6 Reasons Why Your Company Will No Longer Survive Without Outstanding English Business Communication

Learning English For Business Communication

Why learn English for business communication?

Well, if you do not, you will be at a serious competitive disadvantage in the international global market. For better or for worse, English language has become the global language for business and professional communications and the standards are changing. Today, small, medium and multi-national companies, educational establishments and even governments are investing heavily in increasing and accelerating their staff’s knowledge and communication skills in this area. It is a game-changer. Why? Because even if you are excellent in your work and offer products and services of the highest quality, it may not be enough! Experience shows that someone who is not as good as you but can communicate his or her message more effectively in business or professional English, has a greater chance of winning international business, defending a budget or perhaps even gaining promotion instead of you. 

Is it best to do this training in my own country or go to an English speaking country to do it?

Ideally both. Extensive training can happen in your own country through in-company or private lessons, telephone English classes and on-line learning. Then a visit to a specialist Business English training centre in an English speaking country is highly recommended. An intensive course for at least one week and, if possible, up to four weeks or more can facilitate a tangible increase in your levels of confidence and speaking, listening, reading and writing fluency and enable you to be much more effective in your work.

A specialist centre? So is English for business and professional communication training different from general English training then?

Yes, definitely. It is more intensive and tailored to your specific business and professional needs. Often teaching takes place on a one-to-one basis or a small group basis (or a mixture of both) and focuses not only on your specific language and work-related vocabulary requirements, but also soft skills, cultural awareness and situations relevant to your present and future work needs.

But how do I know what is the best business communications course or training centre for me?

Ask for recommendations from people you know who have done training like this before. Speak to agents or your HR department, look on-line, in the UK look at BEUK or EL Gazette recommendations. When you find a potential centre, look at the listed companies and clients they deal with and how long they have been teaching Business English courses, too.

Another key indicator to consider when looking at a specialist centre’s web-site is the actual training process. Is there a detailed needs audit? What types of courses do they offer? What is the experience of the teaching team, the course content, flexibility, range of nationalities in groups, ages of students, the resources & facilities available, the price and the after course service.

Is there anything else you should consider?

Yes, the location. Do you want to study in a large metropolis where there are many distractions, many people who may speak the same language as you? Would a quieter place, with a slower pace of life, a more relaxing environment perhaps by the sea or in the country be more suitable for your Business English studies?

In addition to this, hotel or executive host family accommodation, the cost of living, the centre’s after class social programme, places of historical and cultural interest, transportation links to airports and places of interest should also be considered carefully before making your decision.

If you had to summarise the importance of learning English for your professional communication needs in one sentence, what would you say?

In these increasingly challenging and globally competitive times, We’d say invest in your future; invest in learning English for Business and Professional Communications now.