Public speaking can be intimidating enough, but when it needs to be done in a foreign language, it can be even more so. For employees and team members who often speak on behalf of their companies or teams, there’s the extra pressure of speaking not just on a personal basis but as a representative of the larger organization. And even if someone memorizes a presentation so well they can recite it in their sleep, they also need to be agile enough in the foreign language to handle any questions that the audience might ask. Developing foreign language and communication skills through flexible, remote-learning programs like Babbel for Business is one of the best brand strategies that team leads and HR managers can use to support their employees — and boost the image of the company or team in the public eye.
Everyone (yes, everyone!) can benefit from language learning and polishing their public speaking
Even if employees don’t have a role that revolves explicitly around public speaking, there will certainly be times when they need to. Employees might be called upon to give presentations to their colleagues or clients outside the company or to accept awards and give speeches on behalf of their company — and then stay around for a Q&A or panel discussion. And it’s not just in the corporate world: Public speaking is commonplace in virtually any profession.
Team leads and HR managers in any kind of work environment, whether it’s a large corporate or a startup, can help support their team members through language training. It’s not just something else on their to-do list: Studying a foreign language helps improve communication skills and, as learners conquer grammar and vocabulary, it boosts employee confidence, too.
Language learning maximizes opportunities for companies
Becoming fluent in a new language — or brushing up skills and gaining confidence by picking one up again — doesn’t just benefit the individual, either. It opens the company up to more opportunities to get their message out. It’s also good optics in today’s globalized world: If your team is multilingual, it boosts your company’s credibility as a modern operation.
And because communication goes both ways, learning to listen to others in a foreign language — especially in a presentation — can prove useful for both companies and individuals. If English isn’t your team’s first language, even having a couple of employees who master the language can open up a host of new learning opportunities and ways to boost your company’s profile: They’ll have more conferences, lectures, and panels they can attend, and they can also introduce your company and mission at events where there are networking opportunities.
Babbel for Business can open up a world of opportunities
Available in 14 languages, the language learning program from Babbel for Business offers maximum flexibility for employees and team members, with a format for every company’s needs. It focuses on specialized vocabulary and grammar, like a Business English course geared specifically to those looking to improve and master their presentation skills.
Your team members can learn flexibly with Babbel Professional, honing their skills when and where they want with the Babbel app. You can add group video lessons with Babbel Live to give them extra practice speaking, and 1:1 video lessons with Babbel Intensive for fast, individualized progress.
No matter which option you choose for your team, bespoke learning pathways like Business English offered by Babbel for Business focus on the skills employees need most. This unit features modules that break down how to give presentations to an English-speaking audience, with topics like strong openings and introductions, conclusions, how to describe visuals, how to structure presentations, and even idioms to help them sound more like a native speaker. Other units include phone calls with clients, business trips, and more — everything a team member needs for communicating with others in work-related contexts.
For companies and teams with presentations to give, clients to win over, and press to court, having employees that can speak foreign languages well — and digest information in languages other than their own — can open up a whole new world of opportunities. Whether your team members are giving presentations, speaking at awards ceremonies, giving interviews to international media, or communicating with clients, Babbel for Business is there to take your company to the next level.
