How to power your DE&I strategy and drive global growth with language learning

Pearson Languages
A business woman sat at a desk with a laptop and notepad. She is writing in the notepad.
Reading time: 3 minutes

When you get them right, great diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) strategies transform businesses, and language proficiency plays a crucial role. We know that investing in DE&I initiatives promotes a sense of belonging and connection, and ultimately delivers stronger business results. Whether you’re looking to boost profitability, staff attraction and retention or performance, proactive DE&I initiatives are central to overall business success.

This blog is adapted from our PDF article of the same name. Download that version here.

Implementing a commitment to DE&I alongside expertly designed language training and development will also:

  • Widen and diversify your talent pool.
  • Foster a culture of ongoing learning.
  • Boost employee engagement, loyalty and trust.
  • Improve team morale, mental health and well-being.
  • Help generate fresh ideas and new perspectives.
  • Develop problem-solving and decision-making skills.
  • Build better relationships with customers and help you gain better customer insight.
  • Enhance your brand and company’s reputation.

That’s quite a list, and it can all be catalyzed by building language proficiency.

Leaders are committing to building better cross-cultural communication and English language proficiency because they understand that better language skills mean a stronger, more meaningful DE&I strategy for their organization.

How to embed effective language learning that supports DE&I in your organization

  1. Make it clear that language learning for all is a top-level commitment as part of your DE&I initiatives.
  2. Communicate the benefits and advantages of ongoing language learning and development, along with the link between language and crosscultural understanding and inclusivity.
  3. Support a diverse recruitment strategy by embedding language assessment in your talent acquisition initiatives. Measure candidates’ current language skill levels in a fair and equitable way using a resource such as Versant by Pearson. (Pearson TalentLens has developed a set of inclusive best practice assessment steps for HR professionals to incorporate over time.)
  4. Implement and embed easy-to-use and accessible language resources in your learning and development initiatives. Platforms such as Mondly by Pearson are flexible, relevant and engaging and give employees autonomy on their learning journey.
  5. Create excitement to promote buy-in. Make language learning part of your company culture and experiment with ways in which to do this.
  6. Communicate milestones and progress, gain inclusive and regular feedback, celebrate successes and always promote a culture of collaboration.

There will always be challenges associated with implementing, embedding and promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in a company. But by prioritizing language learning, you will propel business growth throughout your organization—unlocking international opportunities, improving internal and external communication, enabling better collaboration, and turbo-charging your talent acquisition.

At the very heart of a truly diverse, equitable and inclusive environment lies a multi-level commitment to better communication, in all the various forms it takes across your organization. Prioritizing language proficiency is one of the most dynamic ways to reinforce DE&I in your business.

If you found this article interesting and want to learn more, download the full PDF version. It features what to focus on as a leader and more about how language learning powers DE&I efforts.

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.

Resources for HR professionals

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