If you work in a large, global organization, especially within the European Union, you will likely be required to communicate and work alongside colleagues in different regions. Multilingual employees have the ability to communicate effectively across international borders, making them prime candidates for promotion over their monolingual colleagues.
Companies who operate internationally have to interact with people in many different countries, who may not speak the same languages as them. Language training is obviously beneficial in these situations, but should it be mandatory?
More companies rely on a global workforce to meet the needs of today’s international economy. This means employees are dispersed in key markets around the globe, and bring diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds to the job.
Effective communication isn’t just an exchange of information; it is also about understanding the emotion and intention behind the words. It is as much about being able to convey your message in the way you hope it to be received, as it is about being able to listen and gain the full meaning of what is being said to you.
Using blended learning - online training that gives your team control over the time, place and pace of the program - has ample benefits for employees, as well as for the company. The flexibility of a virtual classroom allows employees to master content anywhere, anytime, on multiple devices.
We’re all familiar with International Women’s Day on 8th March, but I bet not all of you knew that there’s an International Men’s Day, too – today! International Men’s Day also coincides with the month of Movember – a worldwide moustache-growing charity event each November which aims to raise awareness and funds for men's health.