Some Employers Want to be Able to Contact their Staff at all Times - IELTS Writing Task 2

The Essay Writing section in the IELTS Writing module can be challenging for many test-takers. That’s why building strong essay writing skills is essential for success. IELTS Writing Task 2 appears in both the Academic and General Training versions of the exam and tests your ability to write a clear, well-structured essay on a given topic.

In this IELTS Writing Task 2 task, you’ll be asked to respond to an advantages/disadvantages essay based on the prompt: “Some Employers Want to be Able to Contact Their Staff at All Times – IELTS Writing Task 2.” You’ll need to discuss both the benefits and drawbacks of this growing workplace trend, and present your ideas logically. To prepare effectively, it’s important to practice with various essay types.  

Question

Some employers want to be able to contact their staff at all times, even on holidays. Does this development have more advantages than disadvantages? 

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Outline

Essay type

• Advantage and Disadvantage Essay

Introduction

• Sentence 1: Introduce the given topic about staff being contacted on holidays.
• Sentence 2: Give both points of view with one short and simple sentence.

Body

• Paragraph 1: The potential benefits of reaching out to the employee on holidays.
• Paragraph 2: Importance of a stress-free environment, away from the pressure of work life.

Conclusion

• Restate advantages and disadvantages and also your opinion supported in introduction.

Some Employers Want to be Able to Contact their Staff at all Times - Sample Answer 1

In these competitive times, people do not have enough time to relax and spend time with their families and friends, even on holidays, as some corporate employees are obliged, usually against their choice, to contact the other colleagues who are on vacation. However, in my opinion, this strategy has pressing repercussions. In the following paragraphs, I shall discuss both advantages and disadvantages of this trend and explain why it is critical to promote employee relaxation.

The potential benefit of maintaining a connection with the employees during their off-hours is that in case of an emergency, one employee of the company can contact another on vacation or holiday and get help in resolving problems. Sometimes, certain projects are dependent on some employees, and their absence impinges on productivity. Therefore, in order to maintain the flow of the operations, companies are required to contact these employees. Similarly, certain job roles in hospitals, fire service departments, disaster management services, and much more demand an immediate response. Therefore, employees are required to provide emergency help in these types of companies and failing to do so results in a variety of damages.

Regardless of the advantages of contacting an employee during their off-hours, the drawbacks must be considered. Relaxing may seem counterintuitive to the company, but it appears that a little time away from work might help people lower their stress. Most importantly, employees feel limited if they are forced to work even on their vacations. In other words, employees find it difficult to strike a proper balance between their personal and professional lives. Moreover, continual pressure from the firm or the supervisor reduces their productivity. Additionally, it has a nocuous influence on health in the long run. Relaxed employees, on the other hand, have fewer work-related complaints.

To summarise, while some workplaces demand continual support from staff, the drawbacks of calling them on vacations cannot be disregarded. As a result, companies should provide the requisite time and space for their employees to unwind and balance their personal lives.

Some Employers Want to be Able to Contact their Staff at all Times - Sample Answer 2

In today’s hyper-connected world, some employers expect to reach their staff at any time, even during holidays or personal time. While this development has certain advantages, I believe the disadvantages significantly outweigh them.

On the one hand, being constantly reachable ensures greater efficiency and faster problem-solving. For example, in critical industries like IT or healthcare, a timely response to emergencies can prevent system failures or even save lives. Moreover, such availability may enhance a company’s productivity and reputation, especially in global organisations where time zones vary.

However, the downsides of this trend are more concerning. Constant connectivity blurs the boundaries between professional and personal life, leading to stress, burnout, and a decline in mental well-being. Employees who are never truly "off the clock" may experience lower job satisfaction and decreased long-term productivity. For instance, a friend working in customer support reported exhaustion due to being contacted daily while on leave, which ultimately affected his performance and morale.

In conclusion, while being accessible at all times may bring some business benefits, the long-term negative impact on employees’ health and work-life balance suggests that the disadvantages are far more significant.

Some Employers Want to be Able to Contact their Staff at all Times - Sample Answer 3

The increasing expectation for employees to remain reachable at all times, including during holidays, is a contentious issue. While there are certain advantages to this practice, I firmly believe that the disadvantages far outweigh the benefits.

Admittedly, being able to contact employees instantly can be beneficial in time-sensitive situations. In industries that operate across multiple time zones or rely on continuous service delivery, immediate communication can prevent crises and improve responsiveness. For example, in multinational tech firms, resolving unexpected server issues often requires urgent input from team members, regardless of the hour.

However, such constant availability comes at a significant human cost. The erosion of boundaries between work and personal life undermines employee well-being and increases the risk of burnout. Studies have shown that uninterrupted rest and recreation are essential for maintaining cognitive performance and emotional resilience. When employees are expected to respond during their downtime, they are denied the opportunity to recharge, leading to decreased efficiency and higher turnover rates.

Moreover, this trend fosters a culture of overwork that can be detrimental to both individuals and organisations in the long run. It suggests a lack of respect for personal time, which may reduce morale and damage employer-employee trust. In contrast, companies that prioritise work-life balance often report higher employee satisfaction and loyalty.

In conclusion, while the ability to contact staff at all times may offer short-term operational advantages, its adverse impact on employee health and workplace culture makes it a largely negative development.

Some Employers Want to be Able to Contact their Staff at all Times - IELTS Vocabulary 

Have a look at the IELTS Vocabulary for sample answers on 'Some Employers Want to be Able to Contact their Staff at all Times'. Now check out some relevant vocabulary used in the IELTS Writing Task 2 sample essay.

• Potential 

Meaning: (adj) having or showing the capacity to develop into something in the future.

Eg: The supervisor has asked his team to identify the potential threats.

• Counterintuitive 

Meaning: (adj) contrary to intuition or to common-sense expectations.

E.g: The findings of the archeologist seem somewhat counterintuitive.

• Strike a balance

Meaning: (phrase) to achieve a state where different things occur in equal or proper amounts or have an equal or proper amount of importance.

Eg: Jim and Mary need to strike a balance between their conflicting interests.

• Drawbacks

Meaning: (noun) a feature that renders something less acceptable; a disadvantage or problem.

Eg: The only drawback of using hair oil is its greasy texture.

• Requisite 

Meaning: (adj) made necessary by particular circumstances or regulations.

Eg: Vandana lacks the requisite skills required for this job role.

• Unwind 

Meaning: (verb) relax after a period of work or tension.

Eg: Beaches are the best place to unwind after a long and tedious journey.

• Repercussions 

Meaning: (noun) an unintended consequence of an event or action, especially an unwelcome one.

Eg: The new trade rules will have repercussions on the company.

• Oblige 

Meaning: (verb) make(someone) legally or morally bound to do something.

Eg: Employees are obliged to obey the rules.

• Impinge 

Meaning: (verb) to make an impression; have an effect or impact.

Eg: The directors’ decision of reducing the pay scale of employees will impinge on them.

• Nocuous 

Meaning: (adj) harmful

Eg: The scientists are aware of the dangers of working with nocuous gases.

This blog continues by providing three detailed sample answers to the prompt “Some employers want to be able to contact their staff at all times, even on holidays.” Each sample is crafted to showcase different band score levels and writing styles, helping you understand how to structure your essay effectively. Alongside the samples, you’ll find a curated list of essential vocabulary and phrases specifically tailored to this topic. Using these resources will not only improve your ability to organize ideas clearly but also boost your lexical resource, ultimately enhancing your band score in IELTS Writing Task 2.

 Now that you have explored sample answers on this topic, it’s time to write your own! Leave your response in the comments or try our FREE evaluation service. For more practice, check out our IELTS Writing practice tests!

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