Practice Business English Conversation for the Workplace

Think back to your most valuable professional relationships.

What do you see? Bonds that are likely built through meaningful conversations beyond the emails or presentations. Those spontaneous lunch discussions, casual exchanges before meetings; the challenging negotiations – these are the moments that lay the foundation of trust that drives business success.

Yet for many professionals using English in global workplaces, these critical conversation moments trigger anxiety rather than opportunity.

Whether starting a chat with a coworker, joining a meeting, or handling a call with tricky clients, many professionals feel unsure about what to say, when to say it, or how to say it.

It’s that hesitation that holds you back.

The good news? You need to practice business English conversations. This guide focuses on real-world business English conversations to help you build confidence, improve fluency, and easily handle everyday work situations.

Key takeaways

This comprehensive guide provides:

• 30 practical business topics for discussion, with suggested conversation starters
• Expert strategies, and proven techniques to help you transform your workplace discussions and business English conversation skills into powerful tools for career advancement and relationship building.
• Answers to common questions about learning business English to help learners stay motivated and focused on their progress.

The importance of business English conversation skills

Business English conversation skills transform your professional presence in ways that technical knowledge alone cannot. When you communicate with confidence and clarity, you:

• Build powerful professional relationships that create opportunities and advancement
• Showcase your expertise effectively even when English isn't your first language

• Navigate challenging workplace situations with grace and strategic influence

• Express innovative ideas persuasively during critical moments that matter

• Feel authentically yourself rather than hesitant or second-guessing in professional settings

Professional success depends on relationship building, problem-solving, and collaboration – all of which happen through conversation. While perfect grammar might look good on paper, it's your conversational confidence that colleagues, clients and leaders actually experience.

According to Sylvia Johnson (Head of Learning, Loora) "The professional world runs on relationships built through authentic conversation. What separates advanced business English from general proficiency isn't grammar or vocabulary – it's conversational intelligence. When professionals develop the ability to navigate diverse workplace discussions with confidence and cultural awareness, they create the rapport and trust that drives both innovation and career advancement in global environments.".

Why are all these important to know? Strong conversation skills make it easier to connect with colleagues, share ideas, and solve problems at work. But struggling to start or join conversations can hold you back – even if your grammar is good.

Top 30 business English conversation topics

Here are 30 of Loora’s top picks of business English conversation topics that you should try out. We’ve categorized them with descriptions to help you with more context:

Work and location

These business English topics help learners to have conversations about their workplace, job roles, environment, and day-to-day operations. Below are some of them:

1. Office layout & environment

This topic explores how an office is physically arranged and how its design influences work habits, productivity, and employee satisfaction. Some conversation questions include:

• “Can you describe the layout of your office?”
• “What's your ideal workspace setup for maximum productivity?”

2. Job roles and responsibilities

Job roles and responsibilities revolve around how to describe one's job title, main duties, and how one contributes to the organization. It helps learners explain roles clearly, understand others' job functions, and use professional vocabulary related to work tasks and organizational structure. Some of the conversation prompts you can use are:

• “What’s your current job title, and what does it involve?”
• “I oversee our digital marketing strategy and manage a team of five specialists.”

3. Remote work

This topic explores the growing trend of remote working, including hybrid setups, virtual teams, and home office setups.

Here, you get to use vocabulary related to virtual communication and remote tools and practice expressing opinions about productivity, flexibility, and work-life balance. Some ideas are:

• “Do you work remotely, in the office, or in a hybrid model?”
• “What does your home workspace look like?”

4. Team structure

Team structure entails how teams are organized within a company or project, including roles, hierarchies, reporting lines, cross-functional collaborations, and leadership styles. It encourages learners to use key vocabulary for departments, roles, and leadership terms. For example:

• “Have you worked in both flat and hierarchical teams? Which did you prefer and why?”
• “How does your current team compare to your previous one in terms of structure?”

5. Typical workday

Business English conversation lessons use this topic to describe daily work routines and schedules, including start and end times, tasks, meetings, breaks, and productivity habits.

It’s great for building fluency with time expressions, sequencing words, and common work-related verbs. Statement examples include:

• “I find I’m most productive in the morning on a workday. What about you?”
• “How do you handle distractions and stay focused? Any useful tips or tricks you care to share?”

6. Company location and headquarters

This topic explores where a company is based, its global presence, and how location affects operations, communication, and company culture.

It helps learners talk about business geography, time zones, and regional offices while practicing giving and asking for information about company structures. Here are some business small talk examples:

• “How do you coordinate work between different office locations?”
• “What issues have you experienced when coordinating teams across multiple time zones?”

7. Job titles and hierarchies

Here, you get to explore different job titles, levels of seniority, and the structure of authority within an organization. The topic helps learners understand how companies are organized, how to describe their position, and how to address or refer to people at different levels respectfully. Sample questions include:

• “How does career advancement typically work in your organization? Are there clear promotion paths?”
• “How formal is your workplace when addressing senior staff?”

8. Office tools and technology

This topic covers the digital and physical tools people use to get work done. You get to practice using tech-related vocabulary and common verbs like "login," "set up," "connect," and "download." Sample questions include:

• “What are some common issues you've encountered when trying to set up new office technology?”
• “Can you describe how you use a specific software or digital tool in your daily work routine?”

9. Office policies & rules

Under this topic, learners can discuss formal guidelines, compare policies across cultures or companies, and practice polite language when addressing rules, permissions, or restrictions.

For instance, you can explain 3 to 4 important office policies at your workplace, such as attendance, dress code, or meeting etiquette.

• "At my workplace, punctuality is really important, we have a strict policy about being on time. What kind of attendance rules do you have in your office?"
• "We follow a business casual dress code, but on Fridays, we’re allowed to dress more casually. Does your company have a specific dress policy or any exceptions like that?"

Getting to work

These topics focus on work commutes, routes, and transport-related experiences on your way to work.

10. Daily commute

Business conversations around daily commute help learners to use vocabulary to describe their morning and evening habits, compare commute styles, and express opinions on transportation efficiency, convenience, and challenges. Examples of conversation starters include:

• “How do you usually commute to work?”
• “How long does your daily commute take?”

11. Public transportation

This topic dives into how people use buses, trains, subways, and trams to get to work. It encourages learners to talk about their commuting experiences, evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of public transport, and compare transportation systems in different cities or countries. Some sample questions you’re likely to use are:

• “What are the main pros and cons of public transportation in your city, and how does it affect your daily commute?”
• “Could you compare the public transportation systems of two different cities you've experienced, based on reliability and cost?”

12. Driving to work

Conversation practices around this topic typically cover the experience of commuting by car. It includes conversations about daily routines, traffic conditions, parking challenges, driving habits, costs of car ownership, and the personal pros and cons of driving. Here are some of its descriptive languages:

• “If you could describe your experience driving to work in one word, what word would it be?”
• “How do you manage the ‘stressful' aspect of driving to work?”

13. Sharing rides with colleagues

Sharing rides with colleagues is all about the shared experience of commuting to work with coworkers. Here, you get to explore conversations around scheduling, cost-sharing, logistics, communication, and the social dynamics of carpooling. It’s also a great opportunity to practice polite suggestions, coordination language, and expressions for negotiation and compromise. Here are sample questions:

• “What are some benefits and drawbacks you foresee when sharing rides with colleagues?”
• “Would you carpool even if you have an alternative means of getting to work? Why your answer?”

14. Work-from-anywhere/no commute

This topic focuses on the lifestyle benefits of eliminating a daily commute and its impact on work-life balance. It's ideal for practicing descriptive language, sharing opinions, and comparing work styles. Some sample questions include:

• “What word best reflects your personal experience with working from anywhere, and why?”
• “How has 'saving over an hour a day without a commute' impacted your daily routine or work-life balance?”

15. Transport delays

Transportation problems like traffic jams, train cancellations, or late buses can disrupt employees' routines and professional responsibilities. Business English learners can discuss these unexpected challenges, describe their reactions, and explore strategies for time management and communication with colleagues or managers. Here are some pointers:

• “I was late for the meeting because of a train delay. I was wondering if you've had any experiences like this?”
• “The traffic was at a standstill this morning. Is it always like that around here?”

16. Transport benefits

This topic encourages learners to discuss company policies, compare benefit structures, and express opinions on which types of transportation support are most useful or fair. It's also a great opportunity to practice workplace vocabulary, discuss preferences, and use modal verbs "should," "could," and "would” when suggesting improvements. Sample questions include:

• “What improvements would you suggest to the company’s transport benefit structures to make them more effective or equitable for employees, and why?”
• “If you could design a new transportation benefit program for the company, what key features should it include compared to what is currently offered?”

17. Eco-friendly commute

Eco-friendly commute conversations explore active and eco-friendly commuting methods like walking and cycling. They offer opportunities for practicing vocabulary around daily routines, health, sustainability, and urban infrastructure. Some conversation starters include:

• “Do you walk to work? How does it make you feel?”
• “Did you know that cycling reduces carbon footprint?”

18. Business travel

Learners can practice travel-related vocabulary, scheduling discussions, and the etiquette of business trips. Here, you can share experiences, preferences, and challenges while also discussing policies and logistics related to corporate travel. Some conversation starters includes:

• “Which of the company’s travel options do you prefer for business trips and why?”
• “If you were planning a business trip, what are the first three things you would organize?”

19. Rural vs urban work commutes

This comparative topic helps learners describe their own commutes, contrast the advantages and disadvantages of rural and urban settings, and explore how location influences transportation, time management, and work-life balance. The following are handy conversation starters:

• “Can you describe your typical work commute?”
• “From your perspective, what is one major advantage of a rural commute?”

Building rapport

You can practice business English conversations around building rapport in the workplace. These business discussion topics are ideal for casual conversations that build relationships in a professional setting.

20. Hobbies outside work

Talking about hobbies builds rapport, introduces a wide variety of vocabulary, encourages active listening, and improves fluency in expressing personal preferences and emotions. It’s ideal for practicing conversational English in a relaxed yet professional context. Sample questions include:

• “Beyond your professional life, what is one hobby that truly recharges you?”
• “In your experience, how does sharing a hobby with a colleague potentially strengthen your working relationship?”

21. Favorite lunch spots

This topic explores where colleagues like to go for lunch breaks or coffee during the workday. It’s ideal for casual conversations that introduce learners to food-related vocabulary, informal business small talk, etiquette, and culture. Some pointers include:

• “Would you like to grab lunch? There’s a great little place around the corner.”
• “How about we grab a coffee from the café downstairs?”

22. Weekend plans

A simple, universally relatable topic that helps colleagues connect by sharing how they spend their time. Talking about weekend plans encourages casual conversation, builds rapport, and helps learners practice future tense structures, time expressions, and vocabulary related to leisure and relaxation. Below are some conversation-starter questions:

• “Do you prefer busy weekends or quiet ones?”
• “What’s your idea of a perfect weekend?”

23. Cultural holidays

This topic invites learners to discuss holidays and cultural events from their own countries and learn about others. It’s perfect for building cultural awareness in international workplaces while practicing descriptive language, time expressions, and conversation etiquette. Some expressions include:

• “In my country, we celebrate…”
• “It’s a time for family, food, and fun.”

24. Work anniversaries

Conversations around work anniversaries center on professional achievements and recognizing career growth. These types of conversations are great for practicing professional compliments, career-focused vocabulary, and polite small talk, especially when acknowledging a colleague's progress. Below are some common phrases:

• “Congratulations on your anniversary!”
• “How long have you been working here?”

25. Small talk before meetings

Mastering small talk is essential for building rapport, easing into formal discussions, and creating a friendly, professional atmosphere. This topic is especially valuable for anyone working in international teams, where culture and tone matter just as much as vocabulary. Some of the expressions include:

• “I’m looking forward to today’s discussion.”
• “Is it just us so far?”

26. Weather and seasons

Talking about the weather is a timeless and universally safe small talk topic. It’s an excellent way to break the ice, especially in international or multicultural work settings. Here are some conversation questions you can use:

• “What’s the weather like where you are?”
• “Has it snowed yet?”

27. Current events & news

Talking about current events and news is a valuable skill in business English speaking. It allows professionals to show awareness of what’s happening in the world – especially when you work in industries like finance, tech, or manufacturing, where global trends matter. Some polite starters include:

• “I read an interesting article this morning about…”
• “Have you been following the story on…?”

28. Movies and books

Talking about entertainment (movies, books, or shows) provides a friendly way to build connections, share interests, and practice descriptive language in a relaxed, non-technical setting. Some conversation starters include:

• “Have you watched anything good lately?”
• “I just finished a great book—want me to send you the title?”

29. Team events

This topic focuses on informal team interactions like company parties, team lunches, happy hours, holiday celebrations, or team-building retreats. By practicing, you become more comfortable with small talk, sharing experiences, and using polite and friendly language in group settings. Useful phrases include:

• “Are you going to the team lunch on Friday?”
• “It was great catching up with everyone outside of work.”

30. Volunteering

You can start a friendly business conversation around volunteering and outreach. Here, you get to explore small talk around the humanitarian aspects of business. Some of the phrases you can use include:

• “What causes do you support?”
• “Do you think the company's CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) report for the year is a step in the right direction?”

Tips on improving your business English conversation skills through engaging discussion topics

Choosing the right conversation practice for business English may be tricky, as there are lots of options to consider. However, the following tips can help you get the most out of your conversation practices:

Practice topic-based conversations regularly

Focusing on specific business English discussion topics helps you build vocabulary and fluency within context. You can switch things up by choosing one or two themes per week and simulating real-life dialogues around them.

Use roleplays to simulate real office situations

Roleplaying workplace scenarios, such as discussing your job role, joining a virtual meeting, or handling a client issue, helps you practice vocabulary, tone, and confidence in realistic situations.

Follow the 70/30 speaking rule

When practicing, try to speak 70% of the time and listen 30%. This formula encourages you to confidently express ideas while learning from others' phrasing, tone, and structure.