The ways we approach employee engagement are rapidly evolving and changing. For HR professionals and global business leaders, understanding these trends is essential to encourage a motivated, productive, and loyal workforce. A key yet often overlooked aspect of this engagement is the role of language learning and cultural understanding. Failure to adapt to the international market doesn’t just hinder growth—it can lead to significant financial losses.
This blog post will delve into current employee engagement trends, provide suggestions for improvement, and talk about the importance of language learning and company culture in fostering a thriving global workforce through an effective employee engagement strategy.
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that only 33% of employees in the US are actively engaged at work, while in 2023, 50% of employees were not engaged (quiet quitting). “Quietly quitting”—a term used to describe psychological disengagement from work. This issue is costly, an annual global economic impact of around $8.8 trillion.
Despite these alarming engagement statistics, there is a silver lining: at a company that invests in their learning and development (L&D). This indicates a pivotal opportunity for businesses to enhance engagement through targeted L&D initiatives, which can help cultivate an engaged employee.
These initiatives can include comprehensive training and development programs, language training, professional development opportunities, and continuous learning opportunities.
Language barriers are a significant impediment to effective communication in the workplace. Miscommunication costs annually, illustrating the critical need for robust language training programs. According to our research, only one in three companies currently provides language upskilling, despite 88% of employees acknowledging its importance.
Recognizing and rewarding employees for their contributions can significantly boost morale and employee motivation too. Implementing a robust employee recognition program that includes both formal awards and informal acknowledgments can help employees feel valued and appreciated.
Effective communication is a cornerstone of any employee engagement program. Regular updates from leadership, open forums for feedback, and transparent communication channels can foster a sense of inclusion and trust within the organization.
Employees are more likely to stay engaged when they see a clear pathway to career advancement. Regular performance reviews, employee feedback, setting achievable goals, and providing opportunities for promotion can help keep employees motivated and focused on their long-term career aspirations.
Given the strong correlation between L&D and employee retention, companies should prioritize comprehensive training programs that include effective employee engagement strategies addressing both technical skills and soft skills. Incorporating language learning into these programs can significantly enhance employee satisfaction and improve engagement, as shown by our appsuccess stories.
With busy workloads, employees often struggle to find time for learning. Mondly by app offers flexible online language learning solutions that allow employees to study at their own pace, fitting lessons around their schedules. Employers can track progress via a central dashboard, ensuring that learning objectives are met without disrupting daily operations.Flexible learning solutions like these can also boost engagement by allowing employees to learn at their own pace and on their own schedule.
Incorporating technology like VR, AR and AI can enhance employee engagement through immersive training experiences, personalized learning, and real-time feedback.
To enhance your employee engagement programs effectively, it is crucial to regularly measure and analyze engagement metrics. Utilizing advanced employee engagement software can provide valuable insights into areas such as employee satisfaction, communication efficacy, and training program effectiveness. By continuously monitoring these metrics, businesses can identify trends, detect issues early, and adjust employee development strategies accordingly, ensuring that employee engagement initiatives are always aligned with the evolving needs of the workforce.
Employee well-being should be at the heart of engagement strategies. Promoting a healthy work-life balance, providing mental health support, and creating a supportive work environment are essential components.
are likely to see higher engagement levels, as employees feel valued and cared for. Initiatives such as wellness programs, flexible working hours, and access to mental health resources and counseling services can significantly contribute to a more engaged and productive workforce.
Comprehensive wellness programs that address physical, mental, and emotional health can significantly impact employee engagement. This can include fitness challenges, counseling services, and wellness workshops.
Employee engagement is multifaceted and requires a strategic approach that encompasses learning and development, cultural understanding, language training, and leveraging technology. By investing in these areas, businesses can cultivate a motivated, skilled, and loyal workforce positioned to thrive in a globalized economy.
Emphasizing inclusivity, flexibility, technological integration, and wellbeing can drive meaningful employee engagement efforts and ultimately lead to sustained business success.
Ignoring the international market and failing to address language barriers can have dire financial consequences. According to ,poor communication can cause an average loss per company of $62.4 million.
Moreover, recruiting staff with formal English qualifications only to discover they cannot effectively communicate in English once hired leads to frustration and inefficiencies. Addressing language barriers can help engage employees by improving communication and collaboration across the entire organization too.
Effective communication between teams spread across different countries and cultures is crucial to business success. When employees possess strong language skills, they’re better equipped to navigate complex, multilingual environments, leading to improved collaboration and productivity. Consequently, investing in language training programs is not just a strategic move to enhance an individual employee's skill sets but an essential step toward fostering a cohesive, well-integrated and engaged workforce.
The benefits of language learning extend beyond mere communication. Employees who receive language training report higher levels of engagement and job satisfaction. Language learning can lead to motivated employees who are more engaged and productive in their roles. Mondly by app’s flexible language learning solutions are designed to meet the specific needs of businesses, providing enhanced business-centric content to improve workplace skills and confidence.
are becoming increasingly important for employees. With AI being used more in the workplace, soft skills that AI can’t replace are being sought after more. Soft skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, and emotional intelligence are all key to building an engaged team.
Language learning can help develop these soft skills by providing opportunities for employees to work together on language exercises, practice speaking and listening, and collaborate in a new language. This not only improves their language proficiency but also boosts their soft skills, making them more valuable assets to the company.
We’ve discussed theadvantages of learning a new language for your businessbefore but to reiterate, investing in language learning is a strategic enabler for international business. It allows companies to:
Understanding and adapting to employee engagement trends is essential for HR professionals and global business leaders. Investing in language learning and cultural understanding not only mitigates the cost of miscommunication but also the workplace culture that drives employee engagement, satisfaction, and productivity. Engaged employees are more satisfied, productive, and motivated, contributing significantly to overall organizational success.
Take the first step towards a more engaged, skilled, and motivated workforce. Explore for your workforce to help them develop their language skills further.
Contact us todayto learn howVersant by appand ourworkplace solutionscan help your organization achieve its goals. Empower your team, boost employee engagement, enhance communication, and unlock unparalleled growth potential. Don't wait—act now and lead your business to success.
Read the post 'Ways to boost employee retention with language learning'.
At app Languages, 2024 has been a landmark year full of innovation, connection, and impactful resources for businesses worldwide. We’ve worked on so many things with the aim to empower global workforces and help organizations unlock the potential of language skills to drive business success. Here's how we made a difference this year.
As the new year approaches, it's the perfect time to reflect on our teaching practices and plan engaging, effective lessons for our English as a Second Language (ESL) students. Thoughtfully crafted lesson plans can make a significant difference in the learning outcomes and engagement levels of your students. Whether you're teaching young children, teenagers, or adults, the principles of effective lesson planning remain consistent. Here are some ideas, hints and tips to help you create dynamic and successful ESL lessons for students of all ages.
Begin each lesson with clear, achievable objectives. What do you want your students to learn by the end of the lesson? Objectives provide a roadmap for both you and your students, ensuring that everyone is focused and aware of the goals. For example, an objective might be "Students will be able to use past tense verbs to describe their weekend activities." Clear objectives provide direction and help you measure student progress.
To cater to different learning styles and keep students engaged, incorporate a mix of teaching methods and activities. Here are a few ideas:
Authentic materials—such as newspapers, menus, brochures and videos—expose students to real-world language and contexts. These materials can make lessons more interesting and relevant, helping students see the practical application of their language skills. Even better, they’re everywhere, so easy to find. Here are some more suggestions for how to select and use authentic materials in your English language teaching.
Teachers are already used to leveraging technology to enhance lessons utilizing online resources, language learning apps and interactive platforms to create a dynamic learning environment. Why not take this a step further by using AI to create your own resources. Take a look at our blog on How to make the most of AI in the classroom for some more ideas.
How can teachers use the Global Scale of English (GSE) and AI to help students set and achieve language learning goals for the new year?
As the new year rolls around, it’s the perfect time for students to set fresh language learning goals. But for teachers, it’s not just about inspiring students—it’s about giving them clear, measurable goals that they can actually achieve. That’s where the GSE, a very powerful tool, comes in. It can help teachers create personalized learning paths based on where students are right now and guide them toward their language goals throughout the year. Let’s dive into how the GSE can work to boost student progress.
The GSE is a precise framework that measures English proficiency with remarkable detail. Each score on the GSE aligns with specific speaking, listening, reading and writing competencies. For instance, a student with a GSE score of 50 might handle everyday conversations comfortably (B1 level), while a score of 75 indicates functioning at a more advanced level (C1).
What sets the GSE apart is its granularity—it goes beyond general levels of "intermediate" or "advanced," allowing teachers to identify exactly what their students can do at any stage. This level of detail enables teachers to set targeted, skill-specific goals for every learner, ensuring personalized and purposeful progression.
Before setting goals, it’s important to determine each student’s current standing. The GSE is an excellent tool for this because it provides a detailed breakdown of a student's skills. Teachers can use GSE-aligned assessments to pinpoint strengths and weaknesses, which gives a clearer picture than just knowing if a student is at an “intermediate” or “advanced” level.
Once you know where students are, you can set a baseline. For instance, if a student’s reading score is 52, you’ll know that they are likely in the B1 range, and you can target specific skills (like improving vocabulary or understanding main ideas) to move them forward.
Now that you know where each student stands, it's time to set some goals. These should be realistic, measurable and achievable based on their current level and the time span involved. The key is to pick goals that will push them to improve without overwhelming them. The GSE has detailed descriptions of what students can do at each level. You can pinpoint specific skills that need attention by looking at these descriptors. We know that large goals can feel intimidating, so break them into smaller, manageable chunks. Here, the GSE is an amazing resource, thanks to its granularity.
Using the GSE Learning Objectives (LOs) in conjunction with an LLM (Large Language Model)* opens up a world of possibilities for creating focused activities at the right level for each student. Here are some key points on how this combination enhances personalized learning:
By combining the GSE LOs and harnessing the power of an LLM like ChatGPT, teachers can create personalized activities that cater to individual students' language needs, promote active learning, and foster continuous improvement.
*Disclaimer:Teachers should check and verify the level based on their understanding of their students, as LLMs like ChatGPT may notassess levels accurately. While GSE Learning Objectives can assist, it's essential to check and adjust its outputs accordingly. This could involve consulting GSE Grammar and Vocabulary to confirm appropriate levels or utilizing the Text Analyzer to ensure the text aligns with the desired level.
Setting goals is just the start—tracking progress and adjusting those goals as needed is just as important. Throughout the year, teachers should regularly check in with students to make sure they’re on track. How can we monitor and adjust? Here are some tips.
Teachers should schedule regular one-on-one sessions with students to review their progress. The GSE can clearly show students their progress.
If students are achieving their goals faster than expected, adjusting their targets is important to keep them challenged. If they’re struggling, the goals might need to be more achievable, with smaller, more gradual steps.
Using the GSE can help students set clear, measurable goals and steadily progress throughout the year. By assessing where students are starting, setting specific GSE-based goals, creating personalized learning paths with AI, and continuously tracking progress, teachers can create a more dynamic and effective learning experience for their students. The new year is the perfect opportunity to help students improve their English and achieve their goals—and with these tools, teachers have everything they need to guide students toward success.
