Target employees’ English language upskilling with the GSE Job Profiles

Samantha Ball
Coworkers sat at a table together, talking and smiling
Reading time: 4 minutes

Staying ahead requires not just talent but the right talent. For HR professionals, ensuring that employees are equipped with the necessary skills is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge. Enter the GSE Job Profiles—a game-changing tool designed to facilitate role-targeted upskilling by mapping English language skills to specific job roles. This blog post will explore how HR teams can leverage this innovative tool to enhance workforce capabilities efficiently and effectively.

The GSE Job Profiles utilizes Pearson’s Global Scale of English and the Faethm by Pearson skills ontology to provide a detailed analysis of the language requirements for nearly 1,400 job roles. This precise mapping allows HR professionals to make informed talent management decisions, including hiring, training and development, and ensuring that employees are adequately prepared for their roles now and in the future.

English language upskilling with GSE job profiles
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Why targeted upskilling matters

Upskilling is vital for both individual and organizational growth. Upskilling not only enhances employee performance but also boosts morale and retention.

In fact, 94% of employees say they would stay with their current organization if there was investment in their career development, and 9 in 10 employees are looking to their employer to provide English language training.

English in particular, is becoming an even more sought-after skill, with AI technology increasing the importance of soft skills such as teamwork and communication. And the emerging workforce agree, with 92% of Gen Z and Millennial workers believing English skills will be increasingly important for work in 5 years’ time. 

By focusing on developing the specific English skills needed for success in a role, organizations can both optimize workforce efficiency and create a future-ready team.

The GSE Job Profiles simplifies the process of targeted upskilling by providing clear benchmarks for English language proficiency. Whether you’re hiring new talent or looking to supercharge your existing talents’ careers, HR teams can use these benchmarks to identify skills gaps and tailor language learning and development initiatives accordingly.

Integrating the GSE Job Profiles into your workforce planning strategy

To maximize the benefits of the GSE Job Profiles, HR professionals should incorporate the insights into their overall workforce planning strategy. Here are some key steps to consider:

Step 1: Define role-specific language requirements

The first step is to establish the English language proficiency levels required for each job role within the organization. The GSE Job Profiles provides a global reference point, detailing the necessary English levels across speaking, listening, reading and writing skills.

Step 2: Assess current workforce capabilities

Once you have established the English language requirements, it's essential to assess the current proficiency levels of your workforce. This assessment will help identify any language skills gaps and highlight areas where targeted upskilling is needed.

Using tools like the Versant by Pearson language assessment, HR professionals can quickly and easily evaluate employee proficiency at scale. As both Versant by Pearson tests and GSE Job Profiles report on the Global Scale of English, you can immediately compare results against role benchmarks. This makes it easy to identify talent that has the right level of English skills for their roles and gain valuable insights into your team’s English language strengths and weaknesses.

Step 3: Implement targeted learning and development programs

With this insight, HR teams can develop tailored learning and development programs to address skills gaps or proactively develop skills for future roles as part of your workforce’s career progression. You can use apps like Mondy by Pearson to help you with this.

Organizations can ensure that their upskilling efforts are effective and measurable by aligning language training programs with the GSE Job Profiles benchmarks.

The GSE underpins all Pearson English Language learning materials. So, if you want a language training solution that features role-relevant language training, helps you track your team’s progress and is easy to implement, check out Mondly by Pearson. With a dedicated dashboard, you can monitor your workforce’s English learning and help them reach their career goals.

Contact us to learn how we can support your language training

The impact of targeted upskilling for organizations

Implementing a targeted upskilling strategy using the GSE Job Profiles can yield significant benefits for organizations. Here are some of the key advantages:

Enhanced hiring processes

With accurate language skill profiles, recruiters can quickly identify candidates who meet the job requirements. This not only speeds up the hiring process but also improves the quality of new hires, as they are better equipped to perform their duties from day one.

In fact, in a 2023 Pearson-conducted global customer survey of 34 Versant by Pearson Test customers, 94% said using Versant by Pearson tests helped reduce time-to-hire and 89% agreed it improves the quality of new hires.

Improved employee performance

72% of employees say they would find their job easier if they had better English skills. Organizations can enhance workforce performance by addressing English skills gaps and providing employees with the tools they need to succeed.

Employees who feel supported in their development are more likely to be engaged and productive, contributing to a positive workplace culture.

Increased retention and job satisfaction

40% of employees leave their jobs due to a lack of development. Upskilling initiatives can also lead to higher retention rates and increased job satisfaction. When employees see a clear path for growth and development, they are more likely to remain committed to the organization and motivated to achieve their career goals.

Overcoming challenges with language upskilling

While the benefits of language upskilling are clear, there are challenges that organizations may face when implementing such initiatives. Here are some tips for overcoming these obstacles:

Addressing resistance to change

Employees may be resistant to change, particularly if they feel their skills are being scrutinized. To address this, HR teams should communicate the benefits of upskilling clearly and involve employees in the planning process, ensuring they feel supported and valued.

Ensuring access to resources

Providing employees with access to the necessary resources is crucial for successful upskilling. Organizations should invest in a range of learning and development options, ensuring that employees have the tools they need to succeed.

Measuring success

Finally, it's important to measure the success of upskilling initiatives. By tracking progress against the GSE benchmarks, HR teams can evaluate the effectiveness of their programs and make data-driven decisions to refine and improve their strategies.

The future of language upskilling

As the business landscape continues to evolve, the importance of English language upskilling will only increase. The GSE Job Profiles provides HR professionals with the insights and tools needed to adapt and thrive in this dynamic environment.

Using target roles or identifying skills gaps helps you focus your language upskilling initiatives and create a workforce that is not only skilled but also agile, ready to meet the challenges of the future head-on.

In conclusion, the GSE Job Profiles is a powerful tool that can transform the way organizations approach upskilling. By aligning language proficiency with job roles, HR professionals can enhance recruitment, improve employee performance and build a future-ready workforce. For those looking to explore further, reach out to us to discover how the GSE Job Profiles can benefit your organization.

Get a free GSE Job Profiles demo

Read our posts 'Ensure your candidates have the right English proficiency' and 'Boost the quality of your hires with English proficiency testing'.

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