In our globalized world, deciding to develop new language skills is the first, most important step on the road to new abilities, greater confidence, and a better understanding of others’ lives and views of the world.  It is what allows organizations to communicate efficiently, diplomatically, and confidently, both internally and externally. It can take you to new markets. Improve your relationships with international customers and employees. Help you share new ideas about collaboration and global partnerships. In short, proficiency in one or several foreign languages is invaluable in today’s business world, and it is something all sorts of companies can benefit from.
If you’ve recently decided to implement a language training solution in your organization’s workflow or are interested in doing so in the near future, here are a few things you should consider:

 The specific needs of your organization

Before choosing which language training provider or app to learn with, you should conduct a detailed assessment of your business needs. Ask yourself or your management team why you feel the need to implement a language learning solution in the first place, what problem you are trying to solve. Then, ask other key questions such as:

• What language or languages do you need your employees to learn?
• Are you looking for sector-specific language training?
• Are your employees new language learners?
• Who will participate in these training sessions?
• How much time do the employees have to dedicate?
• What’s your company’s budget?

Answering these questions is the first step toward developing a plan that will help you find the language learning provider that best suits your needs and expectations.

The most suitable strategy

Once you’ve gathered information on the needs of your company, you should select a strategy that prioritizes your team’s learning goals without negatively impacting their productivity. Moreover, it is essential to adopt a learning strategy that relates to your employees’ day-to-day lives and workflows, while also keeping them motivated. To that end, you can gather insights directly from your employees about their learning goals and preferences.

Selecting the right provider

Finding the language training provider that’s right for your company is key – but it often isn’t as straightforward as one might wish. To find the right match, you must have your goals and needs clearly defined. Then, it’s equally important to consider several factors to recognize if a provider is suited for your company, such as:

• Does the provider offer customization options?
• Do their coaches have experience teaching to professionals??
• Can you choose between live lessons or asynchronous learning?
• How flexible are the programs?
• Does the provider adapt to your changing needs?
• What support does the provider offer during the language learning program?
• Does the provider understand your industry and day-to-day reality?

In this phase, it’s also recommendable to ask for references. Speaking to other companies can be quite valuable, as you can learn more about the provider’s team, style of teaching, and programs. It’s also valuable to find out if the provider has helped the client reach his language learning goals. Additionally, to better understand if a provider is a good fit for your team, you can also ask to run a pilot program with a subset of employees to 1/address the most immediate communication needs and 2/ensure it will meet business goals and add value to your workflow.

Learning as part of your company’s culture

Once you’ve selected your provider, it’s time to embed learning in your corporate culture. To do so, you must sustainably communicate how development relates to the corporate mission and values. Make sure your company’s leadership team visibly supports language training in order to motivate those involved. Successful corporate language learning encourages learners to keep going, so be sure to build enthusiasm and engagement by communicating the learning benefits along the way.

Measuring the success and the ROI of the program

As with every investment, it’s important to monitor the language program’s effectiveness. Track what truly matters by measuring acquired skills (how the employees are starting to apply their new language skills, what tasks are they able to perform in the language) and engagement (attendance, homework, activities completed, etc.) . By frequently measuring the actual developments and comparing them to the anticipated outcomes, you will be better equipped to decide if the program should be continued, modified, or dropped altogether. Choosing a provider that will help you in this task and support you by adapting the program or offering extra help is key to achieving the intended results.

Overall, language learning in the workforce is beneficial for more reasons than one. If you’re seeking customizable programs, coaches with relevant experience in the corporate world, and able to adapt nimbly to changing needs, you should get in touch with Language Advantage. For over 20 years, our team has been helping people like you transform their businesses with tailored language-learning programs. Learn more about our unique approach and don’t hesitate to contact us for a quote!