How to help your foreign-born employees hone their English skills
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Businesses in the US are going global, no matter how big or small they are. This is not just in terms of exporting and importing goods; many companies in the US have foreign employees working for them.
The US BLS reports that the number of foreign-born workers in the US was 28.0 million in 2021. In 2022, this number reached 29.8 million, an increase of 6.3 percent.
Having foreign workers in your team or company is great. You get a range of skills at your disposal and, most importantly, you get diverse viewpoints.
However, as a boss or leader, you also need to ensure that your foreign-born labor force isn’t struggling to adjust to their workplace. One way to do so is by helping these employees hone their English skills.
As per an EnGen report, without decent English skills, finding a job becomes extremely hard. For leaders like yourself, you might often have to make hard choices because of this. While an employee or job candidate might not be good with English, they might be excellent in the skills required for the job. Hence, what do you do here?
The answer is simple – help your foreign-born employees hone their English skills. Here’s how.
Understand each employee’s barriers to learning English
To effectively help your foreign-born employees hone their English skills, start by understanding the unique barriers each individual faces.
Language learning is not a one-size-fits-all process, and various factors can influence a person’s ability to learn a new language. Some employees may struggle with confidence, fearing embarrassment over making mistakes.
Others might have limited time outside of work to dedicate to learning. The differences in educational background and prior exposure to English can also play significant roles.
Engage in open, empathetic conversations with your employees to identify these obstacles. Conduct surveys or one-on-one meetings to gather insights on their specific challenges and needs. This approach enhances language acquisition and demonstrates your commitment to their personal and professional growth.
Enroll them in English language learning programs
There are plenty of English language learning programs available, both online and in-person. From enhancing your employees’ vocabulary to honing their speaking skills, these programs can ensure it all.
School teachers, in particular, enroll in English Second Language (ESL) programs for their career growth. You can take note of the ESL speaking activities offered in these programs to host in-house training for your foreign-born employees. Each ESL speaking activity is meticulously designed to help non-English speakers.
Such a program is perfect if you want to see your foreign employees speaking confidently in the workplace.
Fix daily English learning sessions for foreign employees
Implementing daily English learning sessions can significantly boost your employees’ proficiency over time.
Dedicate a specific time each day for these sessions, ensuring they are short enough to be manageable yet long enough to be effective. These sessions could include interactive activities such as group discussions, role-playing scenarios, or even casual conversations over lunch.
Encourage participation by making the sessions engaging and relevant to their work tasks, thereby improving both their language skills and job performance. Regular practice helps reinforce learning and builds confidence, making your foreign-born employees feel more integrated and valued in the workplace.
Try to include the daily sessions as part of their regular working hours. That way, employees won’t think that they have to spend more time than they should at the office.
Offer incentives
To encourage your foreign-born employees to improve their English skills, consider offering incentives that make the learning process more appealing. These incentives can range from small rewards, like gift cards, to more substantial benefits like professional development opportunities or performance bonuses.
Recognize and celebrate milestones and progress, no matter how small, to keep the momentum going. Public acknowledgment of their efforts in team meetings or company newsletters can also boost morale and inspire others to participate.
Creating a structured reward system incentivizes learning and further demonstrates that you value their hard work and dedication. This investment in their development ultimately benefits your organization by enhancing communication, productivity, and overall employee satisfaction.
Can all these approaches help?
Based on our discussion so far, it’s safe to say that all these approaches can indeed help your foreign-born employees hone their English skills.
Of course, it won’t be easy; after all, these are individuals who are not that much used to English speaking or writing. Even then, sticking to any one of these upskilling approaches can help them overcome their fears of English speaking and writing.
If needed, you can even take more than one such approach to help your employees improve their fluency in the English language.
