This document discusses how companies are wasting money on English language training programs that are not strategic or effective. It states that while many companies recognize the importance of English skills for international growth, they typically approach development in an ad hoc, one-size-fits-all manner without clear goals, metrics, or ownership. This results in a waste of time, money, and missed opportunities for growth as programs are not designed to achieve specific objectives. The document advocates treating English learning as a strategic priority to power global business success.

1. Why companies are wasting money
instead of getting strategic
?

2. あ 아
You’re not just competing
in your home market any more.

3. expanding into high-growth countries all over the world.
Makes sense.
You’re looking to grow in new markets,

4. But they do speak English.
There’s only one problem:
Your new prospects and customers
and partners and suppliers
don’t speak your language.
あ 角
‫ج‬아
Д Ü

5. This is hugely important because
and they do it using language.
People buy from people.

6. If your people speak English
they can do great things.
Sell more
Negotiate better
Build great partnerships
Find the best suppliers
Promote your brands
Forge new relationships
Stay on top of market changes
Share knowledge across your
organization
Engage more closely in corporate
strategy and culture

7. And if they don’t,
they can’t.

8. Stop and think about this.
English language skills will make your people get inside your
new markets instead of just selling to them from the outside.
That’s not a small thing, that’s a very, very big thing indeed.
As an HR or executive leader, it may well be one of the biggest
contributions you can make to your company’s success.

9. English
English
English language learning
has become critical
to your company’s success.
It’s your job to accelerate
your organization’s English skills.
The decisions you make right now
are vitally important.
Get it right and your company will hit
its international growth targets.
Get it wrong and you’ll struggle.
The bottom line:

10. But most companies are still approaching
English language skills development
as if it were a ‘tick box’ exercise.
Most companies know this (it’s not really very controversial).

11. They think all English language training
is the same, so their efforts are:
Ad hoc One-size-fits-all Low-quality
Inflexible Decentralized Un-managed
Un-measured

12. It’s a colossal waste of money.
(And makes HR look bad)
Because these programs aren’t designed
to achieve specific goals, no metrics or training KPIs
are ever established (much less tracked).
What’s more, nobody really owns the whole
program, so nobody makes sure it delivers
a proper return on investment.

13. Leaving your English skills development
to chance virtually guarantees that you will:
This is a huge mistake.
Waste your people’s time
Waste a lot of money
Miss major opportunities
Inhibit your growth
And that’s not what HR’s is here for.
Quite the opposite.
+
Check out part two of our ebook to learn
more about how to avoid these mistakes!

14. @
EF is the pioneer of – and world leader in – the task-based approach to English language
learning for large organizations.
Our unique combination of great teachers, breakthrough technology and fanatical service
adds more value to your business, and does it faster than any other method.
Strategic English
How English language skills can
power your global business
An EF Executive Briefing
Selling In English
The seven big mistakes
in English language learning
for sales organizations
The Economist Intelligence Unit’s
Competing Across Borders: How
cultural and communication
barriers affect business
An independent, global survey
into how language skills impact
the competitiveness of
multinational companies.
The Efekta™ e-brochure
All about our online school
About EF Corporate Language Learning
Further reading:
corporate-enquiries@ef.com
AN EXECUTIVE BRIEFING FROM EF
How English language skills can
power your global business
STRATEGIC
ENGLISH
Selling in English
The seven big mistakes
in English Language
learning for sales
organisations.
A mini-eBook from EF