Staff Training Tips

HOW TO MOTIVATE YOUR STAFF TO IMPROVE THEIR ENGLISH.

Would you like to see higher standards of English in your workplace? Are callers receiving a less-than-professional impression of your company because your receptionist has a heavy accent?  Is efficient and productive communication impeded by poor English and limited vocabulary? Are your staff’s excellent technical skills masked by their inability to communicate with clients in a clear concise manner?

Introduce the Buddy System.  

Select your best English speakers to team up with a staff member whose English needs help.  Monitor progress and offer an incentive (“Buddies’  Breakfast” ?) at regular intervals.

Improves staff morale and integration, as well as standards of English!

Contact “English Studies at Lunch” for answers to specific problem areas, and for more great Training Tips.

Make a Movie!

Employers, do the ESL students on your staff have access to a video camera?

Encourage them to make a video of themselves, or to team up with their fellow students. Ask them to role-play a common experience which might challenge their English skills, e.g. giving a client presentation.  After viewing the video and noting how they could improve, they should remake the video and compare the two versions. (Making an audio tape is also helpful if no video camera is available).

This exercise is very instructive and enables students to study and improve their own accents, vocabulary and speech patterns, especially in areas they will find useful in the workplace.

Training tip courtesy of www.midtownenglish.com.