My sublime padlet by Elaine Horton

"bumbling manager"

2024-10-15 01:53:04 UTC

The term "bumbling" connotes clumsiness and incompetence. It suggests that the manager is inefficient and disorganized, evoking an image of someone who consistently makes mistakes, which adds to the humor in the sitcom context but also highlights workplace inefficiencies.

"show that they're hard workers by staying late"

2024-10-15 01:56:36 UTC

The idea that employees "show that they're hard workers by staying late" connotes a culture that values appearances over actual productivity. It implies that simply being present at work for long hours is often mistaken for meaningful contribution, even though it may not correlate with higher performance.

"Long" used repetitively

2024-10-15 01:58:00 UTC

"Long"

The author strategically uses the word "long" when referring to the hours and days that people work. This acts as a constant reminder of how we as a society are working, while emphasising it for the reader.

"Punishing cycle"

2024-10-15 02:00:29 UTC

Smith refers to the current working hours and routine as a "punishing cycle" that workers are forced to endure. His choice of words in punishing draws audience's connotations of torture and suffering. This invites them to consider all the negative aspects of their current working situations, and consider how exhausting the monotonous nature of it all can be. He describes that the cycle "begins again" each day, suggesting that there is no end in sight, and that this is something they will be enduring for a long time into the future.

'Slacker'

2024-10-15 02:02:36 UTC

Noah Smith insights his third argument to readers by relating back to his initial introduction, with 'Employees ... staying late at the office' while providing a classic example of why an employee feels pressured to stay late at the office, to avoid stigma and judgement of not pulling your own weight, and being deemed a 'slacker'. This is an insight to older ideals, influencing social signals within the workforce, that only brute work and time consumption is seen at contributing to the company, and the idea of working smart and saving time is overlooked.

Cate

"Hapless Employees"

2024-10-15 02:02:39 UTC

The phrase "Hapless Employees" connotates the unluckiness of their situation with their incompetent manager who constantly prevents them from doing their work efficiently. This suggests that the employees would be better off with anything else than be in this situation they are currently in to be able to be more productive.

'Long hours cause fatigue"

2024-10-15 02:06:23 UTC

"long hours cause fatigue, both physical and mental. The fatigue affects not just the last hours of a workday, but all the hours of the next day." This implies the draining within each worker and the lack of motivation they have when working these long hours. This describes the greater long term effects to other aspects of health and wellbeing including mental and physical as the main two. This creates negative self thought and also realisation to the readers that they are working longer hours than needed.

Sophie and Lucia

Statistics

2024-10-15 02:06:50 UTC

Smith argues that companies whom work shorter hours overall produce better results. Using statistical evidence from a big corporation that trialed the four day work week system, an appeal to logos is created as Smith voices,' Microsoft's sales per employee soared by 40 per cent from the previous year'. By using expressive language such as 'soar' and 'astonishingly', Smith emphasises his contention to the audience that even though the employees were working shorter hours overall, they were more productive in producing results. Furthermore, by using statistics the reader's can grasp the factuality of Smiths' argument.

- Gabriela

"consistently manages" ... "most profitable"

2024-10-15 02:07:32 UTC

The use of the term "consistently manages" by Smith indicates how the office workers are constantly working hard, even if they are barely managing to do so, but they still get it done. This imprints the idea that most is achievable and attainable to get done. Furthermore, Smith reflects on how the branch is the most profitable, therefore although they may engage in antics, their spirit and sense of fun allows the to be extremely productive.

Lily

"punishing" "drags"

2024-10-15 04:31:05 UTC

Smith employs language such as "punishing" and "drags" to position audiences to connect the 9-5 work day to negative ideas. By using negative language, readers immediately link the longer work day with pain and tirelessness to set up audiences to agree with Smiths contention that a shorter work day or week is beneficial for all workers.