🗓️ Idiom: Sleeping on the Job (phrase)
💬 Meaning
- Failing to pay attention or do one’s work properly.
- Being careless or neglectful while responsible for a task.
🧠 Example Sentences
- The manager warned staff not to be caught sleeping on the job during the busy season.
- Our competitors launched a new product while we were sleeping on the job.
- The security guard was fired for sleeping on the job during his night shift.
🏛️ Origin
This expression comes from the literal idea of a worker falling asleep while on duty. It has been used since at least the early 20th century to describe neglect of responsibility. In business contexts, it often refers to missing important opportunities due to inattention or lack of effort.
📝 Practice Exercises
1. Fill in the blank:
The marketing team missed the deadline because they were ___________.
Answer
sleeping on the job
2. Choose the correct option:
If someone is “sleeping on the job,” they are:
a) Working very efficiently
b) Ignoring their duties
c) Taking a short break
Answer
b) Ignoring their duties
3. Change the sentence using “sleeping on the job”:
“The company lost several clients because the sales team wasn’t paying attention.”
Answer
The company lost several clients because the sales team was sleeping on the job.
ℹ️ Other Useful Pages
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👉 Productivity in the Workplace Idioms
👉 Business English Idioms List
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