English as an equaliser in inclusive workplaces

Modern organisations increasingly need to focus on inclusivity as teams become more global, distributed and diverse. Inclusion delivers better business outcomes, such as more effective communication, a stronger culture and higher retention levels. More importantly, it’s part of your company’s social responsibility towards its employees.

Language barriers are often easy to overlook in otherwise inclusive workplaces. When English is the default language, non-proficient workers may struggle to perform their best and lose a sense of belonging in the team.

Targeted English training addresses these barriers by giving your employees the tools they need to communicate and collaborate effectively in an international workplace. It levels the playing field, allowing every employee to participate more fully in discussions, share ideas and understand your organisation’s value and goals.

In this article, we explore exactly how much English language training contributes to inclusive workplaces where everyone has access to information, support, opportunities and development.

How language barriers restrict international teams

Language barriers affect more than day-to-day communication; they decide who gets heard, who influences decisions and who contributes to meaningful work (in a meaningful way). That’s why when English proficiency varies across roles and departments, inclusion can break down in subtle but systematic ways.

Here’s where challenges can arise when English communication in the workplace is the default language:

• International meetings: Proficient speakers dominate discussions and decide next steps, leading to their coworkers getting overlooked.
• Written communication: International teams spend longer on written messages while they interpret instructions and clarify what’s being asked. There’s a high potential for delays, mistakes and conflict as important nuance gets lost.
• Informal chats: Some employees shy away from conversations in the office or break room, where decisions begin to take shape ahead of formal discussions.
• Collaborative projects: Multilingual teams work in English, making it harder for non-proficient employees to participate, even though they may have valuable insights or skills.
• Training and development: Programmes are likely to be in English and full of dense jargon, meaning international teams could take longer to complete them and could achieve lower results.

Why English training is an equaliser

English training levels the playing field by reducing language-based advantages and disadvantages at work. Targeted programmes empower your teams to participate fully in work and to access the same benefits as their coworkers, so their performance is determined by dedication, skills and insights rather than language fluency.

Implemented well, training helps employees collaborate more effectively as part of an international team. It focuses on the real-life communication skills needed for their specific professional context. For example, training might cover how to handle negotiations and give employees practice role-playing conversations with clients. These language skills become second nature over time and allow everyone to negotiate (singularly or as a team) the best possible terms for the company.

In many cases, language equality not only equalises but also allows your top performers to meet their full potential. No longer held back by language barriers, talented employees can participate in more tasks and assume more leadership roles. They’re also more likely to commit to your organisation for the long term when they see a future there, allowing you to continue benefitting from their expertise for years.

As well as helping you retain employees, English training can make your hiring process more inclusive. It signals to international job seekers that your organisation is an equitable workplace, and more people from all backgrounds will be likely to apply. Similarly, fewer talented candidates will be deterred by what they see as a monolingual culture, where they may struggle to compete with proficient English speakers.

A shared medium for more diverse voices and perspectives

Language equality doesn’t just enable more workers to participate. It determines whether diverse, multilingual teams can share ideas, interact with one another and work toward common goals.

Ideas often require nuance to be conveyed properly. Language proficiency ensures employees can explain the context, reasoning and intent behind their insights to reveal their true value. On the other hand, limited language skills can often flatten these perspectives, leading other people to dismiss them.

When more employees can contribute, discussions can also move beyond consensus-seeking to constructive debate. Diverse linguistic backgrounds often align with different cultural and regional experiences that can lead to important insights. With the right linguistic skills, employees can share these insights or see the flaws in potential plans and raise their concerns more effectively.

Ultimately, strategic decision-making improves when organisations have the benefit of a wide range of perspectives and experiences. McKinsey data shows that diverse workforces are 39% more likely to outperform competitors. And, that number keeps increasing year-on-year as businesses become increasingly globalised and hire more workers from across borders.

The value of inclusive language in the workplace

Language training alone isn’t enough to create an inclusive workplace. Workplace culture also needs to support inclusivity through tailored support for multinational teams, such as Employee Resource Groups and personalised development plans. These actions determine whether improved English communication at the workplace translates into real participation.

Still, language training is an important element of inclusivity, and can help fuel inclusivity in work environments. It’s an opportunity to foster a culture of equity and inclusion through learning and communicating, as well as to open doors for more global business and team operations.

Be inclusive. Be innovative. Book a demo of British Council English Online.