In today’s global market, the ability of your employees to communicate effectively is essential to achieving company goals. The need for language learning is clear: 87 percent of executives report that their business relies on multiple critical languages.
Professional development opportunities for employees can deliver big returns. A recent study found that companies providing e-learning and on-the-job-training generated 26 percent more revenue per employee. Other research finds that when employees participated in language learning programs, gains were made in these areas:
- Confidence. Language training is a favorite perk among employees. A whopping 70 percent of workers report that language training has made them more confident working with teams, partners, and vendors. That means they feel comfortable sharing ideas and are able to articulate those ideas clearly, which opens the door for stronger connections and allows employees to engage successfully with colleagues and customers anywhere in the world.
- Performance. Developing greater language proficiency helps employees communicate more effectively with co-workers, supervisors, and customers. Among employees who participated in company-sponsored language training, 71 percent say their job performance has improved as a result. Overcoming language barriers boosts the potential for employees to achieve individual and company goals.
- Productivity. Equipping employees with stronger language skills reduces miscommunications that contribute to inefficiency. A majority of workers believe that language training has made them more efficient in their work, with 50 percent reporting that the training has contributed to a savings of around three hours or more a week while on the job.
- Engagement. Overall, 63 percent of workers report feeling more engaged at work when their companies offer language training programs. When employees are more vested in their jobs, they develop stronger relationships with colleagues, greater trust with management, and embrace further opportunities for career growth.
- Loyalty. Employee turnover is costly, impacting not only the bottom line, but also team morale. Company-sponsored language training improves employee engagement and increases the likelihood that they’ll stay with the company for the long term. In fact, 58 percent of workers say they are more likely to remain with their current company thanks to employer-provided language training.
Language training can offer tremendous benefits for multinational companies. Learn more about how our Return on Language Learning (ROLL) team can customize a training program that aligns with your company’s goals and delivers a large ROI.
