Contents
With the globalization of business, English-speaking human resources are invaluable in companies. Many managers and staff are thinking of introducing English training for employees in the future. In addition, there are many companies that are already conducting English training with the aim of indoctrination of employees. However, there may be cases where even if you focus on English education for employees, you may still have problems if you do not get the results you want.
Therefore, this time, I will introduce the reasons why English training at companies fail and the points that lead to success in training. If you want to focus on English education for your employees, please refer to it.
Why does a company's English training fail?
Even if you invest time and money, you may not be able to feel the effects of English training because your employees' English proficiency does not improve easily. As you invest valuable time for both the company and your employees, you will need to know what causes English training to fail and take action. Here are some of the most common reasons why a company's English training fails.
The purpose of the training is not clear
Even if you say English training in a nutshell, the range of English learning is wide and the learning items are wide-ranging. For this reason, it will be difficult to proceed with learning efficiently unless the purpose of the English training and the goals that match it are set. First of all, it is necessary to clarify the purpose of the English training as a company.
For example, if you want to select employees from departments that have business with overseas to improve your English proficiency, or if you want to improve the English proficiency of all employees who work in your company, the purpose of English training varies from company to company. It is effective to decide the target students according to the purpose and concentrate on effective contents such as business English and business etiquette useful for business negotiations and negotiations, preparation for overseas business trips and overseas assignments.
The method of measuring training results does not match the purpose of implementation
One of the reasons why companies do not produce results in English training is that the method of measuring the effect does not fit the purpose of implementation in the first place. Test results, attendance rates, questionnaires, etc. are generally used as indicators to measure the progress and effectiveness of training. However, even if these results are good, it does not necessarily mean that the results of the training will be directly linked. Many people in charge will feel that their employees do not show their expected English proficiency in the workplace.
If the measurement method does not match the purpose and content of the training, there will be a discrepancy between the measurement results and the results. For example, if the goal is to "cultivate global human resources who will lead the business with overseas business partners," speaking, vocabulary, expressiveness, and business skills will actually be important, and it will be difficult to make a judgment based on the TOEIC results alone. .. In this case, indicators such as tests and questionnaires should be used only as a reference for grasping the progress, and other measurement methods such as feedback from instructors and field supervisors should be considered.
Training period/time is too short
In corporate English training, the duration and time of the training can be overwhelmingly too short. It is believed that beginners of English need about 3000 hours of study to master Business English. In a typical business sales training, 90 minutes of lessons are often given once a week for several months. With this alone, the total study time is only 6 hours a month, and it is difficult to acquire English proficiency that can be used in business.
Even employees who already have basic English proficiency need a certain period of study to improve their level and become able to use English at work. The point will be whether employees can increase their motivation to learn English through the English training and continue to secure learning time after that.
4 points for successful English training
As companies invest their time and money in English training, they need to use the most effective methods possible to ensure that their employees improve their English level.
Next, I would like to introduce four points that will lead to the success of English training for companies.
Secure more than 1000 hours of study time for 3 months
In corporate English training, training time is often limited due to budget and business concerns, and the bottleneck is that insufficient learning time does not produce sufficient results. It is generally believed that it takes about 3000 hours of study time to acquire Business English. If you were educated in English when you were a student, you probably have already learned English for 2000 hours. The key to learning practical English at the business level is to reserve the remaining 1000 hours.
In order to improve your English proficiency in the wake of English training, it is recommended to set up a training period of at least 3 months. If you can understand the tips and weaknesses of each person through the training for more than 3 months, it will be easier for you to voluntarily study English even outside the training hours. By continuing to study for several years, you will be able to achieve about 1000 hours of learning English.
Focus on continuing and habituating English learning after training
Continued learning is essential for learning English. Even if you provide meaningful and high-quality English training, it can be wasted if students stop learning. Therefore, it is difficult to master business English only by corporate English training, so it is necessary to train students so that they can learn English independently after the training.
In the training, it is important to understand the importance of learning English, to increase motivation, and to continue and make learning English a habit. If you give them the opportunity to speak during the training and get a sense of "speaking English", it will be easier to motivate them to learn.
Change the purpose and content of training between new employees and existing employees
There are different types of English training for companies. If the purpose and content of the training is changed depending on whether the target person is a new employee or an existing employee, the training will be effective. Just as new employees and veteran employees are in charge of completely different tasks, the areas of focus in learning English are also different.
In order to achieve high results in English training, it is recommended to divide the target audience into categories and set the purpose and content before planning the training. Let's confirm what kind of training purpose and content is suitable for each employee group.
New employee
For new employees, it is recommended to concentrate on English training during the orientation period immediately after joining the company. Before you are assigned, your work will not be hindered and you can spend more time training in English. It is a good idea to learn the basics of Business English in a short period of 5 days to 2 weeks. In workplaces where English is often used, such as hotels and trading companies, it is effective to provide training for a longer period of time.
The training mainly deals with basic communication skills such as self-introduction, greetings, telephone answering, and email. If the level of students is high, it is recommended to incorporate English that can be used in meetings and negotiations and English that can be used for presentations.
Since the work content to be entrusted to new employees is different in each company, it is necessary to handle the training content that can be put to practical use according to the situation of the company. It is important for new employees to get a sense that they can work using English and to increase their motivation for work and learning English.
Existing employees
Existing employees are already in charge and will often be busy. Therefore, it is important to regularly conduct English training and develop learning habits so as not to burden your daily work. Since it is often difficult to set up a set of training hours at one time, let's flexibly set the training according to each employee.
As you approach the leader or manager class among existing employees, you may already be able to communicate in English with overseas branch offices and overseas business partners, or become a candidate for overseas assignment. Responsibility increases, and management and decision-making may be done via English.
It will be necessary to improve your English proficiency so that you can understand English correctly in important situations and become a company's immediate force.
Administrator
Employees who need English as an administrator are required to have the ability to do business using English at the same level as the representatives of overseas branch offices and the presidents of overseas customers. English training will often deal with content that is useful for actual strategies and negotiations.
It is also important to learn business etiquette and skills suitable for executives as well as English. In the global society, the common sense that was accepted in Japanese society may not be understood. In order for a company to survive in a competitive society, it will need to be led by a manager with a global business sense.
Have each employee take training tailored to their English level
In corporate English training, it is likely that multiple students will be gathered together. In order to maximize the effectiveness of the training, it is important to provide content that matches the English level of the students. Employees' English levels vary depending on their learning history and experience. For example, if a returnee employee with overseas experience and an employee who is not good at English receive the same training, it will be difficult to set effective content for the students.
It is necessary to set goals and goals that match the level by classifying according to the English level at the start and conducting one-on-one lessons. To measure your level, we recommend using the TOEIC or Speaking Test, which frequently speaks Business English.
How to introduce English training for companies?
If you are going to introduce English training for a company, many people will not know how to get started. Here, we will introduce how to introduce English training.
Flow when introducing English training + precautions
After deciding to introduce English training, first set your goals as a company. In addition, we will clarify the purpose and goals for each category of target employees. Let's set specific goals for young people and management.
Once you have decided on your goals and goals, decide on a budget and employees for training. It is important to train all employees, but it will be more effective if you select employees who may use English. It will also increase the motivation of selected students. Once the budget and direction are set, explain it to management and obtain approval.
Once you have approved your English training, decide on specific training content and look for a partner company to provide the training. At this point, the budget, purpose/goal, and target audience have been decided, so select a company that meets the conditions. In many cases, specific training content will be suggested by a partner company that is a professional in learning English.
It is recommended to include elements that can be measured numerically, such as tests and questionnaires, in the goal setting and set it as a method for checking progress and effects. As mentioned above, not all the effects of training can be measured numerically, but if you incorporate it as one of the indicators, it will be easier for students to get motivated.
Types of English training
There are various styles of English training for companies, such as dispatched instructor training, short-term study abroad, and online English conversation.
In the instructor dispatch type, instructors go to the office and gather the students in the conference room for training. Since you don't have to go to school if you are in the office, it is a style that is easy for employees who are busy with work to continue. Short-term study abroad is an effective way to improve your language skills in a short period of time because you can learn English while living abroad. However, due to the high cost, the number of students will be limited to a small number. Online English conversation is a remote training that can be taken from anywhere on the Internet, so it is an easy way to continue learning.
In addition, there are various types of English training themes, and there are options such as TOEIC and other English exam preparation and business skill training. If you take a business-specific course, you will soon acquire English skills that you can use in the workplace, such as how to write emails, answer phone calls, and give presentations. In addition, there are discussion and debate-focused courses that are useful for meetings and negotiations.
Recommended English training is online English conversation
As a style of attending English training, online English conversation, which can be taken at home or on a business trip if there is an internet, is attracting attention. Online English conversation has the following merits, and more and more companies are introducing it.
・ Because it is a remote training, you can continue learning even in a telework situation.
・ Because it is a one-on-one lesson, you can take English training according to your individual level and purpose.
・ You can easily take it from an electronic device such as a computer or tablet. Easy to adjust schedule and easy to balance with work.
・ Can accommodate a wide range of students from beginner to advanced English.
・ Since it is a one-on-one lesson, there are many opportunities to speak and it is easy to improve speaking ability.
