There’s no denying that English is the global language of modern business. Global companies today are enforcing English as the corporate language to facilitate performance and communication across business endeavors and geographically diverse activities. In fact, it has become the preferred language in any business environment, especially those companies who want to be globally competitive.
Having the knowledge and skill to speak and write English has become a crucial aspect in employees’ careers. It has become a requirement for understanding job profiles and applying for highly competitive roles. In other countries, students who want to secure job roles in corporate companies enroll in specialized business English courses or hire an English-language tutor for tailored English proficiency lessons.
Effective communication and a strong command of the English language are important factors in career progression and increased sustainability in the workplace. Without them, employees will struggle to form business relationships and climb the corporate ladder. Since English is one of the largest contributors in a successful work setting, it makes sense to understand its implications in the modern workplace.
Outsourcing of tasks globally
English is the preferred language mode in terms of outsourcing and offshoring business processes. During the beginning stages of globalization, business leaders discovered the need to cut back costs to stabilize profits in globally competitive industries.
To address this concern, employers began sending job opportunities overseas. This paved the way for lucrative employment opportunities for those living in developing countries. Soon, people discovered that working in multinational firms presented more opportunities to acquire globally competitive skills and better wages.
Meanwhile, those who speak English fluently were able to work overseas and lend their skills to global companies. This phenomenon led English to become one of the most profitable languages, driving more people to learn the language.
English serves as a bridge to help people from different cultural backgrounds secure jobs overseas. Outsourcing opened opportunities to temporarily work with international businesses. Even though the employee is working remotely, their English skills allowed them to interact virtually. In this case, English facilitates communication and a smoother flow of information for better collaboration and innovation across borders.
Transparency also became possible by using English in connecting stakeholders and employees from different parts of the world. This link further strengthened communication and the credibility of the business. In turn, geographically dispersed employees can easily collaborate and attain corporate objectives.
Market and corporate pressure
If you want to market your product or service to a wide range of consumers, then English is something you should master. Expanding your business globally may require you to adopt a language strategy to communicate with consumers, suppliers, and business partners.
You may consider yourself lucky if your target customers use the same native language, but that isn’t always the case. Companies with no language strategy limit their opportunities in the global market, where English is the business language. This puts them at a disadvantage to other businesses following an English-only policy.
English also presents an additional advantage in securing job opportunities with competitive pay packages. Fluent writing and speaking skills are a must in prominent companies where English is the mode of communication for legal and business matters.
Banking, law, and finance sectors highlight English as a language requirement for job vacancies. This is highly important since most business interactions involve technical and complex language. In fact, some companies require an English language certificate during job applications.
According to a report by Cambridge English, companies offer additional benefits to workers fluent in English. They even provide a competitive starting package to applicants who speak and write English according to business standards. Other benefits include salary increase, job advancement, and faster progression.
Cross-cultural integration
Unrestricted multilingualism can be inefficient in business environments as it hinders the achievement of corporate goals and prevents business interactions to take place. The demand to coordinate work and tasks among partners and customers globally has encouraged business leaders to use English as the official business language regardless of the company location.
Business negotiations concerning acquisition and merger are complex enough when everyone shares the same language. If they don’t, interactions are almost possible even in exchanging emails or business reports.
Building English proficiency has never been important in the corporate environment. It has become a crucial skill to be competitive and allows professionals to connect with their colleagues and customers. In turn, employers should assess the entire workforce to determine possible weaknesses in the English language. This is very important in establishing an organization where employees can achieve their greatest potential.
