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météo

English translation: check in with/ask how things are going

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:météo
English translation:check in with/ask how things are going
Entered by: Wyley Powell

13:08 Sep 3, 2020
French to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Human Resources / Management leadership - holding difficult conversations with employees
French term or phrase: météo
The term "météo" appears in a slide labelled "Flash-Chat : Courte discussion intentionnelle". One of the suggestions for holding an uncomfortable conversation is for the manager to "Valider la « météo » de l’employé(e)" at the beginning of the conversation.

I've seen "weather report" used metaphorically to refer to a person's mood, state of mind, etc. Do you think that would work here?

Other suggestions?

TIA
Wyley Powell
Canada
Local time: 00:57
check in with/ask how things are going
Explanation:
As mentioned in the comments to avoid this getting clunky I would most likely use:

Ask the employee how things are going.
OR
Check in with the employee on how things are going/how they are doing.

If there is more detailed context elsewhere in your document (as to the objective of the "intentionnelle") as long as you mention the idea of "checking-in"or "checking" this should convey the idea of "taking the temperature", "testing the waters" but in a formulation that sounds more natural in English in the context of a manager/employee exchange.
Selected response from:

Reuben Wright
Canada
Local time: 00:57
Grading comment
Thanks to all who replied.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +4check in with/ask how things are going
Reuben Wright
4 +1mood
Julie Barber
5 -1ice breaker
Tereza Rae


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +4
check in with/ask how things are going


Explanation:
As mentioned in the comments to avoid this getting clunky I would most likely use:

Ask the employee how things are going.
OR
Check in with the employee on how things are going/how they are doing.

If there is more detailed context elsewhere in your document (as to the objective of the "intentionnelle") as long as you mention the idea of "checking-in"or "checking" this should convey the idea of "taking the temperature", "testing the waters" but in a formulation that sounds more natural in English in the context of a manager/employee exchange.


    https://employee-performance.com/blog/a-managers-checklist-for-employee-check-ins/
Reuben Wright
Canada
Local time: 00:57
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thanks to all who replied.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Althea Draper
33 mins
  -> Thank you!
neutral  Julie Barber: this would lose the meaning of "valider", which isn't to check
2 hrs
agree  Libby Cohen: Yes, and it DOES keep the sense of "valider" in this context since you're verifying their state by checking to see how they're doing.
8 hrs
  -> Thank you! :)
agree  Suzie Withers
17 hrs
  -> Thank you!
agree  Yvonne Gallagher: yes, it is the idea of checking the temperature =mood
5 days
  -> Thank you! :)
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
mood


Explanation:
affirm the mood of the employee at the beginning of the conversation.

Or something similar: empathise with the employee's mood/feelings

Isn't this a HR trick to empathise and create a connection with the other person?

Mood fits well with "meteo"; which suggests a changeable element.


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2020-09-03 17:25:28 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

perhaps another option for "valider" could be to acknowledge

Julie Barber
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:57
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 75

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Tereza Rae
5 days
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2 days 8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): -1
ice breaker


Explanation:
This is obviously an activity to 'break the ice', to encourage people to have a quick chat with each other. 'Ice breakers' are widely used in schools, workplaces, etc., in the English-speaking area of Canada where I live. Canadians love to talk about 'la météo' when there is nothing else to talk about.


    https://www.google.com/search?q=icebreaker+questions&rlz=1C5CHFA_enCA558CA558&oq=icebreaker&aqs=chrome.3.69i57j46j0l6.6401j0j7&sourceid=chro
Tereza Rae
Canada
Local time: 00:57
Native speaker of: Native in PortuguesePortuguese

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Yvonne Gallagher: this context is not about icebreakers or conversations on the weather//no problem. Sorry for the disagree
3 days 5 hrs
  -> I see now that I was wrong. Thank you for pointing it out, Yvonne.
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