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January 19, 2021

5 Tips to Make Your Employees Commit to Language Learning

commitment

It is undeniable that having a multilingual workforce brings endless benefits to every business. It translates into better communication and problem-solving skills, enhanced creativity, confidence, and, ultimately, more opportunities to forge partnerships and build a solid customer base. Our clients are often asking how to make their employees commit to language learning and enhance their motivation.

If your workforce is not already multilingual, it can be challenging to change the circumstances. Yet, challenging does not mean impossible!

Considering that foreign language skills are vital in today’s global economy, this is an ability in which you should invest – mainly if your company operates globally or aims to do so in the future. By promoting the learning of a new language, you will be opening new doors into better business opportunities while also enhancing your employee’s confidence, dedication, and loyalty.

So many perks, right?

The big question now is: how can you make your employees feel motivated and committed to learning a new language?

There are many ways to stimulate your team and make the learning experience positive and profitable for everyone. Here are five unmissable tips that will help you optimize your employees’ language learning:

1.Find a program that fits the company

Every company is unique. From daily operations to work culture, every business has its own strengths and weaknesses, which also translates into different needs. Considering that, you must find a language training program that fulfills said needs while also meeting your employees’ learning preferences (and availability).

Nowadays, there are endless teaching techniques, materials, and programs to choose from. To make the right decision, you must assess the company’s corporate needs while acknowledging your team’s diversity and the different learning styles. In the end, the more personalized the training program, the better.

2.Give your employees the time they need to study

Expecting employees to work hard throughout the week on their daily tasks and still find the extra time and energy to engage in language training can lead you to disappointing outcomes. The best strategy is to give them the time they need to study.

Time is, very often, one of the biggest obstacles to motivation. Thus, it is crucial to integrate new learning activities into the work schedule in a way that everyone feels comfortable with. It might seem challenging, but there are many solutions you can look into, like reducing the typical corporate hour-long meetings or taking advantage of periods when business is low.

Further than that, make sure you engage your employees by explaining the program and its goals in detail. If people don’t know what resources will be available or how the language training will benefit them, they won’t be excited about it.

3.Make it fun!

It can be hard to keep your employees engaged and motivated to learn a new language, but there are many strategies you can implement for that end. One of the most popular ones is to appeal to their competitive spirit. With this approach, you can easily turn language learning into the week’s most expected moment!

For instance, you can organize small competitions within teams or even create a “Language Learner of the Month” prize, which could be a restaurant voucher, a discount card, or something funny to lighten up the mood, like a spot on the company’s Wall of Fame. Each business has its unique culture and values, so be creative and make sure that your awards reflect them!

4.Reward your employees’ efforts

Students, regardless of their age, study harder and get better results when they feel supported. Positive feedback and verbal encouragement are key to stay on track and, as research[1] finds, often way more important than cold hard cash.

Employee recognition is a cornerstone of effective management, and it is also a great tool to make teams feel motivated when challenged to learn a new skill. Beyond a bonus or award (as we mentioned in the previous paragraph), small daily gestures that show your appreciation, like a friendly thank-you email or some additional office perks, will boost everyone’s morale. When the students hit a milestone on the program, reward them with a group dinner or a team-building activity. With these gestures, your employees will view learning new skills as something valued in the company.

5.Organize events to celebrate a culture

Here is a fact: a learner who understands and admires a culture is more inspired to learn the language. And to understand a culture, further than textbooks, movies, or even movies, it is essential to experience it first-hand!

With this in mind, you can inspire your employees by organizing weekend or after-hours social gathers that involve attendance at cultural events. Something as simple as a Mexican cooking class or a Japanese origami workshop held by native instructors can mean a great deal in the process.

In this type of event, employees can enjoy the festivities, learn new skills, and initiate personal relationships with speakers of the target language. In the end, it is a fun activity for everyone involved, and that will have a significant impact on the way employees approach the new language.

Contact us for a personalized language training program!

The biggest benefit of language training is that it provides employees with the opportunity to work and interact with speakers of other languages. But learning a new language also has many other perks that will profit the whole company, from a greater sense of loyalty and satisfaction to better management and negotiation skills.

If this is something you want to invest in, let us help you find the most suitable program for your team!

Over the years, Language Advantage has transformed businesses of all sectors into more profitable, globalized, and happier organizations – and we believe yours also deserves that!

To meet your business demands, we start by assessing your needs and goals and, accordingly, we proceed to design a learning program that fits your company’s identity and expectations. And yes, that can even include social events and boot camps!

If you wish to know more, do not hesitate to contact us. Our highly qualified and dedicated instructors will be happy to walk you through our programs and present you with a quote.

[1] Does Money Motivate? Employee Engagement & Compensation (gloat.com)