-appraisal form first. Outside HR, appraisal also means valuing property.
Examples
My annual appraisal went well, and we agreed three objectives for next year.
Please complete the self-appraisal form before you meet your manager.
Common phrases
annual appraisal · appraisal meeting · self-appraisal · appraisal form · carry out an appraisal
Comments on how well someone has done something, given to help them understand what works and what they could do better.
Where you use it
Managers give, share or ask for feedback, which can be positive, constructive or negative. In HR you also hear feedback culture, and candidate feedback after interviews.
Examples
Can I give you some feedback on yesterday's presentation?
We always send feedback to candidates who reach the final interview.
Usage note
Feedback is uncountable: say 'some feedback' or 'a piece of feedback', not 'feedbacks' or 'a feedback'.
Common phrases
give feedback · constructive feedback · ask for feedback · a piece of feedback · feedback session
A number used to measure how well a person, team or company is reaching an important goal. It stands for key performance indicator.
Where you use it
Used in performance reviews and reports. Typical HR KPIs include time to hire, turnover rate and absence rate. You set, track, meet or miss a KPI; the plural is KPIs.
Examples
One of my KPIs is to reduce time to hire to under 30 days.
The team met all its KPIs except customer satisfaction.
Common phrases
set KPIs · track KPIs · meet a KPI · HR KPIs · KPI dashboard
A specific goal that an employee or team agrees to achieve within a period of time, often used to judge their performance.
Where you use it
Managers and employees set or agree objectives at the start of the year and review them later. Many companies use SMART objectives: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. Some say goals or OKRs.
Examples
Let's agree your objectives for the next six months.
Her main objective this year is to launch the new training programme.
Usage note
As an adjective, objective means fair and not influenced by personal feelings: an objective assessment.
Common phrases
set objectives · agree objectives · SMART objectives · meet an objective · objective setting
A formal written plan for an employee whose work is below the expected standard, setting clear goals, support and a deadline to improve.
Where you use it
Almost always called a PIP. It usually lasts 30 to 90 days, with regular review meetings. Employees are 'put on a PIP'; if things do not improve, it can lead to the disciplinary procedure.
Examples
We've put him on a 60-day performance improvement plan with weekly check-ins.
The performance improvement plan lists three targets she needs to reach by the end of May.
Common phrases
put someone on a performance improvement plan · PIP meeting · complete a PIP · formal improvement plan
A way of reviewing performance in which an employee gets feedback from their manager, colleagues, team members and sometimes clients, not from one person only.
Where you use it
Often anonymous and done through an online survey, especially for managers and on leadership programmes. People also say 360 feedback, or simply 'a 360'.
Examples
All team leaders will go through 360-degree feedback before the leadership course.
His 360-degree feedback showed that his team wants clearer priorities from him.
To do a job less well than expected, or below the standard or targets that were agreed.
Where you use it
A polite, neutral way to talk about poor performance. The noun is underperformance. Managers 'manage underperformance' and speak about an underperforming employee or team.
Examples
He's been underperforming since he moved to the new team, so we're meeting him on Friday.
Underperforming stores will get extra training support this year.
Teaching employees the skills and knowledge they need for their work, through courses, workshops, online modules or learning on the job.
Where you use it
Uncountable: 'some training' or 'a training course', not 'a training' in careful English. You attend, receive, provide or deliver training. Some training is mandatory, such as health and safety or data protection.
Examples
All new managers attend two days of leadership training in their first quarter.
The mandatory fire safety training takes about 30 minutes online.
Usage note
Turkish 'eğitim' covers both education and training. At work, use training for job skills and education for school and university.
Common phrases
training course · mandatory training · on-the-job training · attend training · training budget
The part of HR that plans and organises training, courses and other ways for employees to build their skills and careers.
Where you use it
Usually shortened to L&D: the L&D team, the L&D budget, an L&D manager. It is wider than training and includes coaching, mentoring, e-learning and career development.
Examples
Our learning and development budget covers one external course per person each year.
She moved from recruitment into learning and development last year.
Common phrases
learning and development team · L&D budget · L&D manager · learning and development plan
To teach employees new or better skills, or to learn them yourself, so that you can do your current job better or take on new work.
Where you use it
A modern business word: companies upskill their workforce, and employees upskill in areas like data or AI. Reskill means training people for a different job, often when their old role disappears.
Examples
We want to upskill our customer service team in using the new CRM.
Many employees used the online courses to upskill during the quiet months.
Common phrases
upskill employees · upskill the workforce · upskilling programme · upskill and reskill
A working relationship in which a more experienced person gives advice and support to a less experienced one to help them grow in their career.
Where you use it
Companies run mentoring programmes and match mentors with mentees. Mentoring is usually long term and covers the whole career. In reverse mentoring, a junior employee mentors a senior one, for example on technology.
Examples
Every graduate joins our mentoring programme and meets a mentor once a month.
Mentoring helped her prepare for her first manager role.
Helping an employee improve a particular skill or reach a goal, mainly by asking questions and guiding them to find their own answers.
Where you use it
Usually shorter and more focused than mentoring. Executive coaching is for senior leaders, often with an external coach. Managers are also expected to have coaching conversations with their teams.
Examples
The company offers six coaching sessions to every new director.
Coaching helped him prepare for difficult conversations with his team.
The series of jobs and levels a person can move through in an organisation or profession as they gain skills and experience.
Where you use it
HR designs career paths so employees can see how to get promoted. There may be a management path and a specialist path. Similar phrases: career ladder, career progression, career development.
Examples
We're creating a clear career path for engineers who don't want to manage people.
In the review, we talked about her career path and the skills she needs for a senior role.
Common phrases
clear career path · career path framework · career progression · career ladder
A person who works for a company or organisation under an employment contract and is paid a salary or wage by it.
Where you use it
The standard neutral word in HR documents and policies. Related words: employer (the company), staff (all the employees together) and workforce. Contractors and freelancers are usually not employees.
Examples
All employees must complete the data protection course by the end of the month.
We now have 250 employees across three offices.
Usage note
Do not mix up employee and employer. The ending -ee is the person who receives something (the worker); -er is the one who gives it (the company).
Common phrases
full-time employee · new employee · employee benefits · employee records · former employee
A formal complaint by an employee about how they are treated at work, for example about pay, workload, a manager's behaviour or discrimination.
Where you use it
An employee raises or files a grievance, usually in writing, and the company follows its grievance procedure: a meeting, an investigation, a decision and the right to appeal. Very common in UK HR.
Examples
She raised a formal grievance about the way her shifts were changed without notice.
The grievance meeting is on Tuesday, and he can bring a colleague with him.
Usage note
A grievance is more formal than a complaint because it starts an official process. In general English it can also mean a feeling of being treated unfairly.
Common phrases
raise a grievance · formal grievance · grievance procedure · grievance hearing · uphold a grievance
The formal steps a company follows when an employee is accused of misconduct or poor performance, such as an investigation, a hearing and warnings.
Where you use it
Set out in the employee handbook. Typical stages are a verbal warning, a written warning, a final written warning and dismissal. Very serious cases are called gross misconduct.
Examples
We'll only start the disciplinary procedure after the investigation is finished.
Under our disciplinary procedure, he can appeal against the written warning within five days.
Common phrases
start a disciplinary procedure · disciplinary hearing · disciplinary action · written warning · gross misconduct
How committed and motivated employees feel about their work and their organisation, and how much effort they are willing to put in.
Where you use it
HR measures it with an engagement survey, often once a year, and builds action plans from the results. High engagement is linked with better retention and lower absenteeism.
Examples
Employee engagement scores dropped after the office move.
We're running the employee engagement survey in October this year.
Usage note
In HR, engagement is about commitment to work. In everyday English it can also mean an agreement to get married.
An organisation of workers that represents its members in discussions with employers about pay, working conditions and other rights.
Where you use it
British English; Americans say labor union or just union. HR works with union representatives (reps), and an employer may recognise a union for collective bargaining. Employees join or belong to a union.
Examples
The trade union has asked for a meeting about the new shift rota.
About 60% of our factory staff are trade union members.
Common phrases
join a trade union · trade union representative · trade union membership · recognised trade union
Unwanted behaviour that makes a person feel offended, frightened or humiliated, such as insulting comments, threats or unwanted sexual attention.
Where you use it
A serious HR and legal term. Policies cover sexual harassment and bullying, explain how to report them and state that people who complain must not be punished for it. Employees report harassment or make a complaint.
Examples
All managers must complete harassment training every two years.
She reported harassment by a client, and HR opened an investigation.
Usage note
Both /həˈræsmənt/ (common in the US) and /ˈhærəsmənt/ are correct. What Turkish calls 'mobbing' is usually called workplace bullying in English.
Common phrases
sexual harassment · report harassment · harassment policy · workplace harassment · bullying and harassment
Treating a person unfairly or less well than others because of who they are, for example because of their sex, age, race, religion or disability.
Where you use it
Central to employment law and HR policy. In the UK, the characteristics protected by law are called protected characteristics. Discrimination can be direct or indirect and applies to hiring, pay, promotion and dismissal.
Examples
The policy makes it clear that age discrimination in hiring is not allowed.
He claimed that the decision not to promote him was discrimination.
Common phrases
age discrimination · sex discrimination · indirect discrimination · claim of discrimination · anti-discrimination policy
Policies and practices that aim to employ people from different backgrounds and to make sure everyone feels respected and able to take part at work.
Where you use it
Shortened to D&I; DEI adds equity, and EDI is common in the UK. Companies may have a D&I lead, employee networks and diversity reports. The topic is debated in some countries, and wording and policies vary between employers.
Examples
Our diversity and inclusion report is published every spring.
She leads the diversity and inclusion network for the European offices.
Common phrases
diversity and inclusion policy · D&I strategy · diversity and inclusion training · inclusive workplace
A written agreement between an employer, or a group of employers, and a trade union that sets pay and working conditions for a group of workers.
Where you use it
Also called a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), especially in the US. It is the result of collective bargaining, the negotiations between the union and management. Individual contracts often refer to it.
Examples
The new collective agreement gives warehouse staff a 6% increase over two years.
Overtime rates are set in the collective agreement, not in individual contracts.
Common phrases
sign a collective agreement · negotiate a collective agreement · collective bargaining · covered by a collective agreement
Reporting illegal, dangerous or dishonest activity inside an organisation, such as fraud or safety risks, to managers, regulators or other authorities.
Where you use it
Companies have a whistleblowing policy and often a confidential hotline. The person who reports is a whistleblower. In many countries the law protects whistleblowers from being dismissed or treated badly because they reported.
Examples
You can use the whistleblowing hotline anonymously.
The fraud came to light after a whistleblowing report from the finance team.
Usage note
Whistleblowing is about wrongdoing that affects others or the public; a complaint about how you yourself are treated is usually a grievance.
Common phrases
whistleblowing policy · whistleblowing hotline · protect whistleblowers · make a whistleblowing report
The physical and mental health and general happiness of employees, and the programmes a company offers to support them.
Where you use it
Spelled wellbeing in British English and usually well-being in American English. HR runs wellbeing programmes, such as mental health days, an employee assistance programme (EAP) or exercise classes.
Examples
Our wellbeing budget pays for a free counselling service for all staff.
We added two wellbeing days to everyone's annual leave this year.
The department or function that looks after a company's people: hiring, pay, training, policies and problems at work. It is short for human resources.
Where you use it
Used everywhere at work. People say HR far more often than human resources, and often without 'the': 'Ask HR', 'I'll check with HR'. It also comes before nouns: HR manager, HR policy, HR system.
Examples
You'll need to send your bank details to HR before your first payday.
I've booked a meeting with HR to talk about my parental leave.
Our HR team is only four people, so the managers do most of the interviewing.
Usage note
Some companies now call the department People, People Operations or People & Culture instead of HR.
Common phrases
HR department · HR manager · HR policy · contact HR · HR team
The person you report to directly at work, who gives you tasks, approves your leave and reviews your performance.
Where you use it
A British term used all the time in HR policies: 'Speak to your line manager first.' In the US people say direct manager, supervisor or boss. Line management means managing people directly.
Examples
Holiday requests go to your line manager first and then to HR.
She has line management responsibility for six people in the payroll team.
Common phrases
your line manager · speak to your line manager · line management · report to a line manager
The number of people employed by a company or team, often used when planning budgets and deciding whether new jobs can be created.
Where you use it
Managers ask for, get approval for or freeze headcount. 'We have headcount for two more' means the budget allows two new hires. Compare FTE (full-time equivalent), which counts hours rather than people.
Examples
Finance has approved extra headcount for the support team next year.
Our headcount went from 90 to 140 in eighteen months.
The name of a person's job, such as Payroll Specialist or HR Manager, which shows their role and often their level in the organisation.
Where you use it
Written on contracts, email signatures and the org chart. HR keeps job titles consistent so that similar jobs have similar names and pay. A change of job title often comes with a promotion.
Examples
Her job title changed from HR Assistant to HR Advisor after the review.
Please use the official job title in the offer letter.
Common phrases
official job title · change of job title · job title and grade · senior job title
A diagram that shows how an organisation is structured: its departments, its jobs and who reports to whom.
Where you use it
Short for organisational chart (UK) or organizational chart (US). HR updates it after hires, departures and restructures. People talk about where a role sits on the org chart and about reporting lines.
Examples
According to the org chart, the payroll team reports to the finance director, not to HR.
Can you send the new hires the latest org chart?
Common phrases
company org chart · update the org chart · reporting lines · org chart software
The rate at which employees leave an organisation and have to be replaced, usually shown as a percentage per year.
Where you use it
Also staff turnover, employee turnover or turnover rate. HR separates voluntary turnover (resignations) from involuntary turnover (dismissals). Attrition is a close synonym, common in US companies.
Examples
Staff turnover in our call centre was 35% last year.
High turnover in the first six months often points to a problem with onboarding.
Usage note
In British business English, turnover also means a company's total sales in a period. The context shows which meaning is meant.
An organisation's ability to keep its employees, especially valued ones, and the actions it takes to stop them from leaving.
Where you use it
Also employee retention or staff retention. HR talks about the retention rate, a retention strategy and a retention bonus. The opposite measure is turnover.
Examples
Retention of senior engineers is our biggest challenge this year.
We offered a retention bonus to keep the project team until the launch.
Identifying and preparing employees who could take over important jobs when the people in them leave, retire or are promoted.
Where you use it
Used mainly for leadership and critical roles. HR and senior managers identify successors, often marked as 'ready now' or 'ready in two years', and give them development plans.
Examples
Succession planning showed that nobody was ready to replace the plant manager.
We review succession planning for all director roles once a year.
Common phrases
succession planning process · succession plan · identify successors · talent review
Analysing the staff an organisation has now and the people and skills it will need in the future, then planning how to close the gap.
Where you use it
Done by HR together with finance and business leaders, usually linked to the yearly budget. It covers headcount, skills gaps, hiring plans, training and sometimes restructuring.
Examples
Workforce planning for next year shows we'll need ten more data analysts.
Strategic workforce planning helped us see the skills gap two years early.
Common phrases
strategic workforce planning · workforce plan · skills gap · workforce planning process
An experienced HR professional who works closely with the managers of one part of a business, giving HR advice and supporting its goals.
Where you use it
Shortened to HRBP. An HRBP is the main HR contact for a division such as sales or operations and works with specialist teams for payroll, recruitment and L&D.
Examples
Talk to your HR business partner before you change anyone's role.
She's the HR business partner for the whole logistics division.
Common phrases
senior HR business partner · HRBP model · HRBP for a division · work with your HRBP
The act of telling your employer officially that you are leaving your job, or the letter in which you do this.
Where you use it
You hand in or submit your resignation, and the employer accepts it. A resignation letter states your last working day. HR then confirms the notice period and starts the leaving process. The verb is resign.
Examples
We received two resignations from the sales team this month.
Please send your resignation in writing so we can confirm your last day.
Usage note
The g is pronounced in resignation /ˌrezɪɡˈneɪʃən/ but silent in resign /rɪˈzaɪn/.
Common phrases
hand in your resignation · resignation letter · accept a resignation · voluntary resignation
The amount of time an employee or employer must give between announcing that a job will end and the last day of work.
Where you use it
Stated in the contract, for example one month or three months. You 'work your notice' or 'serve your notice'. If the employer pays you instead of letting you work, it is called pay in lieu of notice.
Examples
My notice period is one month, so my last day will be 30 June.
Senior managers usually have a three-month notice period.
Common phrases
serve your notice period · work your notice · during the notice period · pay in lieu of notice
The ending of an employee's contract by the employer, for example because of misconduct, poor performance or another reason the law allows.
Where you use it
A formal word, used mostly in British HR. The verb is dismiss. In conversation people say fire, or sack in informal British English, while American HR texts often say termination.
Examples
The dismissal was confirmed in writing after the disciplinary hearing.
Gross misconduct can lead to dismissal without notice.
Common phrases
unfair dismissal · summary dismissal · grounds for dismissal · letter of dismissal
The ending of someone's employment because their job is no longer needed, for example after a restructure, a closure or a fall in work.
Where you use it
British English; Americans say layoff. People are 'made redundant', and companies run a redundancy consultation first. The reason is the job, not the person's performance. The payment is often called redundancy pay.
Examples
Twenty people faced redundancy when the Bristol office closed.
The redundancy consultation will last at least 30 days.
Usage note
In everyday English, redundant means 'not needed' (a redundant word). Being made redundant is not a judgement on your work; it means the job has gone.
Common phrases
be made redundant · redundancy pay · voluntary redundancy · redundancy consultation · compulsory redundancy
To end workers' employment because there is not enough work or money, not because of anything they did wrong. The noun is layoff.
Where you use it
Mainly American but widely understood. Companies lay off staff or lay people off, and workers get laid off. Large layoffs often make the news. In older British use it could mean a temporary stop to work without pay.
Examples
The company plans to lay off 200 workers after losing the contract.
There were three rounds of layoffs at my last company.
Usage note
The past tense is laid off, not 'layed off'. The noun is one word (a layoff) and the verb is two (to lay off).
Common phrases
lay off staff · be laid off · mass layoffs · a round of layoffs · temporary layoff
Money an employer pays to an employee whose job has been ended, often based on how long they worked there.
Where you use it
Common in US English; British English often says redundancy pay. A severance package may also include extended benefits or outplacement help. The rules depend on the law, the contract and company policy.
Examples
Employees with more than five years' service will get extra severance pay.
His severance pay was two weeks' salary for every year he had worked there.
Usage note
Turkish 'kıdem tazminatı' is usually translated as severance pay, but it is a specific legal right: it is paid to workers with at least one year of service when the job ends in the ways the law lists. 'Statutory severance pay' describes it more exactly.
Common phrases
severance package · receive severance pay · redundancy pay · pay in lieu of notice
A conversation or survey with an employee who is leaving, to find out why they are going and what the company could do better.
Where you use it
Usually run by HR rather than the line manager, so that people can speak more openly. Exit interview data helps HR understand turnover and improve retention.
Examples
In her exit interview, she said the main reason for leaving was the lack of promotion.
We've moved exit interviews online, and more leavers now complete them.
Common phrases
conduct an exit interview · exit interview questions · exit survey · exit interview data
The process of managing an employee's departure, including final pay, returning equipment, removing system access and handing over work.
Where you use it
The opposite of onboarding. HR uses an offboarding checklist so nothing is forgotten, from the last payslip to the exit interview and the return of the leaver's access card.
Examples
IT is part of offboarding: all accounts are closed on the employee's last day.
A good offboarding process leaves people with a positive view of the company.
Ending an employee's contract without a fair reason or without following a fair procedure, which the employee may be able to challenge legally.
Where you use it
A legal term used especially in the UK, where claims are heard by an employment tribunal. An employee brings a claim for unfair dismissal. In Turkey the related legal process is a reinstatement claim (işe iade davası).
Examples
He won his unfair dismissal claim because the company never gave him a warning.
The tribunal decided it was unfair dismissal, not genuine redundancy.
Usage note
Constructive dismissal is when an employee resigns because the employer's serious breach of contract left them no real choice.
Common phrases
claim for unfair dismissal · unfair dismissal case · employment tribunal · constructive dismissal
To tell your employer formally, usually in writing, that you are going to leave your job, which starts your notice period.
Where you use it
A common British phrase; give notice and put in your notice mean the same, and Americans often say give two weeks' notice. Change the pronoun as needed: she handed in her notice.
Examples
If you hand in your notice today, your last day will be the end of next month.
Did you tell your manager before you handed in your notice?
Usage note
Notice here is not a note or a sign; it means the formal warning that you are leaving.
Common phrases
hand in your notice in writing · give notice · put in your notice · two weeks' notice
The ending of an employment contract, usually by the employer, but in a wider sense for any reason, including resignation or the end of a fixed term.
Where you use it
Formal and common in American HR and legal texts: termination letter, termination date, termination for cause. In speech it usually means the employer ended the job: 'He was terminated.'
Examples
The termination letter states his last working day and final pay.
Termination for gross misconduct can happen without notice.
Common phrases
termination letter · termination date · termination for cause · early termination · mutual termination
Ten questions from this glossary. Pick the right meaning for each term and see your score.
How to learn human resources vocabulary
Read real HR documents in English, such as job descriptions, employee handbooks and the policy pages on company websites, and note the formal phrases that keep coming back.
Keep a list of UK and US pairs (annual leave and vacation, payslip and pay stub, redundancy and layoff, line manager and supervisor) and follow the style of the company you work with.
Learn verbs together with their nouns: raise a grievance, conduct an interview, extend an offer, serve your notice, issue a written warning.
Watch out for words with a second meaning, such as compensation (pay, not only damages), turnover (staff leaving, or a company's sales) and pension (retirement money, not a guesthouse).
Practise neutral, polite wording for sensitive topics like performance, dismissal and complaints, because HR language is careful and formal.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between dismissal, redundancy and a layoff?
Dismissal means the employer ends someone's contract, often because of their conduct or performance. Redundancy (UK) and layoff (US) mean the job itself is no longer needed, for example after a restructure, so the reason is not the person's work. Termination is a wider, formal word for any ending of an employment contract.
How do you say 'kıdem tazminatı', 'ihbar süresi' and 'bordro' in English?
Kıdem tazminatı is usually translated as severance pay, or statutory severance pay to show that it is a legal right. İhbar süresi is the notice period, and ihbar tazminatı is close to pay in lieu of notice. Bordro as a process is payroll, while the document each employee receives is a payslip in the UK and a pay stub in the US.
Is it 'feedback' or 'feedbacks'?
Feedback is uncountable, so it has no plural. Say 'some feedback', 'a lot of feedback' or 'a piece of feedback'. In careful English, the same rule applies to 'training' and 'advice': 'two training courses', not 'two trainings'.
What is the difference between onboarding, induction and orientation?
Onboarding is the whole process of helping a new employee settle in, often over three to six months. Induction (UK) and orientation (US) are the short welcome sessions, usually in the first day or week, and they are one part of onboarding.
Do HR teams in Turkey use English terms?
Yes. Many international and large Turkish companies use words such as onboarding, KPI, HRBP, performance review and wellbeing in everyday HR work, even in Turkish conversations. Knowing both the English term and its Turkish equivalent helps when reading policies, using HR software or working with colleagues abroad.
