Search
HR Management

What to Look for in a Business German Course for Your Employees

MC Andrews
Published: April 30th, 2025
Business German Course

Offering a business German course to your employees can open doors—literally. Whether you’re improving safety communication on the factory floor, preparing client-facing teams for the DACH market, or simply fostering a more inclusive, multilingual workplace, one thing’s for sure: not all German courses are created equal.

If you’re in HR, L&D, or workforce development, choosing the right language training program isn’t just about picking the most popular app or cheapest vendor. It’s about finding a course that delivers real results—for your people and your business.

Here’s what to look for when evaluating business German courses for your team.

1. Workplace-Relevant Content

Skip the “I’d like a table for two” lessons. Your employees don’t need travel phrases—they need German they can use on the job.

Look for:

  • Industry-specific vocabulary (e.g., manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, hospitality)
  • Workplace scenarios like team meetings, safety briefings, customer calls
  • Business communication skills, including email writing and negotiation phrases

The best courses are designed for professional use, not tourists.

2. A Method Designed for Adult Learners

Your team isn’t sitting in a high school classroom—they’re balancing workloads, meetings, and deadlines. That means you need a course built around how adults actually learn.

Make sure it includes:

  • Clear, goal-based progression
  • Active recall and spaced repetition (aka brain-friendly learning)
  • Lessons that respect employees’ time and prior knowledge

Adult learners thrive when content is relevant, efficient, and confidence-boosting.

3. A Blended Learning Format

Blended learning combines self-paced lessons with live instruction. Why does that matter?

Because:

  • Apps alone can’t teach conversation or cultural nuance
  • Live sessions provide speaking practice, real-time feedback, and accountability
  • Combining formats keeps engagement high and retention stronger

Look for a provider that offers app + live classes as part of their core program—especially if you want your team speaking German with real fluency.

4. Built-In Progress Tracking for HR and L&D

You can’t manage what you can’t measure. Any business German course should give you clear visibility into:

  • Learner engagement and completion rates
  • Language level progress (e.g., CEFR levels)
  • Feedback from learners and instructors

Bonus points if it includes team-level dashboards or integrates with your LMS. This way, you can report ROI to leadership and adjust support as needed.

5. Scalability Across Locations and Teams

Whether you’re training 5 employees or 500, the course needs to work across:

  • Multiple locations and time zones
  • Various job roles and proficiency levels
  • Hybrid, on-site, and deskless teams

Choose a solution that can scale with your workforce and grow as your needs evolve.

6. 👥 Dedicated Support for Admins and Learners

Rolling out a new program can be a heavy lift without the right partner. Look for a language training provider that offers:

  • Onboarding and rollout support
  • A Customer Success Manager for your HR team
  • Instructor support to keep learners motivated

Language learning is a journey. Your team deserves a guide.

The Bottom Line

The right business German course doesn’t just teach grammar—it helps your employees communicate confidently, safely, and effectively in the real world of work.

When evaluating options, prioritize: ✅ Workplace-relevant content
✅ Adult learning design
✅ Blended formats (app + live classes)
✅ Progress tracking
✅ Scalability
✅ Support

Investing in language skills is investing in your people—and your company’s global readiness.

Ready to see what a modern business German course looks like?
👉 Book a demo with Babbel for Business to explore how we combine expert instruction, real-life scenarios, and flexible learning that fits your team’s schedule.

Picture of MC Andrews

MC Andrews

M.C.'s career has spanned 10+ Years in Global Content Strategy. As Sr. Global Content Manager at Babbel, she loves to create compelling, engaging content that helps businesses reach their language training goals.

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter

See our highlights from the world of digital language learning

Read next

It's time to get international with language training for the banking & financial sector....
In this post, we share the impact learning Spanish can have on your business and why your team should invest...

The phenomenon of code-switching has emerged as a critical topic of discussion. Marisol Gomez, one of our Customer Success managers, explores...