What Is WorkWise? & Ottawa City Council – Employee Code of Conduct - IELTS Reading Answers & Explanations
From Official IELTS Practice Materials General Training Reading Test 2 · Part 2 · Questions 15–27
Reading Passage
Read the text below and answer Questions 15-20.
What is WorkWise?
WorkWise is a three-year programme which we are about to introduce throughout the company, to give staff different working choices, while at the same time allowing us to reduce expenditure.
WorkWise will become our usual way of working, helping us to make better use of our time, space and technology.
Time
WorkWise provides a range of alternatives. Opportunities for home working, for example, help employees to improve their work/life balance and reduce their travel time and costs.
Space
By making sure all our desks are fully used, through flexi-desking (shared desks), and designing workspaces to support different workstyles, we can rationalise the office accommodation we require and reduce its cost by 20%.
Technology
We will develop our existing technology and implement solutions to enable staff to work flexibly at any of our offices around the country.
WorkWise - what it means for you
You and your team will have a space where you generally work, where visitors can find you, where your post comes to and is collected from and where your possessions are located.
Your team's workspace will reflect realistic desk occupancy levels and how flexibly your team can work. WorkWise is looking to achieve an average team space of seven desks for every ten employees. Understandably some teams will require more, but we know others can work effectively with fewer.
Once your team has been 'WorkWised', you might not have a specific desk allocated to you, and so you will work flexibly by using any available desk. This could be in your team workspace or in another team space. It really will be that flexible. People who no longer have a specific desk will be provided with a portable container to keep their belongings in.
Training
There will be a number of WorkWise training sessions in May:
Venues / Dates
Carter House: 9 May 9.30am - 12.30pm
MacDougall House: 10 May 1.30pm - 4.30pm
If you would like to attend one of these courses, prior booking is essential. Please use the eForm which can be accessed below, complete it and email it to the helpdesk. You will require approval from your manager, and a budget code, which can be obtained by going to the Finance Office.
Once the helpdesk has all the relevant information, you will receive confirmation by email. Please print that out and take it with you to the training session.
______________
Read the text below and answer Questions 21-27.
Ottawa City Council - Employee Code of Conduct
Conflict of interest: definition
A conflict of interest occurs when, while carrying out his/her duties, an employee of the City is required to deal with a matter in which he/she has a direct or indirect interest.
A direct interest can occur when an employee may gain, or appear to gain, some financial or personal benefit, or avoid financial or personal loss.
An indirect interest may arise when the potential benefit or loss would be experienced by another person or organisation having a relationship with the employee. This could be a friend or family member, or a business in which the employee has acquired shares.
These benefits, losses, interests and relationships are generally – but not necessarily – financial in nature. A conflict of interest arises when an employee's activities could benefit a personal interest to the disadvantage of the City's interests. Any behaviour which is, or could be seen as, a conflict of interest is prohibited, and the employee will face disciplinary proceedings.
Examples of conflicts of interest
Examples of potential conflicts of interest include the following:
• Buying property or goods from the City
An employee may only submit an offer to purchase City property or goods when these are being sold at public auction. However, employees are not permitted to take part in the public auction of vehicles sold by the City.
• Choice of suppliers
The choice of suppliers of goods and services to the City must be based on competitive considerations of quality, price, service and benefit to the City. Contracts will be awarded in a fair and legal manner. The City's policies and established procedure for selecting suppliers must be followed. It is forbidden for an employee to use his/her knowledge to influence this process for direct or indirect personal gain.
Breach of the Code of Conduct
Any employee who believes he/she or another employee is not acting in accordance with this Code of Conduct must report the matter. The procedure for disclosing a breach (or potential breach) is described in the relevant section of the Code.
Post-employment conflict of interest
After ceasing to be employed by the City, employees are not permitted to act in such a way as to benefit improperly from their previous employment.
Questions
Questions 15–20 Note Completion
Complete the notes below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the text for each answer.
WorkWise scheme
Introduction
- staff can save time and money by choosing the option of 15
- WorkWise will reduce the company's expenditure on office accommodation
- the company will build on its 16 to allow staff to work in a variety of locations
Team workspace
- where staff can meet any visitors
- staff without own desk will be given a storage container for their possessions, which is 17
Booking training
- complete booking form
- get authorisation and a 18
- send form to the 19
- take the email giving 20 to training session
Questions 21–27 Sentence Completion
Complete the sentences below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the text for each answer.
- An indirect interest may occur when an employee's actions affect a company in which he/she owns 21.
- Personal benefits arising from a conflict of interest are usually, though not always, 22 ones.
- 23 action may be taken against an employee acting in a way that creates a conflict of interest.
- Employees are not allowed to buy 24 of any kind from the City, even at public auction.
- When choosing suppliers, employees must follow the 25 and standard procedure of the City.
- Employees must report any 26 of the Code.
- Employees must not take improper advantage of their past 27 with the City when they have left.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q15 | home working | Opportunities for home working, for example, help employees to improve their work/life balance and reduce their travel time and costs | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that working from home allows workers to lower their travel time and travel expenses. Answer Explanation: The answer means doing your job from your house instead of traveling to an office. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'home working' because the passage explains that this option helps staff spend less time traveling and save money. In the notes, 'save time and money' matches the passage's phrase 'reduce their travel time and costs'. |
| Q16 | existing technology / technology | We will develop our existing technology and implement solutions to enable staff to work flexibly at any of our offices around the country | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that the company will build on its current technology so that employees can work easily across various office locations. Answer Explanation: The answer means the tools, computers, or digital systems that the company already uses. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is '(existing) technology' because the text explains that the company will improve and expand ('develop') what it already uses ('existing technology') to allow employees to work in different places ('work flexibly at any of our offices around the country'). |
| Q17 | portable | People who no longer have a specific desk will be provided with a portable container to keep their belongings in | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that employees who do not have a assigned desk will receive a container that is easy to move around so they can store their personal items. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the box or holder given to workers to keep their items can be easily moved or carried around. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'portable' because the text explains that staff without a fixed desk will get a movable container to hold their personal items. Here, 'belongings' is a synonym for 'possessions', and 'provided with' means 'given'. |
| Q18 | budget code | You will require approval from your manager, and a budget code, which can be obtained by going to the Finance Office | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that to sign up for training, an employee must get permission from their boss as well as a budget code. Answer Explanation: The answer means a special code used by a company to track spending and payments. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'budget code' because the text states that to book a training course, an employee needs approval (authorisation) from their manager along with a budget code from the Finance Office. |
| Q19 | helpdesk | Please use the eForm which can be accessed below, complete it and email it to the helpdesk | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage tells employees to fill out an online form to sign up for training and send that form in an email to the helpdesk. Answer Explanation: The answer means the office or team that receives emails and helps workers with technical or administrative questions. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'helpdesk' because the passage instructs employees to complete an online booking form (eForm) for training and send (email) it to the helpdesk. Keywords like 'send form' match 'complete it and email it', and 'to the' points directly to 'helpdesk'. |
| Q20 | confirmation | Once the helpdesk has all the relevant information, you will receive confirmation by email. Please print that out and take it with you to the training session | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that once the helpdesk receives your information, an email giving confirmation will be sent to you. You must print that email and take it to your training class. Answer Explanation: The answer means an official email message that proves or states that your booking is complete. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'confirmation' because the text explains what you need to bring to the training session. It states that after sending all your details to the helpdesk, you will get a 'confirmation by email'. You are instructed to print this email out and bring ('take') it to the training session. |
| Q21 | shares | An indirect interest may arise when the potential benefit or loss would be experienced by another person or organisation having a relationship with the employee. This could be a friend or family member, or a business in which the employee has acquired shares | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that an indirect interest can happen when a benefit or loss affects someone connected to an employee, such as a company where the employee has acquired shares. Answer Explanation: The answer means equal units of ownership in a business or company. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "shares" because the text explains that an indirect interest happens when a benefit or loss affects a related person or organization. The passage specifically mentions that this can be a business where the employee has gotten or owned "shares". |
| Q22 | financial | These benefits, losses, interests and relationships are generally – but not necessarily – financial in nature | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that these personal gains, losses, or connections are usually about money, though they do not have to be. Answer Explanation: The answer means related to money. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "financial" because the text explains that benefits or interests related to a conflict of interest are usually ("generally") money-related ("financial"), even if that is not always the case ("not necessarily"). |
| Q23 | Disciplinary | Any behaviour which is, or could be seen as, a conflict of interest is prohibited, and the employee will face disciplinary proceedings | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that doing anything that creates a conflict of interest is forbidden, and an employee who does this will face disciplinary actions. Answer Explanation: The answer means rule-enforcing or punishing actions taken by an employer when a worker breaks company rules. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'Disciplinary' because the text states that any behavior causing or appearing to cause a conflict of interest is not allowed, and the worker will face 'disciplinary proceedings' (official actions taken to deal with bad behavior). |
| Q24 | vehicles | However, employees are not permitted to take part in the public auction of vehicles sold by the City | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that workers are not allowed to buy any vehicles when the City sells them at a public auction. Answer Explanation: The answer means cars, trucks, or other transport machines owned and sold by the city. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'vehicles' because the passage states that employees cannot join the public auction when the City sells vehicles. In the sentence, 'not allowed to buy' matches 'not permitted to take part in the public auction of'. Therefore, 'vehicles' is the exact word needed to fill in the blank. |
| Q25 | policies | The City's policies and established procedure for selecting suppliers must be followed | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that workers must follow the City's official rules and set procedures when choosing suppliers. Answer Explanation: The answer "policies" means official rules or guidelines created by an organization. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "policies" because the section on choosing suppliers states what employees must follow. The passage says that "The City's policies and established procedure for selecting suppliers must be followed." In the sentence, "established procedure" matches "standard procedure", meaning the missing word paired with it is "policies". |
| Q26 | breach | The procedure for disclosing a breach (or potential breach) is described in the relevant section of the Code | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that there is a set way to report or share information about breaking a rule (a breach) or almost breaking a rule in the rules guide (the Code). Answer Explanation: The answer "breach" means an act of breaking or not following a rule or code of behavior. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "breach" because the text explains that employees are required to report any situation where an employee breaks the Code of Conduct rules. The passage uses the phrase "disclosing a breach" to describe telling someone when a rule has been broken. |
| Q27 | employment | After ceasing to be employed by the City, employees are not permitted to act in such a way as to benefit improperly from their previous employment | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that after employees stop working for the City, they are not allowed to use their past work to get unfair benefits. Answer Explanation: The answer means having a job or working for an organization. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'employment' because the text explains what happens after workers leave their job ('ceasing to be employed'). It states that workers must not act in a way that allows them to get unfair advantages ('benefit improperly') from their 'previous employment' (which matches 'past employment'). |