Benefits of Corporate Language Training for Employees
Corporate expansion into international markets usually requires employees to have a certain level of proficiency in a foreign language or two. It matters little whether a company partner with an international firm, opens additional offices in another country, or just wants to expand its customer base; the ability to communicate in multiple languages is becoming an imperative factor in the successful growth of any business.
Many companies are making significant investments in programs that allow their employees to learn other languages. The expansion of a business into foreign markets is causing many firms to reserve promotions into higher positions in their companies for those with specific language skills. With the development of foreign operations, companies that have employees who speak multiple languages are better suited to help improve in-house communications, efficiency, and productivity. Language training also helps to increase staff confidence and maximizes professional skills.
Staff members who have foreign language training have greater confidence and can maximize their professional skills, whether they are working internally or with clients. This not only serves to enhance staff-client relationships but also benefits business opportunities. Foreign language training also helps to reduce conflict and bias in the workplace by giving employees a mutual platform to work with.
Foreign language training has become so important in the business environment that many experts see it as a major trend for not only large international businesses but for smaller companies as well since foreign language speakers are quickly being integrated into many different societies. In fact, in 2009, a major maker of foreign language training software attributed only a small percentage of their sales to Fortune 1000 companies. Today, by contrast, the company is seeing exponential growth in sales to not only the same Fortune companies but many small to medium size enterprises as well.
Most experts agree that any company doing significant international sales each year should seriously consider corporate language training for their employees. Such training has been proven to help a company evolve globally, along with the development of cross-cultural skill sets.
Interestingly, training in English isn't the only language that many companies are encouraging their employees to pursue. With the rapid growth of international business, companies are offering language training in Chinese, Arabic, German, and many more. This training is being provided not only for those employees who work in a large office setting but also those who work from home overseas, as well as employees who are also planning a move abroad to a strategic location to gain an improvement in those markets.
Perhaps most importantly, companies are offering corporate language training as a proactive strategy to improve operations by ensuring that employees have this knowledge before being called upon to use it on the job, creating more harmonious and productive relationships, both at home and abroad.
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