Get fluent in retention: why language skills are the secret to engaging top talent

Engaging and retaining employees is one of the biggest issues facing employers in today’s climate. Research by Gallup suggests organisations with high levels of employee engagement see significantly lower levels of absence, are 14% more productive and 23% more profitable than those with low levels. There are many ways in which employers can go about motivating and engaging staff, ranging from good pay and benefits to a strong company culture and a positive work environment. But an underrated way to enhance retention is investing in people and boosting their skills. Research by LinkedIn finds 94% of employees are more likely to remain with a company committed to their learning and development. One option for HR and L&D professionals is to help employees learn a new language. There are many benefits to this, to employees, employers and wider society. Here’s why you should consider making this a central part of your employee retention strategy:1. You’ll engage and motivate staffMany people have long harboured ideas of learning a language but these typically get shelved due to a lack of time or motivation. By helping to make this a reality, you’ll engender goodwill from employees and ensure they benefit from a sense of achievement and improve their cognitive skills. In turn, this will boost their confidence and feeling of self-worth. Enabling people to learn a language can also help them in their career, by allowing them to progress into other roles within the organisation, or externally in the longer term. It’s not just the language skills they’ll learn, either; anyone exposed to another culture will develop greater awareness of other countries and people, and become more rounded individuals in the process. 2. You’ll benefit from higher-skilled peopleHaving employees who have developed in this way will benefit businesses, too, fostering new ways of thinking and problem-solving, and creating a more innovative and creative workforce.For those operating in international markets, there are obvious benefits to having people who can speak other languages. This can improve relations with customers and partners, and ensure processes work better and with less tension. For some, this will be a source of competitive advantage; three-quarters of European SMEs that have implemented a language strategy experienced at least a 16% boost in sales turnover, according to research by the European Commission. This also reveals that 50% of organisations believe they will need additional language skills in the next few years. For those with international offices, having staff who can speak different languages can help develop better internal relations and improve company culture. This was the case for electric and pneumatic vehicle door systems manufacturer BODE, which offered staff the chance to learn Polish to improve communication with one of its sites using Babbel for Business’s offering. “It has definitely had a positive impact on our internal communication, especially between our international offices,” says Samantha Homburg, HR administrator.Organisations will benefit from higher levels of staff retention, as people feel invested in. In turn, this will help the business become more attractive to other potential recruits, who are also keen to develop their skills and boost their careers. 3. And wider society will benefit tooBeing able to converse with people from other countries helps to break down cultural barriers and encourages more of a partnership approach. In a dangerous geopolitical environment, reducing tension and enhancing cooperation and understanding is a powerful way of building bridges, and should lead to stronger economic growth.Giving people language skills can also assist with social mobility, helping them achieve jobs and positions they otherwise would not have been able to. This ties in with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals around education, gender equality and reducing inequalities, by fostering better communication and understanding across borders.Practical considerationsThere are several issues for organisations and HR teams to consider before embarking on any language-learning initiative:Identify the right people: Think about who to offer this to. Perhaps there are particular people that are more likely to leave, whether that’s due to age, length of service or type of role. If you have international ambitions, you’ll need to think about which functions would benefit most from learning a language, and which languages would be most beneficial. Make it easy for employees: Staff need to learn a language alongside their day job and other responsibilities. You will need to think about whether self-paced courses or instructor-led sessions will work better and whether to offer courses in-person or online, or a combination of the two. A personalised learning plan can help ensure people achieve their goals. Think about how you’ll measure success: It’s important to think about why you’re doing this and track how well it’s going. This might be through completion rates, improved engagement or performance levels, or better retention and recruitment rates. Regularly review the impact it’s having, and make any changes if necessary.Done correctly, offering the chance to learn a language can provide a reason for staff to stay with your organisation, knowing they can develop personally and professionally. It can also fit in with your own ambitions, ensuring your business is ready to face the future. Go to Babbel For Business to find out more about how they can help you offer language training at work

Get fluent in retention: why language skills are the secret to engaging top talent

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