Communicating in English, or any other language relevant to an organization’s niche, is a vital skill for companies seeking global expansion. A scalable corporate English training program that caters to the company’s needs and the employees’ profiles is the best choice to drive this expansion.
In this article, we present a useful guide to ensure the success of your language upskilling program, serving as a catalyst for both business growth and personal development.
Mastering English and other languages prevalent in the business world is a powerful lever for global growth. Some of the key benefits include:
- Opens doors to new markets and business opportunities in different regions of the world, creating new revenue streams.
- Improves collaboration, connection, and knowledge sharing among individuals, teams, regions, and divisions.
- Facilitates internal mobility and internal recruitment to fill positions in multiple countries.
- Makes the company more attractive to global talents seeking opportunities in internationally focused organizations.
- Individuals fluent in English and other languages have access to more sources of information, training, and multicultural knowledge, paving the way for more innovation.
Step by Step for a Corporate English Program
Assign a program owner
Let’s start with the step we consider most relevant to the success of a corporate English training program: selecting a person responsible for the program’s success.
Notice the use of the word “success,” which differs from a simple launch. A program capable of delivering results to the organization continues to adapt and improve after the launch.
Identifying these individuals and placing them not only in implementation but also in result measurement and program refinement is the first step toward success.
This helps increase engagement and satisfaction among participants, two critical components for the final success of any language training program.
Define a vision
Before delving into the practical aspect, it is essential to take a moment for broad and subjective reflection. To develop a truly effective program in improving business outcomes, start by clearly defining how success will be perceived.
- How will we evaluate the success of the training program?
- What are the metrics and success indicators?
- What will be notably different?
- What will be the impacts of language skills on workers and how will this be reflected in business results?
According to the Linkedin Learning Report, aligning training plans with business objectives is the top priority for training leaders, and this is the right time for that alignment.
Map the team’s skills and training needs
Language learning is a time-consuming process, so it’s important to understand what each person needs to achieve and set realistic expectations aligned with business needs.
Careful analysis of training needs is a crucial step for the success of a corporate English training.
Dedicating time to detail and conversations with key stakeholders allows for an effective plan for an English training for companies designed to meet the demands of the industry, departments, roles, and preferences of each participant.
This analysis provides a clear view of what people should be able to do as a result of the training, a skills-based approach, which is a rising trend in organizations.
Some skills are common to various positions in the company, such as:
- Explaining complex ideas to clients, suppliers, and colleagues.
- Actively participating in remote meetings in teams operating globally, understanding different accents.
- Communicating in writing using industry and area terms on communication platforms or projects like Slack, Teams, and Asana.
- Accessing corporate education content beyond the native language.
Other skills are specific to departments. Some common goals mentioned by our clients for key teams include:
Sales: contact and presentations with international clients, negotiations, and deal closure.
Human Resources: global recruitment and effective communication in diverse and multicultural contexts.
Customer Service: support and problem resolution for international customers through calls, chat, and emails.
Products and IT: collaboration in global teams for product development, obtaining certifications, compliance with regulations, reading and creating documents, technical manuals and training.
Finance: interpretation of international financial reports, results presentation, participation in meetings with foreign investors.
Logistics: efficient communication with global suppliers and partners.
Marketing: development of campaigns and content for international audiences, market analysis, contact with agencies and suppliers, text review for approval.
Executive Leadership: participation in global conferences and events, interviews, international negotiations.
In addition to the needs analysis, it’s essential to conduct an assessment to identify the participants’ initial competency level, allowing for precise monitoring of progress. This assessment can be done through tests on specific platforms.
Define the scope and format of training
During the scope-setting phase, it’s necessary to make crucial decisions, such as:
- Budget allocated to the program.
- Amount of time available for training.
- Training modality: in-person, remote, or a combination of both. Virtual and personalized classes are more effective than in-person classes in small groups and provide access to instructors specialized in job skills.
- Availability of spaces with computers for training with manufacturing workers.
- Definition of the start, end, and whether the language upskilling program will be evergreen.
Choose the tools
To ensure that individual expectations and organizational needs are met, choose a training program that covers real-world business content, involving listening, speaking, and text interpretation skills.
Training platforms that allow classes to take place through computers or mobile phones at any time are especially relevant for teams operating in a remote or hybrid format, following an asynchronous dynamic.
Look for solutions that offer short-duration classes and lessons (microlearning), integrating better with participants’ work routines. Training accessibility is another important factor to consider when choosing the platform.
To complement the program, include additional tools such as Slack channels for participants to share recommendations and platforms for virtual meetings dedicated to conversation practice.
In the solution analysis phase, also check the availability of reports for tracking metrics and assess potential integration needs with other platforms.
Develop an engagement strategy
To ensure the effectiveness of a corporate English training program, it is essential to maintain participant engagement beyond the initial excitement of the launch. Some fundamental strategies to achieve this goal:
- Establish active and visible support from organizational leaders, demonstrating the importance of training for individual and organizational development.
- Link English learning to participants’ professional development goals and individual objectives.
- Make the training practical, focusing on real-world situations participants may encounter in their work environments and facilitate practical opportunities for participants to apply learned skills in their work contexts.
- Use regular reminders to maintain participants’ awareness and commitment throughout the program.
- Highlight success stories from previous participants to inspire and motivate current ones.
- Adapt the training to meet the specific needs of each team and individual, recognizing different competencies and challenges (AI platforms can do this at scale).
- Establish platforms and forums that encourage interaction among participants, creating a collaborative community of continuous learning.
Develop a communication strategy
To ensure a successful launch and positive adherence to the new corporate English training program, implement impactful communication strategies.
Consider conducting a comprehensive email and messaging campaign, promoting the benefits and details of the program. Additionally, explore hosting informative webinars, providing an interactive platform to present essential details.
Include communication about the program during team meetings to ensure all members are informed and excited about the initiative.
Launch and closely monitor
Closely monitoring the key metrics of the training program is essential to assess its effectiveness and make adjustments as needed.
Metrics such as participation rates, individual progress, and achieved results provide crucial insights into the training’s impact. By tracking the right numbers from the beginning, it’s even possible to calculate the productivity gain and ROI (return on investment) of a corporate English training program.
Furthermore, periodic interaction with participants through qualitative feedback and training evaluations is crucial to understanding their experiences, challenges, and specific needs.
This approach not only allows for real-time program adjustments but also strengthens the connection between participants and the training team, fostering a collaborative and adaptive learning environment.
This constant exchange of information is fundamental to ensuring that the training program continuously meets the organization’s expectations and goals.
Voxy is a language platform focused on the business needs of teams and organizations, with certified instructors specialized in job skills available for short classes that can be accessed from any device. Schedule 15 minutes with Voxy to discuss your team’s needs.
