English Idioms for "Office Life & Work"

Explore English idioms regarding office life and work with examples like "run a tight ship" and "in harness".

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all in a day's work [phrase]

something that is a typical or normal part of a person's job

Ex: Responding to urgent emails late at night is all in a day 's work for an executive .

in harness [phrase]

used when one is back to doing one's job and normal activities at work, particularly after a leave or vacation

Ex: They were in harness and successfully closed the biggest deal of the year .

to mix business with pleasure [phrase]

to combine enjoyable activities with one's work

Ex: She 's always careful not to mix business with pleasure when she 's out networking .

rat race [noun]

a draining and stressful lifestyle that consists of constantly competing with others for success, wealth, power, etc. and so leaving no room for rest and pleasure

Ex: Many people feel trapped in the rat race of their jobs and long for more meaningful work .

to talk shop [phrase]

to have work-related discussions outside of work, particularly when it is annoying or inappropriate

Ex: They have been talking shop for hours , but have n't made much progress on their project .

the right (hand) does not know what the left (hand) is doing [sentence]

used to refer to the lack of communication between the different parts of an organization about their roles or activities that leads to confusion and dysfunction

Ex: It was evident that the left hand did not know what the right hand was doing when we planned our potluck dinner party, since everyone brought dessert and no one brought a main dish.

red tape [noun]

official procedures or rules that are unnecessary and time-consuming

Ex: They have been dealing with red tape for weeks , trying to get their visas approved for their trip .

to close the books [phrase]

to no longer make new entries when an accounting period is at its end

Ex: The government has suspended all their accounts. Closing the books will not do them any good.

blood on the carpet [phrase]

conflict between the people of an organization or company that leads to unpleasant situations

Ex: The CEO called an emergency meeting because there 's blood on the carpet and they need to address the problem immediately .

top dog [noun]

a person who holds the highest rank in a particular group or organization

Ex: They have been trying to become the top dog in their field for years , and are finally starting to make progress .

big mama [noun]

a way of referring to the woman who is a leading member or the founder of an organization, movement, etc.

new kid on the block [phrase]

a person or thing that has recently joined a specific place, field, company, group, etc.

Ex: They have been the new kid on the block for a few months now , but they 're starting to get the hang of things .

part of the furniture [phrase]

something or someone that has been at a place for so long that one no longer notices them

Ex: If they stay in the same job for too long , they risk becoming part of the furniture and losing their edge .

to run a tight ship [phrase]

to control and manage an organization, group, business, etc. in a manner that is very strict, efficient, and effective

Ex: They have been running a tight ship at the factory and have been able to increase productivity .

to fall out with one's bread and butter [phrase]

to have a disagreement with someone or something that provides one's primary source of income or livelihood

Ex: She 's afraid to speak up because she does n't want to fall out with her bread and butter .

golden years [noun]

a period of time in which someone no longer works due to old age

Ex: She looks forward to spending her golden years with her grandchildren .

dead-end job [noun]

a job that does not provide one with the chance to advance to a better position or job

Ex: He was tired of working long hours in a dead-end job with no chance of a pay raise or promotion .

busman's holiday [noun]

a period of leisure or vacation spent engaging in activities related to one's job or profession

Ex: If they're not careful, they'll end up spending their busman's holiday answering work emails and taking phone calls.

new blood [phrase]

people who are newly employed or admitted in order to provide the group, company, etc. with enthusiasm and new and exciting ideas

Ex: The organization was stagnating , and it was clear that they needed new blood to bring fresh perspectives and ideas to the table .

Work & Money
The Business World	Office Life & Work	Job Responsibilities & Tasks	Job Opportunities
Collaboration & Teamwork	Busy & Active	Earning Money	Wealth & Luxury
Poverty & Financial Issues	Price & Money	Paying & Purchasing	Spending or Saving Money