English is a universal language. It can be useful for communication, business, and studies around the world. If you are planning to work outside your home country or want to study abroad, then learning English will definitely help you in your career as well as make it easier for you to communicate with people from other countries.
Although it may be difficult to argue against the importance of learning a second language, it can sometimes be difficult to justify why you should learn a new language. However, learning a foreign language is more than just the ability to speak and understand someone else’s words; it also improves your English skills. Here are seven ways that English improves your work skills.
The English language is one of the most important elements in a professional’s life. It is crucial for business, for research, and for communication. According to data from BuroHappold Engineering’s Global Workplace Index, English has become the second most important skill after math among professionals working in global firms.
Employers care about the English skills of their employees. They want to see that they have enough skills to do their job, and are skilled in speaking, listening, reading and writing. In addition, employers are concerned about how well you communicate with your colleagues and how much information you can contribute. See also, learn English.
You’ve already heard several inspiring personal stories from employees who advanced in their career by learning English. But it’s not just about reading and writing better in English – learning English for work boosts performance along many key work skills employers look for during hiring or developmental processes. We’ve identified 7 critical ways English improves your work skills below:
1. Allows you to communicate on a global scale
As the lingua franca of business, English is critical to communicate within a global company – 83% of executives we surveyed said poor communication has led to harmful business outcomes. Proficient business language skills will help you avoid misunderstandings and communicate effectively all over the world.
2. Increases your confidence and work purpose
English is important to perform daily duties, said 92% of workers. Good business English can help you understand expectations and perform tasks successfully, resulting in a sense of purpose and a positive opinion about your workplace.
3. Improves team collaboration
Key employability skills that come quite naturally to native English speakers, such as writing an email, reading a business report or presenting ideas, may seem daunting to a non-native speaker. Building on these work skills allows you to work efficiently with other people – in your local team and within a global one. Team collaboration is one of the most frequently cited problem areas in terms of poor communication skills, and our report shows that 57% of employees communicate with their colleagues in English every day.
4. Boosts productivity
When you have the confidence to complete tasks, reach business goals and collaborate successfully with others, then your work productivity will increase. When it comes to the four skills, the GSE Learning Objectives for Professional English provides you with a clear progression path. Your employer will see productivity gains that can lead to at least 390.000$ in savings each year.
5. Reduces stress
Trying to understand business-related emails, phone calls and queries can be the cause of stress in the workplace – even more so when they’re presented in a language that isn’t your mother tongue. Miscommunication can result in uncertainties and stress between colleagues – and our research shows that only 7% of non-native English speakers feel their current skills are sufficient for success in the job. Fear can hinder career progression and stress can cause a negative impact on your happiness, health and performance at work.
6. Builds the interpersonal skills to progress
Job promotion is a key driver to learning English, with 93% of employees stating that English was important or necessary for a promotion. Being in a workplace where you can build positive relationships based on communication will inevitably open doors and give you a better understanding of the opportunities available for you to advance your career.
7. Improves client/customer satisfaction
Having the skills to communicate effectively with customers or clients, whether by email, phone or face to face, will lead to fewer miscommunications and build a level of mutual trust and understanding. Having a positive relationship with your clients can lead to positive feedback to your company, which could also benefit your career progression.
Since the first edition of this book was published in 2006, we have continually improved and updated it. This is the third edition, which includes new sections on technology and a new chapter on ” The importance of mastering English” . The main difference between this edition and previous editions is that we now include an overview of all the key features that make up our LearnEnglish website (e.g. free video lessons, practice tests, free language learning books, Skype and Facebook).
Section 2: English is a vital life skill
Part 1 of this section details the benefits of learning English as well as how to go about doing so. Learning a new language will help you develop social skills by getting into contact with other people in countries where English is spoken; it’s also important that your job market catch up with what may be global trends within organisations today which require employees to communicate effectively across business lines.
Part 2 of this section covers the characteristics and behaviour patterns you need to implement when learning English, so that you are making optimum use of your time on holiday or at an overseas location. There is also advice about how best to learn languages in their native form rather than picking up second-hand versions online as well as information about using Skype for language learning which can be accessed easily on a computer, smartphone or tablet whilst in a foreign country or potential holiday location.
Section 3: The importance of mastering English
The third section is dedicated to covering the best ways to master a skill such as ESL, which includes advice on choosing your goal and how much time you can devote towards making learning just the right number of words and phrases possible whilst retaining interest in language learning. You May Like How English helps me work.