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BUSINESS ENGLISH · BUSINESS ISSUES · UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

CLICKWORKERS

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1 Warm up

In pairs, read the definition and answer the questions.

clickworker (n) - a person who works online on a paid-per-task basis. The

tasks can vary widely, including research, data logging, and writing content.

1. Have you, or anyone you know, worked as a clickworker? If so, what was the experience like? If
not, is it something you would consider? Why/Why not?
2. What do you think could be the positive points of being a clickworker?
3. What do you think the negatives of clickwork could be?

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2 Scanning for vocabulary

Part A: Scan the text about clickworkers (page three) and find vocabulary which has the same meaning
as the following definitions.

1. (v, para. 1): increase in size or amount

2. (n, para. 1): the ability to use computer technology to find, communicate and
evaluate information
3. (n, para. 1): a person who writes computer programs

4. (n, para. 2): a computer program that does automatic tasks using the internet

5. (v, para. 2): repeat information that has been read or heard without having
an understanding of what it really means
6. (n, para. 4): a non-financial benefit of working for a particular company

7. (n, para. 4): someone who performs a service for a business for a particular
length of time

Part B: Skim the text again and choose the best word A-C to complete gaps 1-10.

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A) The tech industry has mushroomed, changing not just the way we work, but the type of work we
1
do. Huge sums of money have been made systems that make our lives easier, creating
household names from companies such as Apple, Microsoft and Google. A high level of digital literacy
is required from anyone wishing to be successful in the modern-day world of business and we’re now
dependent on people with job titles such as coder, and tech engineer. However, the tech industry
2
creates a large number of tasks that do not require specialist knowledge to perform,
but are nonetheless necessary. This is where clickworkers come in.

B) Take for example the recent development of bots such as ChatGPT. This is a program which can
3
source information from the internet using AI to answer almost any question fed to it.
this has many uses, there is a large amount of information on the internet and a lot of it is not suitable
as it contains hate speech, violence and pornographic material. Therefore, someone has to go through
4
sources of information and identify any information that may not be appropriate so
that it is not regurgitated to users. This is the type of task that may be asked of a clickworker.

C) The term is used broadly and can be applied to a number of tasks, not all of them unpleasant although
they can be repetitive. Data entry and categorising images are just some examples. Clickworkers are
5
paid per task rather than for a job, meaning they are able to take on as much or as work
as they like. You’re able to log on when you are free, making it a good choice for students, parents and
6
others. With no office needed and no commute , it’s an attractive option for many.

D) On the negative side, the pay is not high. A survey of clickworkers in the UK found that 66% of them
7
were earning less than £4.00 per hour. By , the minimum wage for workers under 18
is £5.28 which rises to £10.42 per hour for those over 23 years of age. As they are signing up for tasks,
clickworkers don’t usually know with any kind of accuracy how long the task will take them. This leads
8
to their income considerably. To add to this, there are no perks or pensions and there
is little in the way of support. Similar to jobs driving for Uber and Lyft, or delivering food for the variety
9
of apps available, users are set up as independent contractors and so are essentially
for themselves. This means the companies can avoid providing the benefits of traditional work.

E) Just as the Industrial Age bought us major advances and an increasingly comfortable way of living,
10
so is the Digital Age. But , many suffered working in factories for long hours for very
little money as industrialisation spread. Is history repeating itself?

Sources: Wikipedia, Computer Weekly

1. a. creating b. creates c. creation
2. a. also b. as well c. too
3. a. While b. During c. When
4. a. potentially b. potent c. potential
5. a. little b. tiny c. small
6. a. necessary b. unnecessary c. necessarily
7. a. comparative b. comparison c. compares
8. a. varying b. varies c. varied
9. a. works b. work c. working
10. a. equally b. same c. like

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3 Reading comprehension

Decide which paragraphs 1-5 the following information can be found in.

1. The lowest amount that a 25-year-old worker in the UK could expect to be paid.

2. Companies have revolutionised the way we work.

3. Reasons why people may choose to do clickwork.

4. A comparison of clickwork to a way of working that has been around for a long time.

5. The type of tasks clickworkers could expect to do.

6. A similarity between clickwork and jobs which rely on using phone applications.

7. A darker element to software which uses artificial intelligence.

4 Focus on vocabulary

Part A: Complete the following vocabulary with the missing vowels (a,e,i,o,u).

1. m_nd_n_ (adj.) - lacking any excitement or interest

2. _ntr_ns_c_lly (adv.) - in a manner that is part of the essence of something
3. c_ _ _ r_ _r (n) - a person whose job is to deliver important packages or parcels
4. fl_x_b_l_ty (n) - the quality of being able to change according to the needs of the situation
5. _xpl_ _t_t_ _n (n) - a situation where people are treated unfairly so that others may profit from
them
6. l_ _ths_m_ (adj.) - extremely disgusting
7. c_rc_mv_nt (v) - find a way of getting around a rule or a problem in order to progress
8. c_ll_ct_v_ b_rg_ _n_ng (n) - the process of discussions between a trade union and an employer to
come to an agreement on working conditions

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Part B: Now complete the gaps in the following sentences with the correct vocabulary from above.
You may have to change the form of the word to fit the sentence.

1. While I miss the camaraderie of working in the office, I really value the
of working from home.

2. I was happy to see him leave. I thought he had a attitude towards

women and was always happy to let others do the work.

3. I like doing the work sometimes as I can listen to music while I’m doing it, but it does tend to be a
little .

4. We work on commission so how much we earn is connected to

the amount of effort we put in chasing sales.

5. When the process of began to fail, the vote was taken to strike.

6. We’ve missed the post, but we can send a if you’re happy to pay
a little extra.

7. The regulations regarding age are in place to prevent the of children,

not to reduce your ability to profit.

8. They tried the tax laws, but they’re all in prison now as a result.

5 Listening for gist

Listen to the interview with an expert in employment law, and tick all the questions you hear.

1. Are there any negative aspects to the work?

2. What are the legal issues involved?

3. Do you think we’re going to see more of this in the future?

4. What are clickworkers?

5. How do you get into clickwork?

6. Is there a greater chance of exploitation?

7. What’s in it for them?

8. Who runs the companies that employ clickworkers?

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6 Listening comprehension

Read the questions and choose the best answer A-C.

1. Why does Martha Salzberg compare clickwork to the health industry?

a. There are a variety of different tasks available for clickworkers to master from easy to skilled.

b. People who have been doing clickwork for a while make more money than those new to the
field.
c. Clickworkers do unskilled work that helps professionals focus on specific tasks.

2. What does Martha Salzberg say is the attraction of clickwork?

a. It fits around existing responsibilities.

b. It allows workers to try new jobs.

c. The potential for enhancing their CV.

3. Why does Martha Salzberg compare clickwork negatively to gig economy jobs?

a. They aren’t able to receive benefits and pensions from their work.

b. Clickworkers don’t have as many skills as those in the gig economy.

c. The income of clickworkers is less certain as it’s paid per task.

4. Why does she mention ‘developing nations’?

a. The clickwork schemes are mostly hosted in poorer countries meaning they don’t always work
effectively.
b. Workers from these countries aren’t protected in the same way as those in the West are.

c. The quality of work done by people in these countries is high as they work very hard.

5. What does Martha Salzberg say about the way clickworkers are paid?

a. However much they work, clickworkers should be paid fairly.

b. It’s suitable for people who want to make money in the short term.

c. Clickworkers should be working together to demand better pay.

6. How does Martha Salzberg think that clickwork will develop?

a. It will become more like traditional jobs and more acceptable as an option.

b. Traditional work will develop similar laws to that of clickwork.

c. Protections for clickworkers will improve over time.

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7. What is Martha Salzberg illustrating by mentioning the Writer’s strike?

a. Higher earners experience deep inequalities when they’re not protected by law, so it’s much
worse for clickworkers.
b. The way full-time writers work is very similar to clickwork as they can work from anywhere.

c. Many full-time writers started off doing clickwork to get some experience in the field.

8. How would you characterise Martha Salzberg’s general attitude towards clickworkers?

a. They have the potential to do well as long as it’s on a short-term basis.

b. They are making a lot of money for people they will never meet.

c. They need more training and supervision to be valuable to companies.

7 Talking point

In pairs, discuss the following questions.

1. What is your attitude towards clickwork having read the article and listened to the interview?
2. Do you think governments should be closely involved in regulating businesses? Why/Why not?
3. Do you think there needs to be more international cooperation to make sure workers are protected?
4. Do you think workers should be allowed to work online for a company that is based in a different
country? Why/Why not?
5. Do you think if a company is employing workers online in another country, they should have to
pay taxes in that country? Why/Why not?

8 Additional task/homework

To what extent do you agree with the statement below? Write an essay on the topic below. You
should write at least 250 words and check your grammar, spelling and punctuation.

If people choose to do work that is not breaking the law, how much they get paid and
their relationship with the employer is none of the government’s business. The more
the government stays away from business, the better it is for everyone involved.

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CLICKWORKERS

Transcripts

5. Listening for gist

Presenter: Welcome back to Business in Focus. Today, we’re discussing the relatively new
phenomenon of clickworkers. With us in the studio, we have Martha Salzberg, an expert
in employment law. Martha, welcome to the podcast.

Martha: Thank you for having me on.

Presenter: So Martha, tell us: what are clickworkers?

Martha: Clickworkers are employed for short-term tasks, rather than a job. These are often for
the more mundane, unskilled aspects: data processing, website moderation, and basic
web research. There are a multitude of tasks required in the tech industry that don’t
make sense for highly qualified computer scientists, coders and programmers to do. You
can think of it like the healthcare industry. There you will find highly paid surgeons
and doctors, but for them to function effectively, you also need people to clean the
equipment, bathe the patients and so on.

Presenter: So clickworkers are like the cleaning staff and junior nurses. So what is in it for them?

Martha: Well, as we’ve seen over recent years, there’s been a sharp rise in the number of people
working from home and doing online work. It’s clearly attractive to many people as it
affords them the opportunity to manage the various needs of their life. Students can mix
it with studying, parents with child care, and people who are already employed can do
it for extra income. So there’s rarely a shortage of people willing to do the work as it
intrinsically holds value for them.

Presenter: It sounds like a useful opportunity for clickworkers. Are there any negative aspects to the
work?

Martha: There are. We’ve already seen issues with jobs in the so-called gig economy, some of
which have famously reached court. With these jobs, people working as drivers and
couriers are treated as self-employed and use apps such as Uber, Deliveroo and so on to
source their work. This means that they don’t have the benefits of traditional employment
such as a consistent level of income, pensions, and protections. The same is true of
clickworkers, although it’s perhaps even worse as they aren’t doing a job so much as
individual tasks. These tasks generate different amounts of income and there’s little in
the way of regulation. Now, if you’re someone who just wants a little extra work, but
doesn’t have to worry about paying bills, then giving up the typical benefits in favour of
flexibility might be fine. But there are a lot of people who are doing it for a living. Often,
these people are in developing countries.

Presenter: So is there a greater chance of exploitation?

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Martha: Well yes, as labour laws vary from country to country. So where workers might be
protected in the UK or the US, the same protections aren’t available to workers in
African or Asian nations, for example. Research has shown that they may make less than
£6000 per year. However, it doesn’t really matter how little or how much you work,
taking advantage of someone’s labour is loathsome regardless. The people running these
companies are able to circumvent the laws that protect employees as they aren’t really
classed as employees and so have little to no rights. The speed at which this type of
employment has started has been too fast for lawmakers to keep up.

Presenter: Do you think we’re going to see more of this in the future?

Martha: It’s highly likely, I think, yes. But I think regulations will come into effect further down
the line. I think what is worrying though is that we may start to see traditional work
going the same way with workers starting to be separated and treated as individuals
rather than members of a team. We’ve started to see elements of this with the Writer’s
Strike currently happening in the United States. One of the issues is the Minimum Basic
Agreement or MBA which covers, amongst other things, the minimum wage that writers
can expect to get. Some shows are covered by it whereas others aren’t. This meant people
doing the same job for different shows made significantly different amounts of money.
If you consider that there are issues at that level for people who are typically quite well-
paid, then you can imagine how bad it’s going to get further down the line, particularly for
people who are unable to voice their concerns or strike. There are no unions or collective
bargaining for clickworkers, there is just a layer of unsupervised people at the top making
a vast amount of money.

Presenter: Martha, thank you for taking the time to talk to us today. We’re going to be getting your
reactions to this in next week’s show when we also talk to ...(fade)

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Key

1. Warm up

5 mins.
This task defines the term for students and asks them to consider the pros and cons of the situation which are
discussed later in the article and the listening task. You may want to write down the students’ ideas so you can
return to them later and compare them to the article.

2. Scanning for vocabulary

Part A:
5 mins.
This identifies some of the higher-level vocabulary in the article and aids students in their comprehension.

1. mushroom 2. digital literacy 3. coder 4. bot

5. regurgitate 6. perk 7. contractor
Part B:
5 mins.
You may want to set a time limit on this task to encourage students to skim-read rather than read in detail.

1. creating 2. also 3. While 4. potential 5. little

6. necessary 7. comparison 8. varying 9. working 10. equally
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clickworkers
https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Clickwork-and-labour-exploitation-in-the-digital-economy

3. Reading comprehension

10 mins.
Ask students to read the article more carefully and underline where they found the information.

1. D - "...which rises to £10.42 per hour for those over 23 years of age."
2. A - "Huge sums of money have been made creating systems that make our lives easier, creating household
names from companies such as Apple, Microsoft and Google."
3. C - "You’re able to log on when you are free, making it a good choice for students, parents and full-time
employees wanting to supplement their income. With no office needed and no commute necessary, it’s an
attractive option for many."
4. E - "But equally, many suffered working in factories for long hours for very little money as industrialisation
spread."
5. C - "Data entry, content writing and categorising images are just some examples."
6. D - "Similar to jobs driving for Uber and Lyft, or delivering food for the variety of apps available, users are set
up as independent contractors and so are essentially working for themselves."
7. B - "While this has many uses, there is a large amount of information on the internet and a lot of it is not suitable
as it contains hate speech, violence and pornographic material."

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4. Focus on vocabulary

Part A:
5 mins.
Part A focuses on some of the key vocabulary in the listening task. Ask the students to complete the missing
vowels as best as they can without checking, but allow them to use a reference later if needed.
1) mundane; 2) intrinsically; 3) courier; 4) flexibility;
5) exploitation; 6) loathsome; 7) circumvent; 8) collective bargaining;
Part B:
5 mins.
In Part B, they have to use the vocabulary in context. Be sure that they can correctly pronounce the target
vocabulary.

1. flexibility 2. loathsome 3. mundane 4. intrinsically

5. collective bargaining 6. courier 7. exploitation 8. circumventing

5. Listening for gist

5 mins.
This allows students to hear the interview for the first time and get a general idea of the content ahead of the
comprehension questions.

1. ✓ Are there any negative aspects to the work?

3. ✓ Do you think we’re going to see more of this in the future?
4. ✓ What are clickworkers?
6. ✓ Is there a greater chance of exploitation?
7. ✓ What’s in it for them?

6. Listening comprehension

10 mins.
Ask the students to read the questions and choose the correct answer after the first listening. Then allow them
to listen again to check their answers.

1. c. 2. a. 3. c. 4. b. 5. a. 6. c. 7. a. 8. b.

7. Talking point

10 mins.
Ask students to discuss the questions in pairs or small groups. Circulate and help as needed.

8. Additional task/homework

40 mins+.
Ask students to use their work in the lesson as well as their discussions to plan, write and edit their essays. Be
sure to give them feedback on their work.

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