USA 
United Kingdom
Hello! Ciao! 안녕하세요!
Having just returned from a week-long holiday abroad, the familiar awkwardness of being a monolingual tourist is fresh in the memory.
From ill-fated attempts to simplify and slow down my English, to undoubtedly butchering the local greetings, I often come away from any time abroad wishing I spoke at least one other language.
The expectation that others will simply have to understand my language – or else we will resort to crude gesturing and broken syllables – is borderline embarrassing.
I find myself wishing that I had paid more attention in my foreign language classes at school, or, like many of my generation, could stick to using everyone’s favorite owl-based language learning app.
It’s not just about the pleasure of being able to converse with someone on a trip abroad having mastered at least the conversational elements of another language. As an editor, speaking and writing fluently in a foreign language would open up a huge amount of career possibilities. And I’m not alone.
Why workers want foreign language training
According to research from Preply, nine out of ten Americans believe learning a second language is important. 70% regret not learning a second language, 58% have been embarrassed by their inability to communicate with someone who spoke a different language, and 21% say they have missed a career opportunity due to being monolingual.
Offering language training as a part of a skills development program may seem like a major investment, but it's clear that employees have an appetite for this skillset—and recognize that it could help elevate their career, offer more value in their roles, and improve their cultural sensitivity and communication.
It also seems that younger generations have a particular interest in learning languages. In the US, Duolingo finds that the percentage of its US learners consistently increases as age groups get younger. As Gen Z and eventually Gen Alpha make up a greater share of the workforce, employers may well increasingly find their employees are fired up for foreign language training.
Employers need foreign language skills
On the other side of the coin, demand is also increasing for workers with foreign language skills. A 2024 survey from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACFTL) finds nine out of ten US employers rely on employees with language skills other than English, and 56% say their foreign language demand will increase in the next five years.
The bottom-line benefits sont incontournables. Employers increasingly recognize that a bilingual or multilingual workforce breaks cultural barriers, improves worker performance, and drives customer satisfaction and retention. They can help companies expand into new markets, or improve the relationship with customers and colleagues who are not native English speakers.
Moreover, it increases talent agility within workforces, offering workers the chance to take on new roles or projects and helping employers plug skill gaps without the constraints of language barriers.
Foreign language training programs also increase loyalty from those who participate, demonstrating how much the company values their career development far beyond their current role. Those who are bilingual or multilingual frequently report salary and career growth thanks to their skills.
As the world becomes more global, organizations should too
The US finds itself knee-deep in the T20 Cricket World Cup, as the popularity of the sport sweeps across the nation. America has been home to teams and fans from Sri Lanka, Scotland, South Africa, and more.
We are also just days away from the beginning of the CONMEBOL Copa América, in which the US will host soccer teams and supporters from countries including Jamaica, Bolivia, and Venezuela.
The two major international sporting events and the competition, celebration, and camaraderie they bring are a fantastic reminder of why we should recognize and support our different national cultures and languages.
The world is evermore global, and companies are too. Businesses bring together colleagues, customers, and leaders from different nations. Offering employees the opportunity to train and learn new languages brings companies closer together, and we are all the richer for it.
Καλή τύχη! Kila la kheri! Good luck!
