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News
release | 26th September 2001
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Language
skills
wasted
by
world's businesses
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The
Languages at Work 2001 survey results will be revealed at the London
Language and Cultural Learning Show 2001. The full survey results
will be available for the business day at the event in London on
2 November 2001. 534 visitors to languageadvantage.com completed
the survey during the summer of 2001. Visitors came from over 50
countries, speaking over 50 languages.
According
to the survey on languages at work by languageadvantage.com, English
is still the world's language for business. But people are using
other languages at work alongside English - mainly French, but also
Spanish and German.
Amazingly, there
is a massive untapped talent in the workplace, with around 50% of
respondents having language skills that they are not using at work.
These are primarily French, German, Italian and Spanish, although
a quarter of respondents speak other languages that are being wasted.
Many can speak two or three languages on top of English.
Three-quarters
of respondents are employed in multicultural and multilingual workplaces
across the globe. It is not surprising, therefore, that up to half
have come across language and cultural barriers, and 15% actually
admit to losing business due to difficulties in communicating with
people from different cultures, speaking different languages.
Over 50% of
respondents are learning a language and Spanish has overtaken French
as the favourite language to learn. Some are currently learning
two or three languages.
The Languages
at Work 2001 survey has been carried out as part of the European
Year of Languages 2001. Businesses and international organisations
across Europe and the rest of the world should use the European
Day of Languages on 26 September 2001 to reflect on whether they
are using the languages talent in their workforce to best advantage.
Perhaps there is a need to take international communication and
relationship building more seriously, given the competitive threat
from businesses in some countries who have language strategies in
place which offer their employees language training, cross-cultural
training and the opportunity to work with their languages. In this
way, organisations will be able to readily respond to all their
customers, wherever they come from, and whichever language they
may speak.
The London Language
and Cultural Learning Show forms an integral part of the campaign
to promote positive attitudes to language learning and cultural
awareness. This is the UK's only exhibition and conference dedicated
to the promotion of languages, culture, language services and new
technology for language learning and teaching.
The event takes
place on 2nd and 3rd November 2001 at the Novotel London West Exhibition
Centre.
To
find out how to get the competitive advantage through the language
advantage, take a look at our Language
Advantage Work section>>
Any questions? Like to talk to us about Languages
at Work 2002?
For more information or any feedback, please contact
us.
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