Why All Businesses Need a Corporate Language Training Program

Corporate language training refers to structured educational courses designed to increase language proficiency within a business context. It can focus on business terminology in general or aim to improve job-related language, for example, focusing on industry-specific jargon. The goal is for the workforce to be equipped with the linguistic tools that will help them excel in a global environment, thus boosting their cross-cultural knowledge, productivity, and the company’s image as a whole.

Business language is taught in many languages. You may require staff to master the language of the country where your headquarters is based, or instead, they could learn a second language in order to interact with foreign partners more easily. The vast majority of corporate language programs are conducted in the “lingua franca” of business: English. Not only are there nearly 400 million native speakers worldwide, but it is also the official language of most of the largest international businesses.

Language instruction is advantageous for everyone. We’re going to look in detail at the reasons for providing language programs, the aims and advantages, and explore the different ways they can be taught.

Advantages of corporate language training for companies

Businesses reap many advantages when employees increase their language fluency📈:

• Direct communication among employees, clients, and management saves time and improves efficiency.
• Better problem-solving thanks to the refined communication between the company’s clients and employees, reducing misunderstandings, addressing issues, and finding solutions together more easily.
• Facilitate global communication for seamless work on projects throughout different countries.
• More satisfied customers thanks to open dialogue and mutual trust. These positive relationships are proven to lead to higher customer retention rates.
• Opportunities, for example, business expansion, arise when a company has bilingual representatives, thanks to building connections and expanding your customer base across markets overseas.
• Business language instruction includes lessons on cultural awareness, which helps employees navigate customs in different cultures, teaching them how to be more respectful to international clients.
• Clear communication reduces the risk of errors or misinterpretations, saving time, money, and other resources that would otherwise be spent rectifying mistakes.
• When you invest in employees’ growth, it makes them feel valued, and this boosts confidence within a company, resulting in more job satisfaction and higher staff retention rates.

Advantages for employees

• Employees who learn a new language benefit from improved communication and a better understanding of other cultures.
• It also leads to career growth as language proficiency opens doors to new job opportunities and higher positions.
• It helps to be more productive in the company you work for and increases your chances of getting a promotion.

What kind of companies benefit from corporate language instruction?

Many businesses want their employees to speak multiple languages better. This includes big companies that work in many countries, tech companies, banks, and factories that buy and sell things worldwide. Non-profits that work with local people, schools with students from different countries, and stores also benefit from multilingual staff. Government jobs often need language skills to talk with other countries, so training more government workers in languages can build better relationships. Also, in tourism and hotels, it’s really important to speak different languages because you’re directly talking to people from all over the world.

Language learning strategy

A good business language course should include certain elements:

1. Verbal communication helps employees to share ideas and information using spoken language. This includes tone and speech patterns, which vary from one language to another.
2. Written correspondence, including email and letter writing, is crucial for ensuring that information is exchanged clearly and accurately. Well-written documents, emails, and reports enhance professionalism, prevent misunderstandings, contribute to a positive image, and also aid in documentation, decision-making, and compliance with legal and industry standards.
3. General vocabulary for polite conversation is important, but knowledge of industry-specific terminology is crucial.

Corporate language learning

When starting corporate language lessons, first figure out what you want to achieve. Check how good everyone is at the language right now and see where they need help. Some language courses even help you do this check at the start. Then, create a custom plan that covers which languages to learn, at what level, and how to teach them based on what you need.

Our quick test will help evaluate your employees’ level of English

On LiveXP, your employees will have a personal tutor of their choice. This tutor will be able to check their current language level and create an individualized learning plan to achieve the best results. And you, as a manager, will be able to track your employees’ progress on the dashboard.

Corporate language learning solutions

Language training can fit different skill levels and positions within an organization. Let’s delve deeper into how businesses can go about setting up corporate language tuition…

Self-study vs. tutoring

Self-study is independent learning undertaken by an individual without direct formal teaching from a tutor. The advantages are autonomy and flexibility, allowing everyone to study in their own time and at their own rhythm. The disadvantages are the lack of structure, which could be challenging for people with less self-discipline, and the lack of support and feedback, as there is no teacher readily available to ask questions to.

Tutoring, on the other hand, is personalized instruction provided by a knowledgeable teacher. It offers individualized attention, and teaching methods and subjects are adapted to the student’s needs. Tutors are also there to answer any questions and share their wealth of knowledge with the students. The drawbacks include the more formal lesson setting and the potential scheduling conflicts, as students and teachers must stick to planned lesson times, offering less flexibility. But on LiveXP, your employees receive full flexibility and can choose a tutor based on their availability. They’re also not “linked” to only one teacher. They can switch any time and even learn with several tutors.

Face-to-face or online

Face-to-face lessons add a personal, friendly touch, which can make adults feel more comfortable and less likely to be distracted, while online lessons offer the flexibility to learn from any location with an internet connection. This convenience lets students set their own schedules and access educational content without the need for physical travel.

Group lessons or one-to-one

Group lessons let students learn from each other, which can be motivating and speed up learning. But, at the same time, coworkers might feel awkward learning in the same group and show their weak places to each other. Group lessons also can’t always fit everyone’s needs because they’re more general. On the other hand, one-on-one lessons can focus on what each student needs help with, letting them improve quickly.

How to find corporate language teachers

Nowadays, it’s easy to find a company that offers B2B (business-to-business) linguistic training and specializes in educational services. They can provide all the necessary resources to other businesses to help employees work on their skills, knowledge, and capabilities within the client company.

There are dozens of advantages of hiring one single company, for example, LiveXP, for all your language teaching needs: one single, easy-to-use platform where all classes take place, direct communication with tutors, and access to all tools required for lessons such as vocabulary, lesson notes, etc. From an administrative point of view, you can enjoy simple billing and payment, easily track your employees’ progress, and have a personal manager to accompany you and oversee the language program for your business as a whole.

With LiveXP, your team can experience corporate language training with flexible terms, monitor their progress, and personally choose a like-minded tutor to meet their needs and preferences.

Why can LiveXP be your best choice? It offers you a flexible subscription: you choose the intensity and duration of the lessons. Within a subscription, your workers can choose any tutor and switch whenever they need. They can learn more than one language with more than one tutor at the same time. They have flexible scheduling and many useful tools. Our Words Trainer in the app also allows your employees to learn new words outside of the lessons whenever they want.

Top tips for employers

Get skilled teachers or well-known platforms like LiveXP to set clear goals and make lessons that fit your industry’s needs, including understanding different cultures. Get your team excited about the benefits and check how they’re doing on your manager’s dashboard. Celebrate when they get better at the language and keep pushing for growth.

In short, language training makes you stand out. Having staff who speak multiple languages makes chatting in the office and with customers better. This means happier customers, fewer mistakes, and saving money.

In the end, giving your team language training can make your company more competitive and ready for global challenges.