The challenge

With offices all over the world, the company is truly international, employing people from a large number of countries. With such diversity, effective multilingual communication is a must to ensure successful collaboration between teams and offices. However, this doesn’t just mean being able to explain work processes and strategies. Language learning is central to developing soft skills, promoting cultural understanding between colleagues, and building interpersonal relationships that are the cornerstone of a vibrant business.

Proficiency in Business English is clearly a priority for new employees moving to the UK. Mastering this skill is essential in today’s business world. But the opposite is also the case. For English speakers preparing to move to another country or working closely with teams in other countries, interpersonal skills can benefit immensely from learning to speak their colleagues’ language, even if they can speak English. Either way, confident language skills lead the way to career development.

According to Lauren P., Learning & Development manager, “it’s not only English speakers learning other languages, but also employees who moved to the UK improving their English. The fact that Babbel works both ways is really great.”

Fluent communication is an important tool in professional development, and training these skills gives employees a strong advantage when it comes to progressing in their careers.

“It’s great that we have the opportunity to promote effective communication cross-collaboratively. It helps the business work together as one.”

Lauren P., Learning & Development Manager at global courier and logistics company

Why Babbel?

Lauren points out that Babbel already had a reputation for being a trusted and effective language learning tool. So, employees on all levels — from warehouse staff to office workers right up to senior management — were attracted immediately. One senior manager, for example, is learning Spanish with Babbel to make communication even smoother with his Spanish colleagues. Even though they also speak English, this strengthens their relationship.

But why else is Babbel such a good fit for the courier and logistics company? Their employees have different working times, which makes learning with Babbel ideal because the language training platform is accessible anytime, anywhere. This means that learners have the power to choose the time that suits them best to improve their language skills. The Babbel platform is also easy to use, with minimal admin work needed to get new learners up and running with the program. When employees express an interest in learning with Babbel, Lauren simply sends them an invitation, and they can get started straight away.

Lauren also says that Babbel’s usage reports are very effective at keeping track of the learners’ progress, e.g., the time spent and the number of lessons completed. If a learner hasn’t been active on Babbel for a while, Lauren can send a reminder to motivate them or transfer their access to another employee. While there may be occasional dips in learning activity during particularly busy phases, overall, employees are clearly motivated to learn with Babbel: “Some learners are very active, with some learning hundreds of hours a month, some half an hour a day, which, of course, is great to see!” Other feedback from learners points out how user-friendly the Babbel app is, while many like how they can learn at a pace that suits them best. 

Lauren highlights one employee who received an opportunity to relocate to an office in Spain. In preparation, he used Babbel to master Spanish after only a matter of months. He applied, got the job, and moved to Spain. “That, to me, is a perfect success story of why we offer Babbel,” says Lauren. “It supports peoples’ career progression, facilitates people moving across countries, and helps them feel more comfortable when they settle in.”

Conclusion

Developing and diversifying language skills isn’t just about communicating on an operational level. Language development is a key soft skill, helping to strengthen interpersonal relations and build trust and respect between colleagues from different cultural backgrounds. As this example shows, learning a new language can be a decisive factor in advancing your career. Babbel is a user-friendly and effective corporate benefit in employee development and is helping employees work across countries and collaborate as one.