Why Learn English for Business?
In today’s global business environment, one of the most valuable developmental activities for any professional is learning English or improving their English for business communication. Companies from English-speaking countries are constantly expanding to new international markets. This creates opportunities for business professionals skilled in English. Additionally, English often serves as the “lingua franca” of business. For example, executives from two non-English-speaking countries might conduct a meeting in English because it’s the language they share.
Even if you’re fluent, speaking clearly is key to being understood and giving a clear message. Giving presentations, talking on the phone, entertaining clients and talking to colleagues, these all need a clear pronunciation, no matter what country of origin. We can work on specific vowels and consonants so that you or your employees can speak English with confidence.
For your employees to become expert business communicators in English, they need both language and cultural proficiency.
Let’s consider the range of expertise required:
Meetings
Both one-one-one and group meetings can put a professional’s English skills to the test. Native speakers may use different idioms and pronunciations than your employees have been exposed to before, and they may speak more rapidly than they can understand. Native English speakers might also have a different overall communication style. For example, they may be less deferential to senior employees than your workers are used to or give feedback much more readily. Phone meetings are especially challenging because non-native speakers can’t use facial expressions to help them understand what’s going on.
Writing
Professionals need the ability to create a variety of written materials — from formal reports to less-formal (but equally important) emails and PowerPoint presentations. They should be able to write clearly in English so that others can understand and act on the important information they are sharing.
Presenting
Presenting can still be a challenge even if someone is proficient in English. Research has shown that listeners have a hard time understanding and processing what a speaker is saying if he or she has an unfamiliar accent. Practicing with an English coach who can give tips and corrections is invaluable.
Specialized Vocabulary
Every field has its own terminology. Anyone who last studied English during their school days likely did not learn many of the words and phrases that are part of everyday business communication in their industry.
Colloquial English
Common English phrases like “let’s wrap it up” or “make the most of this” can baffle someone who has had formal language training, but little conversational practice. But they are important for understanding overall meaning.
Who Should Learn English for Business?
Studying business English benefits professionals of all sorts. But it’s particularly useful for these groups:
Employee Relocation
Prioritize language training for anyone relocating to an English-speaking country or who is likely to relocate in the future. Relocations are a big investment for your company. But estimates are that 40 to 54 percent of relocations fail. Bolstering your employees’ English skills can help them adjust to their new home and ensure that the relocation succeeds. Don’t forget about employees’ family members. Enrolling them in English classes as well is good insurance against homesickness and “expat depression.”
English Speaking Team
Anyone on a team with English-speaking members can become a better collaborator and make the team more productive by studying business English. That includes engineers, accountants, IT professionals and project managers. Most employees using their second language for work feel much less confident speaking up in meetings and sharing ideas. How much ROI are you losing due to this?
Global Leaders
Global leaders need English skills to connect with their international workforce and to position their companies well in international markets. Never underestimate the price you pay for a lack of communication/cultural connection with potential clients either. Stacie Nevadomski Berdan, a seasoned global executive, says that “being monolingual is no longer an option.”
HR Professionals
HR professionals want their employees to be as successful as possible. Help them gain clarity in their communication. Even if they are fluent in their second language, accents can still make it difficult for them to be understand. It’s a challenge to approach management in your second language. What effect do you think this has on engagement?
English Immersion
Leads to Market Expansion for Global Company
Ferrovial, a Spain-based infrastructure company, entered the U.S. market in the 2000s. The Spanish economy wasn’t doing as well as they had hoped, and company leaders knew they had to go even more global.
Ferrovial began bidding for big construction projects in the U.S.: a new toll road in Dallas, a new Denver airport and high-speed rail from L.A. to San Francisco. They brought hundreds of Spanish engineers, HR directors, executives and managers to the U.S. They knew they had to assimilate to be successful.
Some of the employees came to the U.S. without a working proficiency in English. Others had more proficiency but were still struggling in meetings with native English speakers. Ferrovial knew that these corporate relocations would not succeed without extensive language training. So they enlisted Fluency Corp to ensure everyone was confident working in English. Fluency Corp has been working with Ferrovial and its employees since 2014 in seven U.S. locations.
Ferrovial’s English lessons emphasize fluency: being able to converse with ease. Fluency Corp instructors use The Bellieu Method — rapid-fire questions and answers — which prepares employees for speaking fluent English. Lessons cover the most frequently used words in English, not the useless words found in textbooks. Instructors also focus on what students need to be able to say for their jobs. By speaking for the entire 60 minutes of class, the Ferrovial employees prepare for real-life conversations in meetings, at the water cooler and at employee social events.
Ferrovial also invested in Spanish classes for its U.S. employees. Fluency Corp believes Ferrovial’s emphasis on language training and communication between cultures plays a huge part in its success. We will continue to grow with them as partners in extremely effective second language communication skills.
Is your company ready to achieve greater success by improving your workforce’s business English? Contact Fluency Corp today for a free consultation about the learning options that are right for you.
How Fluency Corp English Tutoring Works
Improving your employees’ business communication skills in English can feel like a big project. But they can make real progress — and enhance their job performance — more quickly than you might imagine. A minimum of two hours of training per week is suggested to get the ball rolling. It starts around only $100 a week!
Lessons with a native speaker, whether in person or online, are the most efficient and effective way to learn any language. The instructor can customize English lessons to your employees’ needs and interests. Native speakers can also share valuable cultural information, such as the business etiquette your employees’ English-speaking colleagues follow.
From our experiences at Fluency Corp, we can report that managers notice language skills improvement after just 10 hours of coaching/training for their employees. That’s because we include lots of practical, conversational experience that help students learn English faster and apply what they’ve learned right away. After 100 hours of instruction, you should see huge changes in communication ability
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