In a globalized economy, language training is no longer a “great if there is spare budget” but an essential component of corporate success.
- 72.4% of global consumers are more likely to buy a product with information in their own language
- 56.2% of global consumers say the ability to obtain information in their own language is more important than price.
Tying in language training to your company’s strategic goals improves customer service, enhances health and safety in the workplace, facilitates the entry of new markets and delivers communication at the international level required by today’s global marketplace.
According to Eton Institute’s Language Development in the Workforce Survey, 89% of their clients stated that multilingual employees add value to the workforce and 88% stated that recruiting team members with language skills is important to their organization.
Building a successful language training strategy is a commitment justifying the investment and should start with an honest review of where we are and where do we need to be?
1. Where Are We Now?
How is training being delivered?
- Centralized training budget and department
- Individual line managers including language training in their own department budgets
- No training happening
- Individual employees paying for their own training
Review whether your current budget helps your company meet its training objectives. What hot spots still need to be addressed?
2. Where Do We Need To Be?
Ask key stakeholders and managers about their actual language requirements. Follow that up with getting expert help to explore effective language training approaches that can make a positive difference for your company.
3. How Are We Going To Get There?
Now you know your company needs, condense this data into a summarized language training strategy by reviewing your options.
Discuss with your learning partner/vendor what suits your organization i.e. classroom based learning with traditional tools, interactive, technology based classrooms, virtual classrooms, group or individual based learning, online self-study learning etc. Agree your approach, schedule and cost.
4. Get Buy-In
Present to get buy in at an organizational and individual level by showing the benefits and the budget to achieve your company’s operational goals. Share the benefits of the training with your teams and those about to undergo the training. Commitment is needed by BOTH parties for the training to be successful.
Provide data for how language learning makes a difference to the bottom line, and why multilingualism is a necessity.
Share and agree clear goals, expectations and schedules with your stakeholders. All of them!
5. How Did We Do?
Review your Return on Investment.
During the Training:
Communicate at agreed check in points at both an organizational level and team / individual level. How it is going? Ensure your training provider or vendor is able to monitor quality of delivery, employee progress and learning outcomes throughout the program. Share this data and ensure that everyone has bought in to the process and objectives as you go.
After the Training:
Ensure that your training partner can provide reports that are directly linked to “can do statements” about what the employee can now do as a result of the training. Make sure that reports have measurable results; placement entry testing, course testing and instructor evaluations, attendance reports, all linked to the learning outcomes.
Check with your training partner what tools they have for post course reminder programs to improve retention and change the forgetting curve.
Review and Reflect!
Review the training and the difference it has made in the workplace. Communicate the “can do statements” to the line managers to check workplace reality. What can we do now that we could not do before the training?
Training should not be a theoretical, brain workout.
Training should change behaviors and enhance skills in the workplace.
Andrie Steliou
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