The role of English proficiency in a global organization

Samantha Ball
Samantha Ball
two colleagues working outdoors talking to eachother over a laptop and paperwork
Reading time: 4 minutes

To compete in the modern business space, many organizations are shifting to a more global way of working.

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated digital transformation and globalization across industries but, as many businesses look now to sustaining future growth, the question is: what powers a successful, global organization?

Why English proficiency is key to unlocking international success

According to Pearson’s 2022 Power Skills Survey, one of the biggest factors in effective workplace globalization is the use of English as a common language. The report states “Adopting a common language and ensuring that the entire workforce can access it has become more important than ever before.”

It points to statistics from rising economies in Southeast Asia, showcasing the strength of English use and their respective booming industries:

  • In Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest economy in terms of GDP, the service sector employs nearly half of the country’s local workforce.
  • In Thailand, nearly 60% of the country’s GDP is generated by tourism and export-oriented production. Vietnam, one of APAC’s fastest-growing markets and a rising manufacturing powerhouse, counts the US among its top trading partners.
  • The Philippines’ business process outsourcing (BPO) sector, a key pillar of the country’s economy, employs 1.3 million people.

The power of effective communication

Pearson’s 2022 Power Skills Survey is a drop in the ocean of reports hailing effective communication as one of the top factors to both personal and business success. Good communicators have been linked to higher performance in school, at work and in their personal lives. It is no surprise then that good communicators are highly sought after by talent recruiters.

With many businesses moving to hiring outside of traditional location boundaries, more languages are inevitable in the workplace. So, can good communication transcend language barriers?

As the statistics gathered by the Power Skills Survey show, there is evidence that sharing one common language, and therefore enabling more effective communication, can improve business opportunities, workforce growth and ultimately the economy. In the survey report, Norlida Azmi, Group Chief People Officer at Axiata, said:

“Communication is a critical skill that sets the foundation for not only leadership competencies, such as people management and coalition building, but also for wider and effective stakeholder management in the ecosystem – communicating with our shareholders, customers and the communities that we operate in.”

English: the official language of business

While communication for globalization can look different for different markets, the English language is recognized as the prevailing choice for multinational companies. The Harvard Business Review says:

“The need to tightly coordinate tasks and work with customers and partners worldwide has accelerated the move toward English as the official language of business.”

So, with businesses now fighting to grow in a global marketplace, unlocking the power of the English language is crucial to success.

Assessing English proficiency within your organization

The survey shows that many organizations have work to do in this area, even if they view strong English proficiency as extremely important to their roles. It details the current state of assessing candidates’ English language proficiency and the percentage of organizations that have strategies in place to upskill their employees English proficiency. Both leave room for improvement.

According to the survey, the number one way talent acquisition managers test English language skills is at the interview (58%), although 37% aren't measuring English language skills at all. This can be problematic later down the line, as not all four language skills (reading, writing, speaking and listening) will be accurately represented in an interview.

Meanwhile, 27% of businesses use computer-based tests and 14% use paper-based tests to assess English language proficiency. By getting standardized test results, talent managers can more accurately assess if candidates’ English proficiency is suitable for the role, making for more confident and successful hires.

Strategies for English upskilling

Talent managers can also pass on these insights to learning and development managers to help them implement effective English language upskilling programs. While this investment can empower employees to perform better in their new role, it may also improve employee retention and even lead to succession and impact business growth.

 Whether organizations choose to hire new talent with higher levels of English proficiency or invest in learning and development programs to build their employees’ language skills, there are tools available to help.

Pearson Language Solutions for Work enables talent and learning and development managers to fast-track and simplify their recruitment and training processes, giving you total confidence that your candidates and employees have the English language skills to drive your business forward. Find the best language assessment and learning solutions for your organization here.

Drive your business forward with language training

If you liked this blog post and want to learn more, download our PDF report here.

Find out more about how language training and assessment can drive your business forward by checking out our resources for HR professionals, including articles, whitepapers and research.

Contact us and find out how we can support your business

More blogs from Pearson

  • A woman on a laptop with headphones on and writing down on paper
    Are online checks reliable for English tests?
    By Alice Bazzi
    Reading time: 3 minutes

    Identity verification is one of the most critical steps in any English language test. For institutions and governments, the question is clear: can online ID checks really be trusted? With modern technology, the answer is simply yes. And, in many cases, they are even more robust than manual checks. 

    PTE Express uses advanced biometric verification, combining facial recognition with real-time ID validation. Candidates are required to present official identification, which is cross-checked using automated systems that detect inconsistencies, fraudulent markers and different forms of tampering. 

    What makes this approach particularly powerful is the consistency. Unlike human-led checks, which can vary depending on conditions, staff training or volume, AI-driven verification applies the same rigorous standard to every candidate. 

    Additionally, liveness detection technology ensures that the person taking the tests are physically present and not using any static image or recording. This eliminates common fraud risks that are associated with impersonation.

  • two business people sat together talking
    How to motivate employees to learn a new language
    By Charlotte Guest
    Reading time: 4 minutes

    Global business has made multilingual communication more valuable than ever, but simply offering language training doesn't guarantee that employees will use it. Many organizations invest in language learning programs only to see participation decline after the first few weeks as workloads increase and priorities shift. The most successful companies recognize that motivation, not just access to training, is what drives results. 

    The key is to make language learning relevant, social and easy to incorporate into the working week. Here are some ways that managers and HR teams can encourage long-term engagement.

    Link learning to career development

    Employees are more motivated when they understand why learning a language matters. Explain how language skills can support promotions, international projects, business travel or working with global clients. Include language development in performance reviews or personal development plans to reinforce its value.

    Schedule time for learning

    Busy schedules are one of the biggest barriers to learning. Consider setting aside 30 minutes each week for employees to complete lessons during work hours. This demonstrates that learning is part of the company's culture rather than an extra task to fit in after work.

    Make learning social

    People are more likely to stay motivated when they're learning together. Try activities such as:

    • Weekly lunchtime conversation clubs where employees practice speaking in a relaxed setting
    • "Language Buddy" schemes that pair learners for short practice sessions.
    • Team vocabulary challenges, where departments compete to learn themed business phrases each week. These activities encourage accountability while making learning more enjoyable.
  • Students sat together at a table working together
    Mind the gap in your English lesson planning
    By Ehsan Gorji
    Reading time: 4 minutes

    Professional English teachers love lesson planning. They can always teach a class using their full wardrobe of methods, techniques and games, but a detailed plan means they can deliver a richer and more modern lesson – after all, a teacher usually plans using their full potential.

    Whenever I observe a teacher in their classroom, I try to outline a sketch of their English lesson plan according to what is going on. I am careful to observe any "magic moments" and deviations from the written plan and note them down separately. Some teachers seize these magic moments; others do not. Some teachers prepare a thorough lesson plan; others are happy with a basic to-do list. There are also teachers who have yet to believe the miracles a lesson plan could produce for them, and therefore their sketch does not live up to expectations.

    The "language chunks" mission

    After each classroom observation, I'll have a briefing meeting with the English teacher. If the observation takes place in another city and we cannot arrange another face-to-face meeting, we'll instead go online and discuss. At this point, I'll elicit more about the teacher's lesson plan and see to what extent I have been an accurate observer.

    I have found that Language Inspection is the most frequent gap in lesson planning by Iranian teachers. Most of them fully know what type of class they will teach, they'll set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely) objectives, consider the probable challenges, prepare high-quality material, break the language systems into chunks and artistically engineer the lesson. Yet, they often do not consider how those language chunks will perform within a set class time – and their mission fails.

    The Language Inspection stage asks a teacher to go a bit further with their lesson planning and look at the level of difficulty of various pieces of content in the lesson. Is there enough balance so that students can successfully meet the lesson objectives? If the grammar, vocabulary and skills are all above a student's ability, then the lesson will be too complex. Language Inspection allows a thoughtful teacher to closely align the objective with the difficulty of the grammar, vocabulary and skill. Like a train running along a fixed track, Language Inspection can help make sure that our lessons run smoothly.

    Lesson planning made easy with the GSE Teacher Toolkit

    If a lesson consists of some or many language chunks, those are the vocabulary, grammar and learning objectives we expect to become learning outcomes by the end of the class or course. While Language Analysis in a lesson plan reveals the vocabulary, grammar and learning objectives, in Language Inspection each chunk is examined to determine what they really do, how they can be presented, and – more importantly – to assess the learning outcomes required.

    The Global Scale of English (GSE) Teacher Toolkit can be a teacher's faithful lesson-planning companion, especially when it comes to Language Inspection. It's simple to use, yet modern and exciting. It is detailed and delivers everything you need.

    To use it, all you need is an internet connection on your mobile phone, tablet, laptop or PC. Launch the GSE Teacher Toolkit and you'll have the ability to delve into the heart of your lesson. You'll be able to identify any gaps in a lesson – much like seeing the gap between a train and a platform's edge.

    Ask yourself questions such as:

    • Does this grammar form belong in this lesson?
    • Do I need to include some vocabulary to fill this gap?
    • Is it time to move forward because my students are mastering this skill earlier than expected?

    The GSE Teacher Toolkit gives you the ability to assess your lesson for these gaps – whether small or large – in your teaching. By doing this, you can plan thoughtfully and clearly to better support your students. It really is an opportunity to "mind the gap" in your English lesson planning.