Future Simple: Business English
In business English, future simple enables businesspersons to express their intentions, decisions, and plans regarding the future of their businesses or business relationships. Decision making is the hardest part, simple future is not. There are two possible was to speak about the future. The choice depends on when the speaker has made the decision and when they express it.
I have just made my decision
Future simple form: will + simple verb
When the speaker makes a decision and states that decision at the same, the future simple form of the verb is created using the word ‘will’ before the main verb. For example, when a CEO is receiving reports from department managers in the meeting, they make a decision at that meeting and let the managers know what they are, of course after hearing other managers’ opinions and suggestions.
Example: At weekly meeting with managers
Lotus Ltd.
Jack (Sales and Marketing manager): sales figures are constantly improving and we are receiving new clients frequently. However, we are short on staff and they are overworked. This could harm both our staff and our clients. For now we can manage, but we need to hire new people within the next months, considering the one month training period.
Louis Walters (Financial manager): we can manage to add one marketing staff in three months. Other departments are requesting more staff as well, and that’s what we can manage for now. We may be able to add another one in about nine months.
Lawrence (CEO): So far the staff have managed pretty well, we need some time to add more people to the teams at this time. HR department will find one more member for sales, and we will try to add another one within 8 months if necessary. This was we can sort our financial requirements and get the sales team the people they need.
Let me tell you what our plans are
Future simple form: be going to +simple verb
The decisions the CEO made are stated differently in the next board meeting. Since the Lawrence made his decisions in the meeting with the managers. He lets the board know that they have a plan for the future.
Example: At the board meeting the next month
Lotus Ltd.
Lawrence (CEO): So far we are doing great in terms of sales. Our clients have increased considerably and revenues are rising. However, we are still paying banks loans and this reduces our profit for some time. We are short on sales staff, but we cannot manage to add several people at the same time. Therefore, we are going to hire one person within three months. We’re going to hire three more for other departments as well. We’re going to recruit one more member of the sales department if there is work overload in eight months.
