Building Employee Buy-In for Policy Changes | Learn Korean in English

Sentence explanations

1. 직원들이 변화가 자신들에게 강요되고 있다고 느끼면 정책은 실패하기 쉽습니다.

   Policies tend to fail when employees feel changes are being imposed on them.

   직원들이

   employees

   변화가

   changes

   자신들에게

   to them

   강요되고 있다고

   are being imposed

   느끼면

   if they feel

   정책은

   policies

   실패하기 쉽습니다

   tend to fail

   More detail

   직원들이 means “the employees” here. 직원 is “employee” or “staff member,” and 들 commonly marks a plural group of people. The subject particle 이 follows a consonant, so 직원 becomes 직원들이. Example: 학생들이 옵니다. — “The students are coming.” 변화가 means “changes” as the subject of the following passive expression. 변화 means “change,” and the subject particle 가 follows a vowel-final noun. Korean does not always mark plural number, so 변화가 can be “a change” or “changes”; the fixed translation supports “changes” here. 자신들에게 refers back to the employees in this sentence and means “to them.” 자신들 is a plural reflexive form meaning “themselves,” while 에게 marks a target or recipient, giving 자신들에게 “to themselves/them.” In this context, the intended meaning is that the changes are imposed on the employees, not that they impose them on someone else. 강요되고 있다고 expresses the content of what is felt: “are being imposed.” 강요하다 means “to force” or “to impose,” while 강요되다 is the passive form, “to be forced/imposed.” In 강요되고 있다, -고 있다 presents the imposing as an ongoing process or state. The final -다고 marks this clause as the content of 느끼다: literally, they feel “that the changes are being imposed on them.” 느끼면 means “if/when [they] feel.” Its base form is 느끼다, “to feel,” and -면 forms an if/when condition. Korean subjects can be omitted when the context makes them clear; here the subject is the employees introduced by 직원들이. Example: 피곤하면 쉽니다. — “If I am tired, I rest.” 정책은 means “policies” as the topic. 정책 means “policy,” and 은 marks the topic after a consonant-final noun. Korean nouns do not obligatorily show singular versus plural, so the form itself can refer to one policy or several; the fixed translation chooses the plural reading. 실패하기 쉽습니다 means “tend to fail.” The base verb is 실패하다, “to fail.” In the pattern 동사-기 쉽다, 쉽다 does not describe physical ease here; it says that the action is likely or liable to happen. Thus 실패하기 쉽다 means “be prone to failing.” 쉽습니다 is the formal-polite form of 쉽다. Example: 이 유리는 깨지기 쉽습니다. — “This glass is easily broken.” Together, 직원들이 sets the employees as the subject of 느끼면, while 변화가 자신들에게 강요되고 있다고 gives the content of their feeling: they perceive the changes as being imposed on them. The conditional clause 직원들이 변화가 자신들에게 강요되고 있다고 느끼면 means “when employees feel that changes are being imposed on them.” The main clause 정책은 실패하기 쉽습니다 says that policies are prone to failing. The complete meaning is: “Policies tend to fail when employees feel changes are being imposed on them.”

2. 사람들은 그 과정에 실제로 의견을 낼 수 있을 때 더 기꺼이 적응합니다.

   People are more likely to adjust when they have a real say in the process.

   사람들은

   people

   그

   that; the

   과정

   process

   실제로

   really; actually

   의견

   opinion; say

   낼

   express; give

   수 있을 때

   when able to

   더

   more

   기꺼이

   willingly; readily

   적응합니다

   adjust; adapt

   More detail

   사람들은 means “people” here. 사람 is “person,” and 사람들 adds 들 to mark a plural group; 은 marks that group as the topic. The form does not identify any more specific group than the supplied meaning does. 그 modifies 과정, giving “that/the process.” Korean 그 can point to something already identifiable in the discourse; here the fixed translation supports “the process.” It is a determiner, not a standalone noun in this sentence. 과정 means “process.” In 과정에, 에 marks the domain or context in which something occurs: literally, having a say in or relating to the process. The noun itself is not pluralized here. 실제로 means “actually” or “in reality.” It emphasizes that the opportunity is genuine, not merely nominal or theoretical. The related adjective 실제 means “real” or “actual,” while 실제로 is the adverbial form used to modify the clause. 의견 means “opinion” or “view.” In 의견을, 을 marks it as the object of the following verb. Korean can use 의견을 내다 for “to express an opinion” or “to give one’s view”; the meaning here is not simply possessing an opinion. 낼 is the form of 내다, “to give” or, in this construction, “to express,” before 수 있다. 내다 changes to 낼 through the -ㄹ prospective/ 연결 form because its stem ends in a vowel. The useful pattern is N을 내다 “to give/submit N,” as in 의견을 내다 “to express an opinion.” 수 있을 때 contributes “when [someone] can.” 수 있다 expresses ability or possibility, and 있을 is the form of 있다 used before 때 (“time/when”). Together with the preceding 낼, 의견을 낼 수 있다 means “can express an opinion,” and 의견을 낼 수 있을 때 means “when [they] can express an opinion.” Korean leaves the subject of this embedded clause unspoken; the sentence supports the people in 사람들은 as that subject. 더 means “more.” It establishes a comparison in degree: the people are more willing or ready to adapt under the condition just stated. It does not itself specify a numeric amount. 기꺼이 means “willingly” or “readily.” It describes a person’s willingness to do an action. In this sentence it modifies 적응합니다, so the relevant idea is being ready to adapt, not merely feeling pleased. 적응합니다 means “adjust/adapt” here. Its base form is 적응하다; -ㅂ니다 makes a formal polite present-tense declarative form. The subject is the plural topic 사람들은, so the sentence says that people adapt, not that the process adapts. For example, 새 환경에 적응합니다 means “adapt to a new environment.” Combining the parts: 사람들은 sets up people as the topic; 그 과정에 실제로 의견을 낼 수 있을 때 gives the condition “when they can genuinely express an opinion in the process”; and 더 기꺼이 적응합니다 states that they are more willing to adapt under that condition. The complete meaning is: “People are more likely to adjust when they have a real say in the process.”

3. 계획을 최종 확정하기 전에 의견을 받아 볼 수 있겠습니다.

   We could invite suggestions before we finalize the plan.

   계획

   plan

   최종

   final

   확정하기 전에

   before finalizing

   의견

   suggestions

   받아 볼 수 있겠습니다

   could invite

   More detail

   계획을 means “the plan” as the object of the action. 계획 is a noun meaning “plan,” and -을 marks an object after a consonant-final noun. For example, 계획을 세워요 means “I make a plan.” 최종 means “final” or “last-stage.” Here it specifies the stage of confirmation: the plan is being confirmed finally, not merely checked at an earlier stage. It commonly modifies a following noun or noun-like expression, as in 최종 결정 (“final decision”). 확정하기 전에 means “before finalizing.” 확정하다 is the base verb “to finalize” or “to confirm definitively.” The ending -기 turns the verb into an activity or event, and 전에 means “before” that event. This pattern is reusable: 출발하기 전에 means “before departing.” In this sentence, 최종 modifies the idea of final confirmation expressed by 확정하기. 의견 means “opinion,” “view,” or, in this context, “suggestion” or “input.” It is a noun, and the sentence leaves its number open; it can refer to input in general rather than asserting a particular count. 의견을 받다 literally uses “receive opinions,” but in a decision-making context it naturally means “receive or solicit input.” For example, 학생들의 의견을 받았어요 means “We received the students’ feedback.” 받아 볼 수 있겠습니다 presents the action as a possible and suitably tentative proposal: “could receive” or, with the context here, “could invite.” 받다 is the base verb “to receive.” In 받아 보다, -아/어 보다 adds the idea of trying or attempting an action; with input, it can frame trying to collect it. -ㄹ 수 있다 expresses possibility or ability, and -겠습니다 adds a polite, tentative projection or proposal. Together, these forms are more cautious than a plain command such as 받으세요 (“receive it” / “please collect it”). The object 계획을 is followed by the final-stage modifier 최종, then 확정하기 전에 sets the time condition: the input is sought before definitive confirmation. The object 의견을 identifies what is to be received, and 받아 볼 수 있겠습니다 makes that action a polite possibility or proposal. Thus the whole utterance means, “We could invite suggestions before we finalize the plan.”

4. 그러면 우리가 지금 입장에서는 보지 못할 수 있는 실질적인 문제들이 드러날 것입니다.

   That would bring up practical issues we might not see from here.

   그러면

   then; in that case

   우리가

   we

   지금

   now; at present

   입장

   standpoint; position

   보지 못할 수 있는

   may not be able to see

   실질적인

   practical; substantive

   문제들이

   issues; problems

   드러날 것입니다

   will come to light

   More detail

   그러면 means “then” or “in that case.” It links this sentence to a preceding condition or proposal and presents a consequence. Example: 비가 오면 취소합니다. 그러면 연락해 주세요. — “If it rains, we’ll cancel. Then, please contact me.” 우리가 is 우리 (“we”) with the subject marker -가. Here it presents “we” as the group whose perspective is relevant. 우리 can also modify a noun, as in 우리 계획 (“our plan”), but that is a different use. 지금 means “now” or “at present.” Here it frames the standpoint as the current one. 입장 means “standpoint,” “position,” or “point of view.” In the longer expression 입장에서는, -에서 marks the standpoint from which something is considered, and -는 marks that phrase as the topic or gives it contrastive focus. With the surrounding words, the expression refers to the current standpoint expressed in the sentence, corresponding here to “from here.” 보지 못할 수 있는 modifies the following noun and means “that may not be able to be seen” or, naturally here, “that we might not see.” 보다 means “to see.” 보지 못하다 expresses inability or failure to see, and -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 expresses possibility or ability. Thus 보지 못할 수 있다 means “may be unable to see,” while the ending -는 changes the clause into a noun modifier: 보지 못할 수 있는 문제 means “a problem we might not see.” 실질적인 means “practical” or “substantive,” emphasizing concrete importance rather than something merely theoretical or superficial. It is the attributive form of 실질적이다, and it modifies 문제들 here. Example: 실질적인 도움이 필요합니다. — “We need practical help.” 문제들이 means “issues” or “problems.” 문제 is the noun “problem/issue,” -들 can mark plural when plurality is relevant, and -이 is the subject marker. The subject marker belongs to 문제들, not to 실질적인. 드러날 것입니다 means “will come to light” or “will emerge.” 드러나다 is an intransitive verb meaning that something becomes visible or apparent; it does not mean that the subject actively reveals something else. -(으)ㄹ 것입니다 presents a predicted or expected future event in a formal style. Example: 시간이 지나면 사실이 드러날 것입니다. — “The truth will come to light as time passes.” Taken from left to right, 그러면 sets up a consequence: “then/in that case.” 우리가 지금 입장에서는 frames the relevant perspective as the current standpoint expressed in the sentence, corresponding in the fixed translation to “from here.” 보지 못할 수 있는 identifies issues that may escape our view, 실질적인 문제들이 names those practical issues as the subject, and 드러날 것입니다 predicts that they will become apparent. The whole utterance means: “Then, practical issues we might not see from here will come to light.”

5. 또한 사람들이 그 결과에 더 관심을 가질 이유가 생깁니다.

   It also gives people more reason to care about the outcome.

   또한

   also

   사람들이

   people

   그

   that

   결과에

   the outcome

   더

   more

   관심을 가질

   care about

   이유

   reason

   생깁니다

   arises

   More detail

   또한 means “also” or “in addition,” adding this statement to the preceding point. It commonly appears near the beginning of a sentence. Example: 또한 시간이 필요합니다. — “Time is also needed.” 사람들이 is 사람들 (“people”) plus the subject particle 이. 사람들 presents people as a plural group, while 사람 is the basic noun “person.” Here 사람들이 is the subject of the embedded clause 사람들이 그 결과에 더 관심을 가질, which modifies 이유; it is not the subject of the main predicate 생깁니다. 그 is a demonstrative meaning “that” or “the.” Here, the fixed translation identifies the relevant referent as the outcome, so 그 결과 means “that outcome” or naturally “the outcome.” 그 comes before the noun it modifies. Example: 그 계획이 좋습니다. — “That plan is good.” 결과에 consists of 결과 (“result; outcome”) plus 에. In 결과에 관심을 가지다, 에 marks what the interest is directed toward, so the pattern means “to take an interest in the outcome” or “to care about the outcome.” 더 means “more,” indicating an increased degree compared with an understood reference point. It modifies the predicate phrase here: people have more interest in the outcome. Example: 이 문제에 더 관심이 필요합니다. — “This issue needs more attention.” 관심을 가질 is the modifier form of 관심을 가지다, literally “to have interest,” used here for “to care about” or “to take an interest in.” 관심 means “interest,” and 을 marks it as the object of 가지다. The verb 가지다 has the base form “to have”; 가질 is its -(으)ㄹ attributive form, allowing the phrase to modify 이유: “a reason to care.” A useful pattern is -을/ㄹ 이유, “a reason to ….” 이유 means “reason.” In this sentence it is the reason associated with the people’s increased interest, not the interest itself. Example: 배울 이유가 있습니다. — “There is a reason to learn.” 생깁니다 comes from 생기다, “to arise,” “to come into existence,” or “to develop.” The ending -ㅂ니다 gives a formal polite present-style statement. Here, the subject of this main predicate is 이유, so the literal structure says that a reason arises; the fixed translation naturally renders this as “it gives people” a reason. 생기다 describes something newly arising, while 있다 simply states that something exists. Example: 새로운 기회가 생깁니다. — “A new opportunity arises.” Together, 사람들이 그 결과에 더 관심을 가질 이유 means “a reason for people to care more about the outcome”: 사람들이 is the subject inside the modifying clause, 그 결과에 identifies what the interest is directed toward, 더 adds the increased degree, and 관심을 가질 이유 means “a reason to take an interest.” The main predicate 생깁니다 says that this reason arises. With 또한, the complete utterance means: “It also gives people more reason to care about the outcome.”

6. 실행 가능한 계획이라도 사람들이 그 계획에 주인의식을 느껴야 합니다.

   A workable plan still needs people to feel invested.

   실행 가능한

   workable

   계획이라도

   even a plan

   사람들이

   people

   그 계획에

   with regard to that plan

   주인의식을

   a sense of ownership

   느껴야 합니다

   must feel

   More detail

   실행 가능한 means “workable” here: something that can be put into practice. 가능하다 means “to be possible,” and its modifier form before a noun is 가능한; in this expression, 실행 가능한 계획 is “a plan that can be implemented.” 계획이라도 combines the noun 계획 (“plan”) with -(이)라도, a concessive pattern meaning “even a plan.” Because 계획 ends in a consonant, this form uses -이라도. In the full sentence, the preceding 실행 가능한 describes the plan, so the combined meaning is “even a workable plan.” Example: 작은 것이라도 도움이 됩니다. — “Even a small thing is helpful.” 사람들이 means “people” as the subject. 사람 is “person,” 사람들 is the plural form “people,” and the final -이 is the subject particle. Thus 사람들이 marks “people” as the ones who feel the ownership. 그 계획에 means “with regard to that plan” in the intended sense. 그 is the demonstrative meaning “that” or “the one already identified,” and 계획 is “plan.” The particle -에 marks the plan as the target associated with the feeling in 주인의식을 느끼다. 주인의식을 means “a sense of ownership.” 주인의식 is a noun for the feeling that one has a stake in, responsibility for, or ownership of something. The object marker -을 appears because it is the thing that people feel. Example: 팀원들이 프로젝트에 주인의식을 느낍니다. — “The team members feel ownership of the project.” 느껴야 합니다 means “must feel.” The base verb is 느끼다, “to feel.” Its stem combines with -어야 하다 (“must”) as 느껴야 하다: 느끼- changes to 느껴- before -야, with the 어 element contracted in the written form. The formal-polite ending in 합니다 gives the complete expression a formal tone. Example: 우리는 이 문제를 이해해야 합니다. — “We must understand this issue.” Together, 실행 가능한 계획이라도 sets up a concession: “even a workable plan.” 사람들이 그 계획에 주인의식을 느껴야 합니다 says that people must feel ownership of that plan. Thus the whole utterance means: “A workable plan still needs people to feel invested.” The formal-polite ending makes the statement suitable for a formal explanation or discussion.

7. 어려운 점은 논의를 건설적으로 유지하면서 구체적인 내용에 집중하는 것입니다.

   The hard part is keeping the discussion constructive and specific.

   어려운

   difficult; hard

   점

   part; point

   논의를

   the discussion

   건설적으로

   constructively

   유지하면서

   while maintaining

   구체적인

   specific; concrete

   내용에

   to the content

   집중하는 것

   focusing

   입니다

   is

   More detail

   어려운 means “hard” or “difficult” here. It is the attributive form of 어렵다 (“to be difficult”), used before a noun: 어려운 점 = “the difficult part.” The form 어렵다 is the dictionary form; 어려운 modifies a following noun. 점 means “point,” “aspect,” or “part.” In 어려운 점, it identifies the aspect that presents difficulty. A useful pattern is …한 점 for “the point/aspect that is …,” with the preceding form describing 점. 논의를 means “the discussion” as the object of the following action. 논의 is “discussion,” and -를 marks it as the object. The object marker is attached directly to the noun here. 건설적으로 means “constructively.” It is the adverbial form of 건설적이다 (“to be constructive”) and describes how the discussion is maintained. The related adjective-like form 건설적인 would modify a noun, as in 건설적인 논의 (“a constructive discussion”), whereas 건설적으로 modifies an action. 유지하면서 means “while maintaining.” It comes from 유지하다 (“to maintain, keep”) plus -면서, which links a simultaneous or accompanying action: A하면서 B = “while doing A, B.” Here, the maintained object is 논의 from the preceding phrase, and the form itself does not mean “discussion” independently. 구체적인 means “specific” or “concrete.” It is the noun-modifying form of 구체적이다 (“to be specific/concrete”). In this sentence it describes 내용, so 구체적인 내용 means “specific content.” 내용에 means “to/on the content.” 내용 means “content,” and -에 marks the target or focus of 집중하다 in this expression: 내용에 집중하다 means “to focus on the content.” The marker is part of the phrase’s grammatical connection; it does not by itself mean movement toward a physical place. 집중하는 것 means “focusing” or “the act of focusing.” 집중하다 means “to focus,” and -는 것 turns an action into a noun-like expression. Thus 내용에 집중하는 것 is literally “focusing on the content.” The -는 form is attached to the verb before 것; 것 is the nominalizing element. 입니다 is the formal polite copula, meaning “is” after a noun-like phrase. It connects 어려운 점 with the nominalized description 논의를 … 집중하는 것, producing the pattern A는 B입니다 = “A is B.” Together, 어려운 점은 sets up “the hard part,” 논의를 건설적으로 유지하면서 adds the accompanying task of keeping the discussion constructive, and 구체적인 내용에 집중하는 것입니다 identifies that task as focusing on specific content. The whole utterance means: “The hard part is keeping the discussion constructive and specific.”

8. 그렇다면 폭넓게 의견을 요청하기보다 구체적인 질문을 해야겠습니다.

   Then we should ask focused questions instead of making a broad feedback request.

   그렇다면

   then; in that case

   폭넓게

   broadly

   의견

   opinions; feedback

   요청하기보다

   rather than requesting

   구체적인

   specific

   질문

   questions

   해야겠습니다

   should do; will need to do

   More detail

   그렇다면 means “then” or “in that case.” 그렇다 means “to be so / to be that way,” and -다면 presents a condition or premise: “if that is so.” Here it links the sentence to the preceding situation rather than introducing a new unrelated condition. A reusable pattern is A라면/다면 B = “if A, then B,” with the exact form depending on the preceding expression. 폭넓게 means “broadly” in the manner of the request. It is the adverbial form of 폭넓다, “broad in scope.” The adverb describes how the requesting is done, not the questions that follow. Example: 폭넓게 조사하다 = “to investigate broadly.” 의견 means “opinion” or, in this context, “feedback.” It is a noun that can refer to a person’s view or response. 의견을 요청하다 is a useful pattern meaning “to request opinions/feedback,” with 을 marking 의견 as the object of 요청하다. 요청하기보다 means “rather than requesting.” 요청하다 is the verb “to request,” and -기보다 attaches to a verb stem to compare an alternative: “rather than doing X.” The -기 form turns the action into the activity being compared. Example: 기다리기보다 먼저 연락하세요. = “Rather than waiting, contact them first.” 구체적인 means “specific” or “concrete” here. It modifies the noun 질문 and comes from 구체적이다, “to be specific/concrete”; 구체적 takes -인 before a noun. Do not confuse it with 구체적으로, the adverbial form “specifically/in concrete terms.” Example: 구체적인 예 = “a specific example.” 질문 means “question.” In 질문을 하다, it forms the common expression “to ask a question,” literally using the noun with 하다. The plural meaning “questions” is supported here by the fixed translation and context; Korean nouns do not require a plural ending when the number is understood from context. 해야겠습니다 expresses a considered decision or felt need: “we should do it” or “we will need to do it.” It is built from 하다 (“to do”), the necessity form 해야 (“must/should do”), and the polite ending -겠습니다. The omitted subject is understood here as “we,” as specified by the fixed translation. -겠습니다 can mark the speaker’s resolve or intention, so this is more deliberate than a bare statement of future time. Example: 이제 시작해야겠습니다. = “We should start now.” Together, 폭넓게 의견을 요청하기보다 sets up the alternative “rather than requesting broad feedback,” while 구체적인 질문을 해야겠습니다 says “we should ask specific questions.” 그렇다면 connects that choice to the preceding premise: “Then, rather than making a broad feedback request, we should ask focused questions.”