Working life:

What is your ideal job?

What job would you like to do/have in the future?

What job did you dream of when you were a child?

What is more important for you in a job, job satisfaction or money? (professional development or job security; other aspects – free time, recognition, career opportunities, promotion, variety, trainings)

What factors do you / would you find the most motivating in your future job?

How important do you think networking is in building up a career / business?

Projects:

What makes a project successful?

Do you prefer to lead a project or just be a part of a team?

Why do people volunteer?

What is volunteerism? Who can benefit from volunteerism?

What can you learn/What skills can you gain while working in a volunteer project?

In what ways can businesses be environmentally friendly?

Leisure time:

What is work-life balance?

Why is the issue of work-life balance so popular nowadays?

How could employers ensure that their staff keep the balance b-n work and leisure? How would you define your work-life balance?

What do you think about the ‘long hours’ working culture in Poland?

Services and systems:

What services do you use regularly? What do you like about them?

What are advantages and disadvantages of shopping on-line/ on-line services, e.g. on-line banking?

What are the typical functionalities, benefits or drawbacks of on-line services?

Some companies encourage car-sharing among their employees. What is your opinion of the solution?

Why do companies need customer databases?

Is it a good idea for all businesses to have the on-line option?

Customers:

The customer is always right - do you agree?

How can you make your customer loyal to your company? (customer loyalty)

How would you organise a helpline to answer the needs of your customers?

How can businesses obtain customers’ feedback?

What would you expected to be included in customer service?

What are the typical expectations of a regular customer?

Internal/External customers

Guests and visitors/Business travel:

Why do people travel for business?

Do you like travelling? Why?

What is the difference between travelling for pleasure and for business?

Can you combine business and pleasure?

If you were hosting a foreign visitor, what hospitality would you offer to them?
How often do you have business guests? What forms of entertainment/what hospitality can you offer them?

Do you prefer being a host or a guest?

Would you be prepared to leave your home if your company wanted to relocate you to another country?

What intercultural issues do you need to remember about when travelling for business?

How can you prepare for an Erasmus student exchange?

Security:

What security measures do companies use?

Why should companies upgrade/update their security systems?

Why is security such an important issue for companies/businesses?

Describe some security breaches/security measures.

What security measures are there at the Technical University of Lodz?

What are the advantages/disadvantages of using security cameras/encryption systems?

What can you do to protect your home/house?

Working together:

What are the advantages and disadvantages of working in a team? Are you a team player or do you prefer to work on your own?

What kind of roles do people take while working in a team?

Do you think teamwork is only possible when working face-to-face? How about internet communication?

Would you like to work in a virtual team?

Decisions:

How do businesses approach the decision making process?

Do you personally enjoy having a share in the decision-making process? Why / why not?

Do you find it easy to make decisions?

How do you make decisions at work and at home (in the professional and private context)? Is there are a difference?

The democratic and autocratic decision-making process – what are the advantages and disadvantages?

Innovation:

What are some of the most important / useful inventions of mankind?

Has technology made our lives easier or more difficult?

Which technological innovations are you looking forward to?

Are you innovative / creative?

Which gadget can’t you do without?

Breakdown:

What kind of problems might people encounter while using goods or services?

How can a person make a complaint?

Would you buy goods that are not 100% perfect? Why/ why not?

Which products would you be prepared to buy at a discounted price?

What kinds of breakdown can you think of?

What problems might you expect when buying a second-hand computer/car?

What problems might you expect when buying things online?

Processes:

How would you go about applying for a job?

What’s the most difficult/most important stage of the recruitment process?

What types of processes are characteristic for your field of science?

Describe one of these processes.

Performance / Success:

How do you define success?

What questions would you expect at a performance appraisal meeting?

What are the ways of motivating employees?

What should an appraisal session look like?

How can you assess performance at work?

How would you define a reliable / successful product or service?

Cultural awareness:

How are various nationalities stereotyped?

What cross-cultural problems do companies face when they work with companies from other countries?

What advice would you give to a foreign business person coming to Poland?

What problem / difficulties would you envisage in a multinational team?

Logistics:

What are the typical stages of the logistics / supply chain?

What difficulties can you encounter when placing an order (on the phone, on-line)

What can help in dealing with / processing an order?

Have you ever experienced problems with delivery of goods at home or at work?

Facilities:

How would you describe your ideal place of work?

Which facilities would you most like to have at your workplace?

Which facilities are not so important to you?

What makes an office building a friendly place for employees?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of open-plan office / closed-plan office?