Research suggests WM companies are complacent towards language skills 15/02/07
The RLN, together with Coventry University, recently conducted research into the extent and nature of demand for foreign languages and cultural awareness amongst West Midlands businesses. 517 companies, mainly from the key sectors of Food & Drink and Tourism & Leisure, were asked about the contact they have with people from other countries, whether they use foreign language skills and how adequately they feel they can communicate in these languages.
The findings of the study will, no doubt, set a few alarms bells ringing, not least due to the fact that the majority of organisations surveyed take a complacent attitude towards the use of foreign language skills and even more so towards the importance of cross-cultural sensitivity in their business.
38% of the businesses surveyed said that they currently had contact with people from other countries, either through trading internationally or employing staff from overseas. A further 10% said they expect to have some form of contact in the next 2 – 3 years.
However, of those companies who have current or potential contact, 40% have no employees who use foreign languages in their jobs and, whilst, the majority of people agree that foreign languages are essential to effective communication, this view is often not reflected in practice.
It doesn’t seem as if businesses are making the most of the language skills they already have within their workforce – 20% of respondents employed workers whose first language was Polish yet they did not trade directly with Poland.
As we dig further into the research, the results yield more cause for concern, not only for the RLN, but also for the international trading potential of West Midlands businesses as a whole:
- Production of company materials in other languages is not considered a priority – even though many respondents pointed out the advantages this would bring.
- A third of respondents felt they ‘could do better’ in terms of their ability to communicate in foreign languages.
- 14.5% of surveyed companies identified problems caused by language barriers, such as delays in operations, understanding of the needs of customers and miscommunication.
- 28% disagree or strongly disagree with the statement: “I know where to go for advice and support for language issues”; 30% disagree or strongly disagree with the statement: “I find it easy to access the language/cultural services needed”.
- Of those companies who use external providers to organise company language and cultural training 50% rate these services as ‘inadequate’.
The report concludes that there is currently no perception of the need to grow in the international market, but if environmental factors were to call for a quick adaptation, these small and medium sized companies would not be ready to respond to this call.
The report recommends that managers consider the growing opportunities arising from trade with other markets and in doing so, clearly communicate to staff the importance of trading internationally and the direct link between foreign language proficiency and intercultural awareness and these overseas activities being profitable.
To find out more information you can download:
The full report (pdf 280KB)
The executive summary (pdf 112KB)
Also in the news:
Polish most common language after English in workplace - 21.02.07
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