Getting your business on board for English classes

English classes need the support of all levels of a business. From front-line staff up to the CEO.

However, many times not everyone is bought in.

From management and leadership the thoughts can be:

• They can just take classes after work.
• That’s not our responsibility.
• It will eat into our profit.

For the staff members themselves, there can also be pushback:

• My English is good enough, I get by at work.
• I don’t want a bunch of homework and tests.
• I had bad experiences in the past at school.
• I’m worried that I’ll be “found out” (really low English, low reading, etc.)

So what are some benefits to having english classes at work?

Let’s be clear, there are MANY benefits to having English classes at work, below are a few that I would like to highlight.

1. It’s going to increase their Skills for Success (Essential Skills)
   • The Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) and Essential Skills (ES) are very interrelated.
   • As language increases, so do their Essential Skills as they are able to understand more, therefore do more.
   • Also, if someone is struggling with reading, writing, and comprehension, ANY class that has them reading and writing at a more basic level is going to help increase their skills.
2. It’s going to increase communication at work for everyone
   • Better communication means:
     • Less mistakes
     • More cohesive teams
     • Safer working conditions
3. It will help to retain employees
   • Offering free language classes at work is that added bonus that can encourage employees to stay & grow with the company.
4. It will help to attract new employees
   • There’s a shortage of quality English classes taught by certified experienced language instructors. Offering high quality English classes at your workplace adds another level of excellence that will make others want to apply.
5. Better cultural understanding
   • Many newcomers lack a “Canadian Connection”, to help guide them on cultural nuances that they see in the workplace and in daily Canadian life. Having someone coming in weekly connecting with your staff ensures that they have someone to ask questions to about “Canadian things” to.
6. It helps them to settle and more likely stay in the area
   • If you have a quality language instructor they aren’t going to just teach English. They are also going to:
     • Help your staff become involved in the community (give referrals, etc)
     • Give suggestions on fun activities, places to eat or visit.
     • Recommendations on day to day activities (dentist, hair dresser, etc)
7. Your profits will increase in the long term
   • Less mistakes, less accidents, more communication = more money

My best recommendation, after bringing up the above points?

Have a Workplace English Instructor come in to speak with leadership and staff. I have found that going in, introducing myself, explaining what I do goes a long way to bringing workplaces onboard.