"Language skills are an integral part of our efforts to build an entrepreneurial society in which businesses and individuals thrive and achieve their potential."
Isabella Moore, Director of CILT, the National Centre for Languages.
The global economy is introducing new challenges to UK businesses. Profitability and success are now rarely found solely in domestic markets. Cross border trade is an integral element of business growth strategy.
Dealing with customers and clients in different countries necessitates that businesses acquire language skills. One would therefore assume that UK businesses are seizing the opportunity to invest in language training for staff. However, this is not the case.
A 2004 survey by the British Chambers of Commerce, in conjunction with the BBC Language Survey, has highlighted some worrying findings that point to a serious lack of investment in language skills.
The survey of 1000 exporters concludes that poor language skills are stunting the growth potential of UK businesses. Many exporters are failing to see the prospects of cross border trade available through having staff with language skills.
The findings highlighted that the vast majority of exporters conduct business solely in English. 50% of exporters surveyed claimed to have a formal qualification in a foreign language but only 20% could conduct business in a foreign language. Worryingly, 77% admitted to having lost revenue in export sales, but only 37% had a strategy to develop language skills in the workplace.
The findings also pointed to missed opportunities by highlighting a correlation between language skills and company turnover. Only 33% of companies that placed least value on language skills had an annual export turnover above £0.5 million. Companies that considered language skills important were clearly doing better in business generation.
A lack of language skills is proving to have an adverse affect on business success in the UK. Statistics show that 90% of the world's population live in countries where English is not the native language. The best means of targeting and dealing with such countries is therefore through their native language.
If the UK is to meet its potential as a world business leader, it must change its attitude towards developing the language skills of its workforce.
© Kwintessential Ltd.
