You must be aware that effective communication in English is one of the most sought after skills in an employee at all workplaces. It does not matter what your designation is, but your ability to speak fluently and confidently is something that you would need throughout your life. Let us see why!
Why English Is So Important?
Here are the reasons why fluent English is a must in today’s world:
- English has become the global language for communicating in all streams such as politics, finance, education, entertainment culture and international relations in almost every country of the world.
- Proficient English speaking skills can give you liberating confidence and the ability to express yourself in English at work. It gives added benefits and more opportunities to expand your career prospects. A study indicates a solid growth in the number of companies throughout the world that require employees with excellent English speaking skills.
- Communication is very necessary to acquire knowledge, circulate information and persuade people to what you think. It helps in developing goodwill and sustaining harmonious relationships with others at work. Real communication is when we listen to what we hear with understanding. It should be the same process with listeners when you speak in English at your workplace.
- A good knowledge of English allows you to communicate effectively with international clients, helping them to trust you and your organisation resulting in strong and lasting business relationships. People who use English for their work on a daily basis need to be able to use English for a variety of purposes including in meetings and negotiations, for managing, writing reports, giving presentations and in social situations.
- Being able to communicate and negotiate successfully with clients who speak English makes your skill-set more attractive to companies who conduct business internationally meaning employees who speak English can often command higher salaries.
7 Benefits of Knowing Fluent English:
1. It shows your willingness to go beyond
Now, regardless of your background and upbringing, many bosses will automatically expect you to know the language. Even if you had received education in a different language or come from a place where English is barely spoken, you are expected to know English.
2. It will help you to communicate better
Working in an office means teamwork and collaboration. Even if you are an introvert, you will have to interact with your colleagues and that will be difficult if you don’t know the language they speak very well. In a worst-case scenario, it may even lead to misunderstandings that might put your job at stake.
3. It is important for delivering presentations and speeches.
English is important for effective communication. You cannot deliver a presentation to your team or be in charge of a board meeting if you speak in your native tongue and if no one else in that room speaks that language. So you need to speak the “common tongue” well, so you can translate your thoughts and ideas into coherent (clear and logical) sentences that everyone can understand and respond to. Just having a great idea isn’t enough. You have to successively express it to your audience.
4. Good pronunciation always makes a good first impression.
Speaking and writing English are two different skills—you may write well, but unless you can speak clearly and fluently, you are unlikely to make an impact in the workplace. People do judge you by the way you speak. Also, the type of English that is spoken differs from place to place. American English isn’t the same as British English.
5. It allows you to travel.
If you have always dreamed of working for an international company or traveling around the world for business, English is the most likely language to help you communicate with strangers.
6. It gives you an edge in other jobs as well.
If you have a full-time job or run your own business, but also do night shifts or part-time jobs to supplement your income, you probably already know that your English proficiency will give you an edge over other applications. Whether it is waiting tables, babysitting, being a shop assistant, helping with events or even walking someone’s pet dog, your knowledge of the English language may come in handy.
7. It allows you to express yourself to the mass
English is the “lingua franca” of the world due to Westernization and globalization. So being fluent in English is essentially a survival strategy in today’s competitive world. It automatically improves your chances of climbing the corporate ladder.
In A Nutshell:
The ability to communicate in English is a huge asset to many companies and organisations including those who do not use English as an official language. Companies who conduct business internationally are likely to be engaging with people who speak English as a first or second language on a regular basis making the ability to use English in the workplace a very valuable skill.
